How Our Hotel Partners Styled the Holidays

The holidays have a way of changing how spaces feel, especially the ones we share. Hotel lobbies turn into unofficial living rooms where people pause with a coffee, shake off the cold, and linger a little longer than planned.

This season, we partnered with a handful of hotels we admire for a holiday lobby takeover, sending along Schoolhouse pieces to help set the tone. Rather than going all in on traditional holiday decor, each hotel styled the space in their own way, layering in pieces that felt useful, welcoming, and quietly festive. These were rooms designed to be lived in, not just looked at.

Some pieces naturally became anchors for the install. Others added a subtle moment of delight once you settled in. To get a closer look at how it all came together, we asked each partner a few quick questions about what excited them most, which pieces stood out, and how they would describe the final space. The result is a collection of lobbies that feel warm, thoughtful, and ready for the season.

The Carpenter Hotel

What excited you most about being part of this holiday hotel collaboration?

The Carpenter Hotel aesthetic is such an organic alignment for all things Schoolhouse, so this collaboration was a wonderful and welcomed partnership. The Carpenter Hotel has a lot of concrete and wood throughout, so the Schoolhouse items contribute softness in the colors and patterns.

Were there any Schoolhouse pieces that became anchors for the install?

The Sidnie Table Lamp at the front desk in Persimmon ties in well with the stockings. It will live at the front desk after the holidays!

What’s your favorite holiday piece in the space?

The stockings! It was really hard to select which ones because we loved them all.

In three words, how would you describe the final installation?

Distinct, warm, and natural.

Hotel Lillian

What excited you most about being part of this holiday hotel collaboration?

We've always appreciated Schoolhouse's commitment to craft, quality, and design. We were super excited to layer in Schoolhouse's iconic patterns and colors with our boutique hotel's 1890s wood panelling, antique rugs, and vintage art to bring guests a one-of-a-kind, festive feel.

Were there any Schoolhouse pieces that became anchors for the install?

The Stillwater Tree Skirt has helped set the tone and color palette for the entire installation, which includes a selection of stockings that create continuity between the tree set out in our entry area, and the hearth-side seating area in our library.

What’s your favorite holiday piece in the space?

We love the stockings so much! They truly embody the spirit of the season, and they feel super high-quality, like we could stuff them to the brim year after year and they'd only get better and better with use.

In three words, how would you describe the final installation?

Festive, cozy, and timeless. 

Parlor Hotel

What excited you most about being part of this holiday hotel collaboration?

We’ve been part of the Schoolhouse Trade program since 2017, so it’s clear we are big fans. Anyone who knows our spaces knows that Schoolhouse lighting and bedding are at the heart of what we pull off. I’m a big fan of Christmas too, so between the two of those, this is kind of a dream.

Were there any Schoolhouse pieces that became anchors for the install?

The Evelyn Lamp and the Abington Throw 100%. Both felt like they were designed for the space. The colors kind of just relaxed into any place I put them.

What’s your favorite holiday piece in the space?

The Evelyn Lamp. It earns its place anywhere. At first I thought it was going to be too small to work with the scale of the lobby but it holds its own. It’s kind of a magical object.

In three words, how would you describe the final installation?

Vibrant, cozy, and sentimental.

Trailborn Hotel

What excited you most about being part of this holiday hotel collaboration?

We were most excited about our shared belief that spaces should feel lived-in and genuinely welcoming–especially during the holidays. Schoolhouse has a way of blending nostalgia with modern craftsmanship, which mirrors how Trailborn approaches hospitality. The collaboration let us create holiday moments in our lobbies at Trailborn Surf & Sound, Trailborn Highlands, and Trailborn Grand Canyon that feel thoughtful and transportive.

Were there any Schoolhouse pieces that became anchors for the install?

Absolutely–we’ve partnered with Schoolhouse across all of our lobbies, and their pieces consistently serve as foundational elements in our spaces. Their creative, discerning vision reinforces each Trailborn’s aesthetic and sense of place–something our guests immediately feel connected to and return to time and again. Everything is anchored in the Stillwater line, so while each hotel showcases different products based on their unique identity, all three received a Stillwater tree skirt and stockings.

What’s your favorite holiday piece in the space?

It’s hard to choose just one, but what we love most is how each piece creates a natural moment of connection. The Stillwater Floral Stockings in Red and Juniper at Trailborn Grand Canyon draw guests toward the lobby fireplace; the set of 4 Stacking Trays at Trailborn Highlands set the stage for our custom board games; and at Trailborn Surf & Sound, the Tree Skirt is now a holiday staple in the lobby, creating a picture-perfect holiday moment beneath our Christmas tree.

In three words, how would you describe the final installation?

Warm, cheerful, and welcoming.