The Importance of Interior Design in the Hospitality Industry

When I was asked to speak on the importance of interior design — especially where it relates to hospitality — I thought about the common drivers behind each. “Inspired” was the word that kept surfacing.

Design is inspired — there's a force and an innate need to make a place or thing more beautiful. Hospitality is inspired too — there's a reason we do it. Whether it's monetary or because we love human interaction and meeting others from different backgrounds, there's a driver there. Both are emphasized by individuality, quality, and pushing standards.

A little background on me: I've been an interior designer for 10 years, and my hospitality experience is fairly extensive. I've designed and hosted a handful of Airbnb homes and overseen visual operations for large retail companies, and in my free time I enjoy volunteering. Selflessly immersing yourself in another person is one of the things that makes me happy. Whether it's volunteer work, hosting an Airbnb, understanding my clients' needs and tastes, or helping a loved one — the connection between design and hospitality is vast. If this type of human connection is important to us, imagine the influence it can have on our guests.

A lot of people think that to make their home appealing online, it must appeal to many different types of people. But how are we to know what will spark someone's interest through design? How many people like primary colors vs. soothing tones? Feng shui vs. eclecticism? Instead of trying to please multiple tastes, tell the story of you. Let your guests take a journey outside of themselves — let them feel what you feel when you host, or volunteer, or go to work.

But what makes you you? Do you love music, sports, the outdoors? Not to be confused with a "theme" — like my childhood bedroom filled with posters of the Backstreet Boys — but how can you ensure you've thoughtfully incorporated aspects of your life into your design?

I have recent clients who have five children. They just sent the last one off to college and bought a crash pad in Denver to experience condo living when they come to town, and they plan to put it on short-term rental from time to time. In our initial consultation, I asked them the four questions I always ask a new client:

• What are three words that describe how you want to feel when you're in your space?
• Favorite colors?
• Design trends you've seen that you either love or hate?
• Hobbies?

When I got to the last one, they stared at each other, looked back at me, and said, "You know we have five kids, right?" I ran through some additional questions to get them talking, and we discovered their love of visiting national parks, bike riding, and enjoying their wine collection. For three words on how they wanted to feel in the new condo, they said modern, inviting, and calm. When I moved to colors, the wife said she liked red.

After a brief education on color theory, I proposed a gray-washed red brick wall installation on one of their living-room walls. There are throw pillows with red accents and a gorgeous oatmeal-and-gray rug with pops of red. We did a powder-coated metal cutout of a bike on their bathroom wall; they have a clock made of bike gears, three 30×30" black-framed photos of their favorite national parks on the brick wall, and coasters with different bicycles on them. We installed a wine fridge in the kitchen. The home now tells the story of who lives there and how they enjoy spending their time — thoughtful, calm, and inviting. It takes their guests on a journey and lets them experience something new.

And that's where I get a little emotional. I started this career because I love throw pillows and blankets and coffee-table books. But how design can transform someone's life is where I find deeper reward, and why I choose to stay in this career. In a world where 1 out of every 4 stays is two people from different countries, inspire someone through who you are — and ensure your design tells the story of you.