Hotel furniture design trends:Few spaces within a hotel require more diversity from a design perspective than lobby areas. Receptions serve as a first point of contact with customers, and as such need to fulfil a number of key roles, from social hub and waiting area to customer liaison point. Striking a balance is key to ensuring that the space is flexible enough to meet all of these needs, and provide a smooth customer experience.

Colour Scheme
When considering a colour scheme for the hotel reception, key decision makers need to adhere to brand guidelines and values, making sure particular colours are synonymous with the hotel brand.

Reception Area
The reception area of a hotel has the highest footfall out of all the spaces within the premises, therefore the furniture that sits in the lobby – such as chairs, tables and couches – is more susceptible to wear and tear due to frequent use.

Unlike many other consumer-facing businesses, a customer can pass through the door of a hotel at anytime of the day. Therefore, the window for cleaning and preserving furniture is much narrower, and this should be highly considered when purchasing products.

Modular furniture pieces offer particular flexibility in hotel reception areas. It is agile enough to bend around awkward corners and some ranges come with an upholstered table that can stand individually or sit between chairs. This means that the look and feel of the reception can be changed without the space undergoing a complete refurbishment and allows you to tailor make furniture to maximise available space.

This type of furniture lends itself to hotel lobbies as it has a multi-functional use and depending on the target market of the hotel, the reception area can be used for meetings or simply as a social hub for somewhere to enjoy refreshments. It is rare for the hotel lobby to be used for checking in alone. For example, softer stools and pouf seats are proving popular for hotel reception areas as they take up little space, but can be dotted around lobby areas to provide comfortable seating while customers wait to check in or be shown to their rooms.

Reception Area
Another design trend we are noticing is the use of over-sized and high-back chairs in hotels, as they can provide customers with a secluded waiting area due to their soundproof qualities. This means that customers feel like they have their own space while waiting to be seen or simply relaxing at a hotel reception.

Striking the balance between functionality and the latest design trends to find a happy medium can mean simply changing the colour of a wall or updating soft furnishing – at the same time this is also relatively low cost, but enables the reception area to remain modern and vibrant.

Space, Space, Space
The main theme that runs through the latest interior design trends in hotels is that businesses are continuously looking to make better use of available space, while ensuring style remains up-to date. Whatever space you’re working with, it’s important for businesses to remember that the design and style can change, without necessarily carrying out a refurbishment or procuring new items.