Interior Design for Hotels: Tips and Trends

Hospitality is an incredibly competitive industry, and interior design is one of the most important ways for hotels to differentiate themselves and win over customers. Hotel rooms can be challenging to design because the space needs to balance comfort and functionality while looking visually appealing, especially to the targeted customer. Here are professional tips and trends for the best hotel room design.

Popular Hotel Room Design Trends

Like interior design for any commercial space, interior design for hotels is always driven by the dual demands of efficient functionality, and appealing style that sets the brand apart. Within that framework, here are some of the biggest hotel interior design trends of 2023:

 

• Natural and sustainable materials. More and more people want to reduce their environmental impact when they travel. Choosing sustainable materials and improving energy efficiency are important features. Using natural materials like wood, linen, cotton, and leather not only creates a healthier, more natural space, but also makes hotel rooms more comfortable, relaxing, and luxurious. 
• Local art and design. Gone are the days when hotel rooms were anonymous and interchangeable around the world. Holiday visitors, and even business travelers, are looking for a hotel room design that reflects the local style and creates a sense of place. This can mean using local materials in hotel interior design, featuring art and designs by local artisans, or using color palettes and visual elements inspired by the local scenery and architecture.  
• Seamless technology integration. For many travelers, it’s not enough to simply provide wifi, workspaces, and charging stations. More and more hotels are integrating smart technologies into the room design, offering IoT appliances in rooms, robot staff in the hall, and high-tech amenities. 

 

By the year 2025, over 50% of recreational travelers will be millennials, who will expect luxury with comfort, local feel and flair, and seamless integration of their devices. Hotel interior design that anticipates and caters to these expectations will be more successful in the coming years. 

Tips for Designing Hotel Room Interiors

While hotel room design requires unique design considerations and features, many of the same basic principles of interior design also apply to a residence, and an interior designer will go through a similar process. When designing a hotel room, here are some of the most important tips to keep in mind:

Decorative Elements to Enhance Hotel Room Design

 

While functional pieces define the utility of a hotel room, decorative elements define the feel. Choose a rug, artwork, accent furniture, lighting fixture, or other visual elements to anchor your design. Then choose colors, textures, and shapes in the rest of the decor that reflects and refers back to that anchoring element. 

Strategies for Maximizing Space in Hotel Room Design

 

Maximizing space is a great way to make a hotel room feel larger and more luxurious. Smart interior design can help make a space feel larger by scaling down the furniture and choosing low profiles and slim legs. Keeping walls light in color and using mirrors also helps to amplify the sense of space, while window treatments, lighting fixtures, and wall decor can be used to make ceilings feel higher. 

Lighting Considerations for Hotel Room Design

 

Lighting is one of the most important features of a space, and hotel room lighting needs to be especially versatile and functional. Guests will be both working and sleeping in the room, and many of them may be recovering from jet lag or other stresses. Interior design for hotels should always provide bright natural light when possible, along with blackout curtains that exclude light. Room lighting needs to provide soft ambient light, along with brighter task lighting. Lamps, sconces, and dimmers that allow guests maximum control over their lighting environment are excellent solutions for hotel rooms.

Maximizing Comfort and Aesthetics in Hotel Room Design

 

There are a lot of small ways that interior design can make a hotel room look more aesthetically pleasing, while also making it more comfortable. For a hotel room, it is natural to focus on the bed as the biggest and most dominant feature. Using premium linens on the bed and bath, choosing the right colors and textures in textiles, layering fabrics, and choosing warm lighting make a hotel room feel more comfortable, relaxing, and homey.

Benefits of Hiring a Professional Interior Designer for Hotels

Interior design for hotels is one of the most important investments a company can make. Hotel room design creates great guest experiences and differentiates the brand. It is also crucial during the purchase decision when most travelers are making their lodging choices based on pictures. 

 

Great hotel room interior design is not just functional and comfortable: it is aspirational. The design aligns with how guests think of themselves and completes the vision of the travel experience they want to have. It is a brand promise for the customer and an investment in the future. It is important for hotels to choose a great designer, and to choose a local designer who knows the style and aesthetics of the location. 

 

If you are looking for award-winning interior design for your hotel or commercial space, contact J.Fisher for a consultation. 

Contact

J.Fisher Interiors’ studio is located in east Austin. To schedule your consultation appointment, please fill out the contact form or call us at 512.954.0904. We would love to hear from you!