These 7 Hotel Design Secrets Make Rooms Feel Larger

Harness a Room’s Height

Amangiri, Canyon Point, Utah

Designed to integrate seamlessly into southern Utah’s cliffs and rock formations—and pay tribute to the area’s ancient Navajo heritage—the designers at Amangiri aimed for a pure, airy, and expansive feel. Concrete and wood elements and large windows harmoniously merge the outdoors and indoors. To accent those windows by day and cover them after sunset, the designers installed curtains from floor to ceiling to lead the eye up and make the space feel taller. 

Use Angles to Play With Scale

Twin Farms, Barnard, Vermont

See that verdant view? It’s not a work of art along the walls. This hotel room is actually its own treehouse that’s perched about 20 feet off the ground. Even if you’re planted on land, though, you can score some inspiration from this space. It draws influence from the Japanese philosophy wabi-sabi, the acceptance of imperfection. Rather than constructing each line at 90 degrees, the designers and architects aligned the beams and situated the furniture to direct more attention away from the center of the room, making it seem larger and flow right onto the patio.

Take Advantage of Natural Light

Ambiente Sedona, Sedona, Arizona

Something as little as blinds, even if they’re open but not lifted, can dampen the amount of light flowing into your space and make it feel darker and more compact. On the flip side, ample natural light—like the kind you’ll find in each atrium (aka room) at this Arizona resort—brightens the space and lends an airy aura. Three-quarters of all of the walls are glass, and when the remote-controlled curtains are drawn, the bedroom and living space are flooded with light. To not obstruct the view, the TV even lifts up to tuck near the ceiling when guests aren’t using it.

If you have curtains or blinds on your windows, try opening them fully for a day to see if you notice a difference. And if any furniture obstructs the flow of light from the windows, consider shifting things around to let in as much natural light as possible.

Stick With an Airy Color Scheme

The Islands of Islamorada, Islamorada, Florida

It might sound like an exaggeration, but color can actually manipulate your sense of space. As much as we adore the cozy moodiness of trends like the vampire aesthetic and Scotlandcore, try to avoid darker hues in cramped spaces, as they tend to shrink a room. Small spaces appear larger when decked out in light colors, and this white-wall, white-ceiling Florida villa is living proof. When natural light meets the neutral color scheme—and joins forces with an open-concept format—everything feels calm, sweeping, and serene. Instead of painting your walls or ceiling a punchy tint, try a shade of white or another light tone. Then add color with accessories or a small accent wall.

Incorporate Clear Furniture

The Loren, Dallas, Texas

A clear desk or table allows for an additional surface to work or display items without interrupting the flow of the room. Situated in front of a window, as it is in this Lady Bird Lake-overlooking hotel room in Austin, or anywhere in a space, transparent furniture allows light to shine through. They have a weightless feel and can give the illusion of more space. Ready to give this trend a go? Seek out acrylic “ghost” chairs or side tables or glass coffee tables and desks.

Celebrate a Single Piece of Art

The Horse Shoe Farm, Hendersonville, North Carolina

True, a gallery wall is doable in a small space. But if your art collection is sizable, it can easily feel cramped. To streamline and create a focal point that makes even a compact room feel grand, think about if one large piece of art may be a better fit for your space. Your art need not be on the walls, in fact: At this mountain farmland boutique resort, the cottages each come with a canvas that covers a sliding barn door that separates the living area from the bedroom. You can also install your statement piece of art directly on bookshelves for an unexpected eye catcher.

Integrate Reflective Surfaces

Hotel Figueroa, Los Angeles, California

Originally built in the 1920s, this City of Angels boutique hotel has bones that pay homage to its original Spanish Colonial splendor. Today, Hotel Figueroa is like a masterclass for decorating small spaces. From the light-colored walls dressed up with a single piece of dramatic art and to the glass-enclosed rain shower, this suite is full of thoughtful touches, and details like graphic tiles give it a modern edge. It introduces a new trick, too: employing a mirror to reflect from one room into another, visually enlarging both all the while.