The look and feel of a hotel is designed to create a pleasing sensory experience and often indicates the property’s brand and position on the chain scale—but it can convey much more to the observant guest. From storytelling to capturing local culture, designers are increasingly aiming to bring richer concepts to life to increase guest engagement. Many brands, especially in the lifestyle segment, require a theme, and resourceful designers will go the extra mile to meet that requirement. The most creative themes often involve a story that ties together elements of the décor.
“The story varies. It could be a fictitious character that we’ve created to help drive the aesthetic of the hotel, and the story gets told in art and styling,” said Kellie Sirna, owner and principal of Studio 11 Design. Sirna’s team was recently tasked with reimagining The Talbott, a historic hotel in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood that joined Marriott’s Autograph Collection following its completed renovation in May. To guide the new look for the Georgian Revival-style hotel, “we chose a fictitious character—a girl who traveled the world and brought her worldly travels back to Chicago, which was her home,” Sirna explained. “[Objects from] her world travels are throughout the space, with really interesting art and styling that’s got a bit more of a feminine flair to it, whereas a lot of our designs are driven more toward a masculine look, darker and moodier. This project is just really rich in color and history.”
Local Inspiration
Complementing the story-driven reimagining of The Talbott is a newly imparted sense of place; for example, the pattern of the hotel’s guestroom carpet evokes the Gold Coast and the Chicago River. Cultural elements can also create that sense of place, an example being ROAM Interior Design’s transformation of Bishop’s Lodge, a luxury property in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The project drew upon the city’s Native American traditions and showcases the work of craftspeople from the area. “Incorporating and working with local artisans has become a trend in lobby and guestroom design, bringing authenticity and a strong sense of place to interiors,” said Natalie Smith, design director and principal of ROAM Interior Design. “Handcrafted furniture, textiles, and artwork not only celebrate regional culture, but also create unique, memorable spaces that resonate with guests seeking deeper connection and storytelling.”
Smith also pointed to “quiet luxury” as an emerging design trend, and the work of local craftspeople, along with “rich textures, premium materials, and layered, warm lighting,” creates an ambiance that today’s high-end traveler tends to prefer over “flashy opulence.”
Integrating Art and Literature
Art is an integral part of both storytelling and creating a sense of place, and the Bishop’s Lodge project went beyond displaying the work of local artists in public spaces and guestrooms. “To further celebrate Santa Fe’s vibrant creative community, we designed an art gallery for the lower promenade—providing a venue for rotating exhibitions and hands-on workshops that connect guests directly with local artists,” Smith related.
To strengthen the connection to artists featured in their projects, Studio 11 Design’s team has created a book that provides background on the artists as well as the overall story of the hotel. That resource helps current onsite staff and any new team members to learn and discuss the property’s artworks and theme with interested guests, ensuring the story never gets lost due to staff turnover.
Book selection for the hotel’s public spaces is another way of supporting a theme, and good design companies leverage that element as well. “We love to find and support local bookstores,” said Sirna, adding that bookshops can even partner with designers to select, for example, local history and travel books or those authored by local writers. “We really love that tie back to the community, and I always love it when, as designers, we can help facilitate that,” she concluded.
Open Lines of Communication Between Designers and Multiple Stakeholders
A hotel design project is spearheaded by the creativity and resourcefulness of the designer, but those efforts are informed by the owner’s goals, brand requirements, budget, supplier constraints from procurement, and feedback from general contractors. Kellie Sirna, owner and principal of Studio 11 Design, stressed the importance of collaboration from the beginning of the project. “The first things we establish are budget, schedule, and narrative, and we’re touching base through all phases that we work within,” she explained. “We get on weekly calls, and it’s crucial that we’re all consultants and everybody’s talking through the issues.”
The initial priority is to confer with the owner and the brand on the overall direction of the project. “We approach collaboration with brands and owners as a process of alignment and storytelling. We like to establish a clear design narrative that ties directly back to the brand identity and project goals, so every decision feels intentional and connected,” said Molly Forman, senior associate at //3877. “From there, we prioritize open and ongoing communication while embracing flexibility. No project is linear, and the best outcomes come when the design team, ownership, and brand are willing to refine and adapt together.”
Collaboration with procurement is also key, especially in light of the current purchasing climate for certain product types. “The FF&E procurement process is particularly tumultuous right now with availability and tariffs creating a moving target,” Forman noted. “We value our relationships with purchasing agents immensely and understand that our goals are aligned—delivering a product on time, in budget, and meeting the design goals.”
Natalie Smith, design director and principal of ROAM Interior Design, explained the potential fallout of inadequate collaboration with procurement. “It can be frustrating when specifications are issued but not bid out on an appropriate timeline to meet install dates, which can result in reselections or having to move forward with vendors who were not vetted by the entire team,” she said. “In our experience, taking a team-based approach and working together in a timely manner almost always leads to a successful outcome.”