The Emergence of a *New* Type of Interior Design
In the spring of 2023, on the eve of the spring High Point Market, I was part of something big.
Really big.
The inaugural Vacation Rental Design Summit in High Point April 20-21, 2023
But before we get to that, walk with me for a moment back in time to the decadent days of the early 20th century.
One of the earliest forms of specialized interior design was residential design, which began to gain traction after Elsie de Wolfe’s first interiors commission in 1905.
As homeowners began to demand more personalized and stylish living spaces, designers responded by innovating with new materials, layouts, and finishes that could be used to create unique and customized homes for their clients.
Elsie de Wolfe, 1896. Gelatin silver print, by the Byron Company. Photo Credit: Museum of the City of New York (93.1.1.18271)
Think: lots of upholstery—and I mean LOTS—on the walls, on the ceilings, on the chairs, on the tables.
Guys, it was everywhere. ♥️
In response to all that fabric and foam, home furnishings manufacturers also began to offer more diverse product lines, with a focus on quality and customization specifically for designers.
An undated photo from the early days of High Point market, once called the Furniture Manufacturers Exposition. Photo: Courtesy of High Point Market Authority
Not long after, the first recognized hospitality design projects emerged, with iconic hotels such as the Carlyle in New York, designed in the 1930’s by Dorothy Draper, the Deco inspired Ritz Carlton in Boston, and the Beverly Hills Hotel by Paul R. Williams.
And who can forget the magnificent Greenbrier Resort!
These projects required designers to develop new concepts and ideas that could accommodate the unique needs of the hospitality industry including durability, functionality, and comfort.
The magnificent Greenbrier Hotel and Resort by Dorothy Draper. Photos: Carleton Varney
As a result, manufacturers began to offer new products and finishes for designers to include specifically in hospitality projects, such as stain-resistant fabrics, antimicrobial surfaces, and impact-resistant flooring.
Commercial and office design emerged as a specialty niche around the mid 20th century, as the post-war boom in the US brought more people into the office, and businesses began to demand more professional and functional interiors.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Johnson Wax Company Headquarters.
The Action Office work system, Herman Miller.
With a focus on functionality and efficiency, commercial design required designers to develop innovative solutions that could help businesses optimize their spaces—giving us both the cubicle, the innovative Action Office system, and the open plan office.
And again, in response to this demand, manufacturers also began to design products specifically for the office, including modular furniture, acoustical panels, and durable carpeting.
Sustainable design became mainstream in the 1990s, as a growing awareness of environmental issues led designers to develop new strategies and techniques for creating eco-friendly interiors.
Workplace designers combine the comfort of residential design with the functionality of commercial to create hybrid “resimmercial” spaces.
Manufacturers again responded by offering a range of sustainable products and finishes, such as recycled carpeting, low-VOC paints, and energy-efficient lighting.
You see where I’m going with this right?
The takeaway from our brief walk through time is this: Each specialty niche within interior design has emerged in response to evolving demands and requirements of designers.
And though manufacturers have played a crucial role in this process, offering new and innovative products and finishes that would accommodate the unique needs of each niche as it evolves to more mainstream designs, it’s the designers that create the demand.
And to bring all this back to vacation rental design, it’s the investors and realtors and hosts and clients that demand good design to protect their investments, because they too recognize the value of design as a sales tool and a differentiator.
So here we are, again, witnessing the emergence of an entirely NEW ERA in interior design.
Vacation rental designer Paula Oblen’s Casa Tierra in Palm Desert, CA
Designers are making a business case not just for investors but for product and furniture designers to develop entirely new lines that meet the needs of VRD and short term rental designers.
Together, we are changing the way people travel and experience new places.
It’s all so exciting! Vacation rental design and short-term rental design are no longer niche industries but instead are emerging as a new type of interior design.
And, it’s in the zeitgeist as a flurry of industry media covers this “emerging” form of interior design.
Here’s just a few resources in case you’re still on the fence:
BOH: Why Vacation Rentals are the Next Big Designer Side Hussle
Replay video from our Spring 2023 panel discussion at HPMKT Niching in Vacation Rental Design
Tobi Fairley’s recent podcast interviews with Tiffany Cassidy and Jessica Duce
LuAnn Nigara’s very recent convo with Jessica Duce on the Well Designed Business Podcast
Join a dynamic group of designers, realtors, investors working together to revolutionize the VRD industry in the Vacation Rental Designer’s Collective
So many of you who are interested in starting (or developing) your VRD businesses have reached out to me, and I’m OVERJOYED to share some of the new logos, websites, and spectacular copy we’ve created…including the entire brand for The Getaway Girls and a refreshed messaging and website for Sarah Bowman Spaces.
Book a call here to see how we can work together >>
If you’re interested in joining us for upcoming Vacation Rental Design Summits, here’s the link to get on the mailing list so you don’t miss the next one!
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*About the author
Ericka Saurit (enchanté in case we haven’t met! 👋) is a designer and brand strategist, obsessed with how our built environment shapes the human experience.
Through this blog and her popular newsletter, she shares stories and insights about marketing, branding, and the home industry’s creative pulse.
*My hope is to spark ideas that help you grow your business and build a brand that truly shines.✨
