There are many perks to staying at a hotel. Business travelers may cite room service and an in-building gym as reasons for choosing a hotel over other accommodations; honeymooners may gush about romantic views; parents enjoying time away from their children may focus on high thread counts and comfy pillows. For me, the number one reason I love staying at hotels is it guarantees a clutter-free, everything-in-its-place experience.
Hotels are experts at telegraphing that sense of orderliness—and Ace Hotel’s new Chicago location is no exception. Here are some storage and organization takeaways we gleaned from the chain’s latest hipster destination.
Photography by Spencer Lowell.
1. Think beyond shelves.
Above: A wall of steel tubular rails and hooks (by Brooklyn-based Uhuru Design) has a more minimal profile than a wall of shelves. It’s a great space-saving solution here; in a home, this would be perfect in a hallway.
2. Provide opportunities to both display and stow away.
Above: Open shelves in this built-in minibar, by Ace Hotel’s longtime design collaborator Commune, show off a collection of beverages and snacks (gathered in a custom-made rope basket), while a closed compartment offers a place to hide belongings.
3. Go for built-ins in a tight space.
Above: Here’s a custom plywood and linoleum creation that combines bed, nightstand, and bench into one extremely efficient and compact piece. The sconce is a collaboration between Commune and Atelier de Troupe, both based in Los Angeles.
4. Cover the tissue box. Please.
Above: Can you imagine this bathroom without the understated leather tissue box covering up the cardboard packaging beneath? Exactly.
5. Hang towels where you need them most.
Above: Keeping a towel close to the bathing area seems like an obvious design must-do, but how many times have you had to drip-toe across the room to grab a towel post-shower? This bathroom does it right and provides hooks within easy reach of the stall.
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