Designing What’s Next: The Interior Trends Redefining Hospitality & Commercial Spaces for 2026
- Dan Hannula
- Jan 5
- 4 min read
As we look ahead to 2026, the design landscape is shifting toward a calmer, more sensory-centered experience, one where materiality, atmosphere, and emotional resonance carry as much weight as aesthetics. In hospitality and commercial environments, guests and users are seeking spaces that feel intuitive, restorative, and deeply connected to their surroundings. For designers, this means that every detail—from silhouette to fabric selection—must support both style and performance.
We’re seeing firsthand how these emerging directions translate into custom drapery, soft goods, and window treatment solutions that meet the evolving expectations of brands, developers, and travelers. Below, we break down the trends shaping the next era of interiors, and how we’re bringing them to life.
Soft, Serene Spaces Take Center Stage
The interiors of 2026 are all about ease. Sharp angles are giving way to softened silhouettes, curved lines, and textiles that feel warm and breathable. Instead of bold, high-contrast palettes, designers are embracing muted earth tones—cacao, olive, clay, flax, and blush—that build a sense of grounded calm.
Why this matters for hospitality & commercial spaces:
These palettes support multi-generational appeal.
Softer forms make large lobbies feel more welcoming.
Gentle, tonal layers photograph beautifully—critical for a digital-first world.
Window treatments and soft goods play a defining role here. Subtle texture variations—such as linen blends, slub weaves, and matte chenilles—transform these earth-focused palettes from quiet to compelling, adding dimension without visual noise.
Biophilic Influence Continues to Evolve
While biophilic design remains influential, it’s maturing into an approach driven by subtlety and sensory experience rather than literal natural motifs. Designers are turning toward organic textures inspired by stone, clay, bark, and botanicals, integrating materials that ground a space through touch and visual warmth.
Sheers that move like water in shifting daylight, stone-inspired jacquards, and woven natural-feeling fabrics create the kind of organic rhythm that supports wellness without ever feeling thematic. This “sensory biophilia” reflects a broader design movement toward creating environments that feel calm, connected, and attuned to nature’s softness rather than its symbolism.
The Rise of Subtle Sparkle
One of the most compelling counterpoints to these natural, earth-driven palettes is the rise of refined shimmer. Designers are introducing soft metallics through woven threads, understated brass hardware, crystal-inspired accents, and finishes that subtly catch the light. Instead of glam, the effect is a gentle glow—just enough sparkle to elevate a space while maintaining the quiet, serene mood that defines the broader aesthetic direction of 2026. This balance of matte and shimmer adds sophistication, ensuring spaces feel both grounded and polished.
Hospitality Models Are Evolving Fast
Beyond materiality, shifts in hospitality operations and traveler expectations are influencing how designers approach window systems, soft goods, and spatial layouts. Major brands continue to move toward boutique-inspired design, requiring layered window treatments, custom detailing, and textiles that support cohesive storytelling from the lobby to the guest rooms. At the same time, the long-stay segment is growing rapidly, driving demand for blackout-and-sheer combinations, privacy solutions, and durable, home-like materials that support extended guest comfort. DI provides these through its range of custom window shades and soft goods.
Contactless hotels — now firmly established — need window systems that are intuitive, low-maintenance, and reliable, especially as on-site staffing models evolve. But “contactless” describes the entire guest experience, not just the window treatments. Today’s properties rely on mobile check-in, digital room keys, app-based service requests, sensor-activated lighting, automated climate control, and touchless amenity zones throughout public spaces. These elements reduce physical touchpoints, streamline operations, and meet the rising expectations of guests for autonomy and convenience. DI supports this shift with motorized and voice- or gesture-controlled window treatments, helping designers specify solutions that complement the broader contactless ecosystem.
In mixed-use developments, jump lobbies are becoming multifunctional hubs that require adaptable light control, acoustic support, and visual warmth to transition seamlessly from day to night and from tenant to traveler. As part of this shift, contactless design strategies help these spaces function efficiently with fewer staff interventions, ensuring a smooth guest journey from arrival to elevator. DI’s custom drapery, sheers, acoustic-softening fabrics, and automated shade solutions give designers the tools to fine-tune these transitional spaces with intention. Explore more of DI’s capabilities here.
DI’s Role in Shaping Tomorrow’s Interiors
As these trends shape the next era of interiors, Decorator Industries helps designers bring them to life through custom drapery, soft goods, and window systems that balance beauty with high performance. DI’s fabrication expertise, combined with curated performance textiles—including our collaboration with Design Pool—and precision detailing, ensures that every treatment supports the design vision and stands up to the demands of hospitality and commercial environments. From soft, sculptural palettes to biophilic textures and subtle shimmer, DI turns emerging trends into solutions that are both elevated and enduring.
Design the Next Era With Us
The interiors of 2026 are shaping up to be softer, brighter, and more emotionally resonant. Designers who embrace these directions will create spaces that feel elevated, contemporary, and deeply connected to the needs of modern guests. With DI as your fabrication partner, every concept moves from idea to installation with clarity and intention—reflecting both today’s design language and tomorrow’s performance expectations.
✨ Explore custom fabrication: www.decoratorindustries.com
📩 Connect directly with Priscilla Emmerson, MBA, VP of Sales, for expert guidance and tailored recommendations: priscilla.emmerson@decind.com