Great — here are practical options and ways to find affordable hotels that have distinctive, design-forward interiors (bright colors, artist rooms, boutique concepts, or clever micro-room layouts).

Quick tips first

• Look for economy boutique brands and micro‑hotel chains (they deliberately combine low price with strong design): examples include CitizenM, Moxy, Ibis Styles, Generator and similar brands. (sbtips.co)
• Consider converted or independently run boutique hotels (former factories, prisons, artists’ houses) — they often deliver unique design for less than mainstream luxury. (mrandmrssmith.com)
• Book off‑peak nights, use flexible dates and sign up for brand/OTA alerts to find sub‑$100–$150 rates in many cities (price varies by city and season).

Affordable design-hotel choices (by style / example)

• Tech‑minimal, compact rooms + big communal spaces: CitizenM — modern, affordable, consistent design-led rooms in major cities. Good if you want a sleek, hotel‑as‑lounge vibe. (sbtips.co)
• Lively, social micro‑hotel with playful interiors: Moxy Hotels — budget rooms with bold design and busy public bars/lounges. Good value in many US and European cities. (en.wikipedia.org)
• Economy hotels with each property uniquely styled: Ibis Styles — an economy brand where individual hotels usually have their own themed/decorative design. Often priced well below boutique independents. (en.wikipedia.org)
• Hostel‑meets‑boutique for design on a budget: Generator and Freehand — these operate private rooms and dorms in design-led spaces with notable on‑site bars/restaurants (great for social travelers on a budget). (sbtips.co)
• Independent/local picks with real character: Hotel des Arts (San Francisco) — artist‑decorated rooms and an affordable boutique feel; PURO (Kraków) and Brody House (Budapest) are examples in Europe of smaller chains/independents mixing local art and affordable pricing. (en.wikipedia.org)

Where to search (fast)

• Filter OTA searches (Booking, Hotels.com, Expedia) for “boutique” or “design” and then sort by price; set a nightly price filter.
• Search the brand websites (CitizenM, Moxy, Ibis Styles) for flash deals and member rates. (sbtips.co)
• Use curated lists from travel outlets (Mr & Mrs Smith, Condé Nast Traveler, local travel blogs) for affordable boutique hotel roundups — they often include prices or ranges. (mrandmrssmith.com)

Short example picks (typical price positioning — varies by city & season)

• City center, modern micro‑hotel: CitizenM — compact, techy rooms; mid/low price for downtown locations. (sbtips.co)
• Trendy social stay: Moxy — design-forward public spaces and budget rooms. (en.wikipedia.org)
• Local‑art boutique: Hotel des Arts (San Francisco) — artistic rooms, boutique scale, more affordable than luxury SF hotels. (en.wikipedia.org)
• European value boutique examples: PURO Kraków, Brody House (Budapest), and Ibis Styles properties — design with lower nightly rates compared with typical boutique hotels. (gohlingyong.com)

If you want, I can:

• Find specific affordable design hotels in the city you’ll be in (I can check current rates and availability).
• Make a short list (3–5) for a city or date range and include links and approximate prices.

Which city or travel dates should I look up? (I can search prices and availability for you.)