As we welcome the vibrance of the spring 2024 season, the world of interior design is abuzz with refreshing trends emerging in hospitality design. From multi-functional spaces and a renewed focus on health and wellness, to travelers seeking immersive experiences, hospitality design is continuously evolving to meet the changing needs of consumers. Drawing insights from the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) 2024 Trends Outlook Report, let’s delve into the key trends in hospitality design this season:
Attitudes Influencing Consumer Choices
Amidst the popular discourse surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI), celebrity culture, identity, social media and misinformation, consumers in 2024 are seeking the real deal–trusted brands that offer a genuine experience. Identified by Merriam-Webster as the 2023 word of the year, “authenticity” is a common thread running through the societal and demographic themes impacting design in 2024.
Younger generations are voicing their preferences and flexing their purchasing power, seeking comfort, quality and more importantly, connection–signaling for designers the significance of experiential design and placemaking. Collectively, Americans are caring more about environmental and health issues, and interior designers have an opportunity to help clients think comprehensively and strategically about the built environment, designing exclusive and immersive experiences that support better health and wellness outcomes.
Authenticity in Design: Connecting Through Genuine Experiences
In an era marked by technological advancements and cultural shifts, authenticity has emerged as a defining ethos in design. ASID’s insights highlight the consumers’ quest for genuine experiences, driven by a desire for connection and substance amidst a sea of digital noise. Designers are harnessing the power of authenticity to craft spaces that resonate with the essence of their occupants, imbuing environments with a sense of purpose, identity and belonging.
Travel & Leisure: Crafting Memorable Experiences
To that end, the quest for authentic connection and cultural immersion is reshaping the hospitality landscape. Travelers seek more than just accommodations; they crave meaningful experiences that resonate with their aspirations and values. ASID’s findings highlight the burgeoning demand for unique and immersive travel encounters, fueled by travelers’ desires to connect to local cultures and create lasting memories.
Although traditional hotels still dominate the market, the alternative accommodations sector attracted nearly $20 billion in investment and contributed to 18% of the demand for lodging globally. As alternative accommodations like Airbnbs gain traction and leisure experiences evolve, designers play a pivotal role in curating spaces that are authentic to the region and evoke the spirit of exploration. Given the growing demand for sustainable and immersive tourism experiences, look for ultra-luxury hotels to be highly influenced by a site’s historical and cultural context, unique resources and surrounding landscape. Designers can help clients curate unique and genuine experiences using the principles of experiential design –designing a space that interacts with all senses and enriches all aspects of the experience.
Hybrid Spaces: Blurring the Lines Between Live-Work-Play
ASID’s Trends Outlook report found that recent changes in the post-pandemic workplace, which “blurred the lines of living, working, staying and playing,” affected guests’ preferences for “unique and authentic travel experiences.” As the once-distinctive lines fade and functional spaces blend and cross design specialties, designers need to be nimble. Residences are incorporating “eatertainment” spaces, corporate offices are introducing informal living rooms, cafes and rooftop bars, and hotels are offering work and conferencing spaces for teams.
Interior spaces across all sectors are removing the traditional boundaries between work, life and leisure, with flexible new spaces that can function for all the above. ASID’s research found an increase in hybrid environments designed to cater to multifaceted lifestyles, including hospitality properties embracing collaborative work and family spaces. Designers are navigating this shift by seamlessly integrating diverse functionalities across sectors, crafting environments that accommodate diverse needs and foster productivity, creativity and well-being.
Wealth & Luxury: Redefining Opulence with Purpose
Luxury hospitality is undergoing a transformation, pivoting towards personalized and immersive encounters. ASID’s insights reveal a shift towards experiential luxury, where affluent travelers seek exclusive experiences infused with authenticity and meaning. From bespoke concierge services to ultra-luxury retreats rooted in cultural heritage, the definition of opulence extends beyond material extravagance to encompass emotional resonance. Designers are evoking a sense of quiet luxury, blending understated elegance with timeless sophistication to create environments that exude warmth, comfort, and refinement. Grand View Research, a consulting company conducting research on global and regional business, estimates that global luxury travel spend will reach $1.5 trillion in 2024, its highest total ever,” with travelers seeking immersive, personalized experiences.
Sustainability & Wellness: A Holistic Approach to Design
As our collective environmental consciousness grows, sustainability stands as a cornerstone in design philosophy across all sectors. ASID’s 2024 Trends Outlook report reminds us of the symbiotic relationship between sustainability and wellness, emphasizing the imperative of creating spaces that prioritize human health, community well-being, and environmental stewardship. From biophilic design principles to energy-efficient solutions, designers are embracing holistic approaches that reconcile ecological responsibility with human-centric design, fostering a more harmonious coexistence with the natural world.
As designers elevate spaces for well-being, designers are looking beyond aesthetics, extending their focus on health to mindful material selections and biophilic design principles—cultivating environments that nurture the mind, body and soul. In the wake of the lasting mental health effects from the pandemic, health and wellness will remain paramount considerations in design. The Trends Outlook report underscores the design for mental health as an ideal across all market sectors, transcending age demographics. Clients are increasingly prioritizing spaces that promote well-being, driving designers to integrate elements that foster serenity and vitality. Health and wellness are top of mind for many clients, regardless of their age. No longer considered tangential or as an afterthought, health and wellness ideals are embedded in the motivations affecting product selections in most spaces and driving design across all market sectors.
As we embark on the spring season of 2024, design in the hospitality industry is responding to the evolving needs and aspirations of modern travelers, centered on creating memorable experiences that transcend the ordinary and elevate the human spirit. Guided by the insights of ASID’s Trends Outlook report, interior designers are navigating this dynamic landscape with creativity, empathy, and a commitment to shaping spaces that inspire, rejuvenate and delight.
