Commercial Interior Design Feature: Rachael Brown on the Recognition of Art in Hospitality Design

As the CID Hospitality Awards 2026 submission deadline approaches, Capsule Arts Co-Founder and Creative Director Rachael Brown was featured by Commercial Interior Design (CID) alongside previous award winners, sharing reflections on the growing recognition of art within hospitality and interior design projects.

In the feature, Rachael spoke about Capsule Arts’ award-winning work for Hotel Indigo Jabal Akhdar, which received the Best Use of Art in a Hotel Project award in 2024. The project marked an important milestone for the studio as Capsule Arts’ first project in Oman, bringing together regional artists, research-driven storytelling, and site-responsive artwork within an art-centric hospitality environment.

Reflecting on the significance of dedicated art categories within the awards, Rachael shared:

| “Having art as its own category is special as it recognises that art is not an accessory to design; it’s a discipline in its own right.”

She also reflected on the project itself and the collaborative process behind it:

| “We were so happy with the win last year as it was the second year in a row for winning Best Use of Art in a Hotel Project. Indigo Jabal Akhdar was a very special project for us as it was the first project in Oman for Capsule Arts, and an art-centric hospitality brand.

| “We had so much research and story to bring out through the artwork and we had a great mix of artwork by regional artists and our own studio team.”

The feature forms part of CID’s broader spotlight on past winners ahead of this year’s awards, encouraging hospitality and design studios across the region to submit projects that continue to shape the industry through innovation, storytelling, and design excellence.

To read more about the award-winning project: Hotel Indigo Jabal Akhdar

View the original Instagram post by CID: Commercial Interior Design