In the world of styling, most jobs follow a familiar rhythm, until one doesn’t.

Late on a Thursday, after office hours, we received multiple missed calls from a hotel team in Brisbane needing urgent help. A corporate visit was booked for the weekend at The Sebel Brisbane, part of the Accor Group, and they wanted to showcase one of their suites at its absolute best. The catch? They needed the hotel room styled and ready the very next day.

We don’t usually take on work with just 12 hours’ notice, but this time, we said yes. Here’s how it came together, what made it different, and why we think it could be the start of something bigger.

With no weekend operations and a fully booked Friday, we had to think carefully before jumping in. After checking the schedule and moving a pack-up that wasn’t urgent, we found a way to make it work. One of our media team members stepped in to run the truck, and we reshuffled the team to get it over the line without compromising other jobs.

Hotel room styling in Brisbane brings its own unique constraints. We couldn’t remove the bed or artwork. No rugs were allowed for accessibility reasons, and shared access meant coordinating around room service and staff using the same lifts.

Even so, there was still room to create something that felt layered, welcoming and in line with the hotel’s brand vision – a home away from home for refined people with refined taste.

Whether we’re styling for a home buyer, a hotel guest or a commercial tender, our approach doesn’t change. We focus on functional layout, visual flow and an inviting atmosphere that makes people feel at home.

We didn’t overhaul the room – but we did more than just add a lamp and chairs. Within the hotel’s limits (no rugs, fixed artwork, accessibility rules), we styled the space with just enough furniture and accessories to add warmth, texture and flow, without overwhelming the existing setup.

This wasn’t just a hotel styling service, it was a visual tender styling opportunity. The styled suite stayed in place for five days, giving the hotel a chance to showcase what was possible to their corporate team. Whether or not it leads to a full commercial property styling rollout (there are 200 rooms in the building), it proved the value of being ready to say yes.

This was our first hotel styling project in Brisbane, but not our first step outside of traditional residential work. We’ve styled display homes, showrooms and commercial spaces before. This just reaffirmed how much potential there is when you stay open to the right kind of challenge.