Whether luxury or budget, sophisticated or family-friendly, all hotels have one thing in common – they want their guests to feel welcome. Hotels are both escape from the everyday and a home away from home. Striking a balance isn’t always easy, but one way to achieve the perfect mix of familiarity and getaway is through the use of colour.
Here are three ways that colour helps hotels create a welcoming – and memorable – experience for their guests.
Colour as Emotion
The link between colour and emotion is no secret. And the use of colour in design to elicit certain emotions is an art form unto itself. Colour can be used in the interior – and on the exterior – of a hotel to instantaneously evoke emotion in its guests. There are so many ways to make a guest feel welcome and it isn’t always about creating a cozy, living room feel.
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Black or brown paired with metallics creates a sense of mystery and intrigue. Or maybe you want visitors to feel happy and excited? Bright yellow and turquoise blue are the colours of sunshine and water, two elements people associate with good times. Or are you more interested in a calming, spa-like feel? There’s a reason why most spas use whites, greys and soft blues and greens. Because they’re relaxing! The colour blue has even been shown to lower blood pressure and heart rate.
Colour as Art
Much like a painting can instantly create a mood within a space, so can the use of colour. According to experts in the hotel industry, as recently as five years ago neutrals were still the go-to pallet in hotel design. But not anymore. The rise of the digital age has played a large role in the introduction of bold, statement colours throughout a hotel’s space.
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This is because when travellers go online to select a hotel, they’re most often drawn to photos featuring bright colours. Cherry red, electric blue – even hot pink – offer most people, something they don’t have at home since most residences are decorated in neutrals.
Colour as a Story
Specific shades or a specific combination of colours goes a long way in telling the story of a hotel. Not just the sort of experience you want your guests to have – the story they’ll tell their friends when they go home, but also the story of the hotel itself. The people who run it, the philosophy behind it – the things you want to be remembered for.
Source: Pexels
Do you run an eco-travel lodge in the middle of the mountains? Neutrals are a must, but adding in a few splashes of greens and blues nod at the beauty of the natural world just outside the hotel doors. Does your hotel have a stately, been-here-forever vibe? Dark browns, deep greens and moody blues have a weight to them. If you’re going for more of a unique, one-of-a-kind experience, craft a custom colour pallet that says, “this is who we are” and then use it – everywhere!
