When it comes to building and running a hotel, design plays a major factor. The design of your hotel is the first thing a potential customer sees, from the layout of your public spaces to furniture selection and guest room features.
When we step back and start to break down the concept of design, at the core we notice color.
As a hotelier or general manager, have you stopped to think about how color impacts the design? Why were those specific colors chosen to be a part of the pre-approved brand design package? What colors from the design package best suit your hotel and its clientele? Rather than restrictive guidelines, brand packages can be viewed as useful innovations for your design process.
The simple answer to this question would be: color theory.
Color theory is the science that studies how hues of color, lighting, and saturation impact a person’s emotional response and behavior. Color theory is at the core of design philosophy. A person’s cultural background and life experiences can impact their emotional and behavioral response to color. The last two factors are a lot harder to track and research. When hotel brands develop their guiding principles and interior design concepts, their design teams research their target audiences and the colors that speak to their needs.
Think about some of your favorite hotel guestrooms and their color palettes, whether at a luxury hotel or AirBnB. What was it about those color palettes that left a lasting impression? Now think about how those color palettes translated to the identity of the brand and their target audience.
As you think about this, let us discuss the meanings behind common colors you will find in hotel guestrooms and how you can use them to improve your design.
When we step back and start to break down the concept of design, at the core we notice color.
As a hotelier or general manager, have you stopped to think about how color impacts the design? Why were those specific colors chosen to be a part of the pre-approved brand design package? What colors from the design package best suit your hotel and its clientele? Rather than restrictive guidelines, brand packages can be viewed as useful innovations for your design process.
The simple answer to this question would be: color theory.
Color theory is the science that studies how hues of color, lighting, and saturation impact a person’s emotional response and behavior. Color theory is at the core of design philosophy. A person’s cultural background and life experiences can impact their emotional and behavioral response to color. The last two factors are a lot harder to track and research. When hotel brands develop their guiding principles and interior design concepts, their design teams research their target audiences and the colors that speak to their needs.
Think about some of your favorite hotel guestrooms and their color palettes, whether at a luxury hotel or AirBnB. What was it about those color palettes that left a lasting impression? Now think about how those color palettes translated to the identity of the brand and their target audience.
As you think about this, let us discuss the meanings behind common colors you will find in hotel guestrooms and how you can use them to improve your design.
Warm Colors: Red, Orange, & Yellow
Red / Orange - These two colors are bold colors associated with energy, passion, fire, friendliness, and health. Depending on the hue, both colors can evoke the sense of nature, inspired by the colors of autumn. In more modern design schemes, you will see brighter, more vibrant hues of red or orange used to create a sense of energy and excitement. In more transitional or traditional design schemes, you will find deeper hues of the color red. Because of their energizing natures, these colors are usually used as accents within guestrooms. The hotel’s brand identity, target audience, and lighting conditions will impact which hue of the color is used.
Yellow - The brightest of the warm colors, yellow is often associated with happiness and optimism. Like its counterparts, red and orange, the use of this color in a guest bedroom will really depend on the hue. In its brighter state, a little goes a long way with yellow. Using it as an accent in artwork, lighting finish, or accent pillows will make a strong impact in your guest room without overpowering your guest. Think of it as small touches of happiness throughout the room.
Red / Orange - These two colors are bold colors associated with energy, passion, fire, friendliness, and health. Depending on the hue, both colors can evoke the sense of nature, inspired by the colors of autumn. In more modern design schemes, you will see brighter, more vibrant hues of red or orange used to create a sense of energy and excitement. In more transitional or traditional design schemes, you will find deeper hues of the color red. Because of their energizing natures, these colors are usually used as accents within guestrooms. The hotel’s brand identity, target audience, and lighting conditions will impact which hue of the color is used.
Yellow - The brightest of the warm colors, yellow is often associated with happiness and optimism. Like its counterparts, red and orange, the use of this color in a guest bedroom will really depend on the hue. In its brighter state, a little goes a long way with yellow. Using it as an accent in artwork, lighting finish, or accent pillows will make a strong impact in your guest room without overpowering your guest. Think of it as small touches of happiness throughout the room.
Cool Colors: Green, Blue, Purple
Green - Green is a very versatile color in design. Green can be associated with nature, growth, energy, and stability. The color green is all about application. In a more modern design aesthetic, your brighter greens will invoke exciting energy. In more nature-inspired design schemes, your mid-tone to deeper greens will bring feelings of calm and stability.
Blue - Blue is a designer favorite in guest room designs. Blue is mostly associated with peace and calm; two things most guests look for in their guest rooms. The color blue has a wide range of hues that you can find in guest rooms from light blues, which provide a sense of airiness and calmness, to navy, which invokes a subtle stability. In many room designs, various hues of blues are used as a pop of color without disturbing the eye.
Green - Green is a very versatile color in design. Green can be associated with nature, growth, energy, and stability. The color green is all about application. In a more modern design aesthetic, your brighter greens will invoke exciting energy. In more nature-inspired design schemes, your mid-tone to deeper greens will bring feelings of calm and stability.
Blue - Blue is a designer favorite in guest room designs. Blue is mostly associated with peace and calm; two things most guests look for in their guest rooms. The color blue has a wide range of hues that you can find in guest rooms from light blues, which provide a sense of airiness and calmness, to navy, which invokes a subtle stability. In many room designs, various hues of blues are used as a pop of color without disturbing the eye.
Neutrals: Browns, Beiges, Blacks, Grays, Whites
Overall neutrals are used as the foundation of all design palettes. Beiges and Whites invoke a sense of softness within a space. White provides emotions of cleanliness and peace. Neutrals when layered with other neutrals can create very sophisticated, elegant color palettes.
So now that we understand colors, let's talk about a few popular color combinations in guestrooms.
Overall neutrals are used as the foundation of all design palettes. Beiges and Whites invoke a sense of softness within a space. White provides emotions of cleanliness and peace. Neutrals when layered with other neutrals can create very sophisticated, elegant color palettes.
So now that we understand colors, let's talk about a few popular color combinations in guestrooms.
Popular Color Combinations
Navy - Red - White: Often referred to as “Americana”, this color combination is a timeless designer favorite. The white provides your guest with emotions of a clean and tailored scheme while the navy balances the energy of the red to invoke stability. All emotions cause it to be a timeless color palette.
Navy - Beige - Red Orange - Goldenrod: Paired with the beige this color combination conveys trustworthiness and an energetic punch.
Gray - Goldenrod - Light Blue: Another popular color combination, the light cool grays provide your guest with a soft and light feeling balanced out by the cheerful pops of yellow and the calming light blues. The combination is all about calming happiness.
Navy - Red - White: Often referred to as “Americana”, this color combination is a timeless designer favorite. The white provides your guest with emotions of a clean and tailored scheme while the navy balances the energy of the red to invoke stability. All emotions cause it to be a timeless color palette.
Navy - Beige - Red Orange - Goldenrod: Paired with the beige this color combination conveys trustworthiness and an energetic punch.
Gray - Goldenrod - Light Blue: Another popular color combination, the light cool grays provide your guest with a soft and light feeling balanced out by the cheerful pops of yellow and the calming light blues. The combination is all about calming happiness.
Next time you walk into a hotel room or have to gear up for a guestroom redesign, pay attention to the colors. Decide what kind of story you want to tell based on the customers you want to attract.