Find Your Remodel Inspiration in Commercial Architecture

This hotel lobby has lots of exciting architectural features that could be added to a home or office remodel.

I frequently recommend to homeowners struggling with adding a new and exciting slant to their remodel to wander around large hotels for inspiration. Hotels have used high end designers and architects to create their extraordinary spaces and fill out with useful, fun niches. Of course, home remodel magazines and shows have great ideas, but for that professional twist, look to the commercial pros. 

Some clever ideas that we’ve incorporated over the years include: 

Under cabinet lighting has many uses.

• Under cabinet lighting. Few homes use this space as a natural nightlight or highlight to a cabinet or shelves. We love the variable color lighting which can be changed to suit your mood or season. (picture) 

• Using different mediums to break up a space. This is where the commercial world excels. Metal cables to create a fence by a pool. Shelving under and along the outside of a stairwell. Functional headboards for beds with lighting, are just a few of the fun ideas.    

• Keep spaces open with minimal furniture and accessories. The key to being happy with your buildout is to keep clutter to a minimum in your new space. Cabinet buildouts placed around the perimeter of your room offers a place for everything with an uncluttered expanse for seating and entertaining.     

• Paint walls contrasting colors. Hotels use this to define spaces or create an easy accent to work with in a room.  

• Use wainscotting to highlight an area, not just for the full room. Frequently decorators will use wainscotting for an entire room, on every wall. This can make the room seem small and less dramatic. Try just using wainscotting on one long wall or a window wall as an accent, which becomes a beautiful centerpiece to the room. 

Contrast walls and minimal furniture keep an area open and modern.

The accessories or luxuries that hotels add can also be a fun way to enhance your home enjoyment. Wander around those hotels in your hometown or when visiting new locations. Take pictures and grow your own home remodel to the professional level.