Ms. Locke

Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment

Hotel FF&E: What's Hot & What's Not

By Amy Locke, Director, Interior Design, Hatchett Hospitality

High tech, high touch, and high energy continue to characterize the hotel industry - owners are designing and furnishing their properties to keep guests comfortable, efficient, and coming back.

Let's look at what this means for your furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) decisions as you plan new construction and renovation projects in 2008.

Things To Remember

• The hotel is a destination - it's a place that travelers go to seal a business deal, to attend a grand social event or great conference, or to find love. Visitors want to escape from the ordinary, while being reminded of the familiar. For hoteliers, this means delivering a balance of exotic luxury and "down home" comfort. Public space and guest rooms must at the same time be intimate and inspiring, cozy and elegant, personal and connected to the world.

• Emotional connections lead to loyalty - and loyalty leads to increased profitability. Hoteliers have been enhancing guest rooms for years with high-end bed linens and high-tech gadgets, however, now they're reaching out to touch guests in lobbies and hallways with dramatic artwork, piped in music, and even subtle scents. Examples of an emotionally-connected environment include:

  • "romantic" which can be achieved with water features such as lighted ponds or fountains, while soft lighting simulates sunset or moonlight
  • "the outdoors" which can be evoked with rustic materials such as brick, stone, wood, leather, or copper, while further accenting the mood with the texture of draperies, upholstery fabrics, and carpeting
  • "the future" which can be created through the use of curved spaces in which the floor blends seamlessly into built-in furniture and into the ceiling, while using elegant modern materials such as marble, tile, and glass
  • "mysterious" which can be evoked by with hidden courtyards and niches plus with creative use of corners, light, and shadow
  • "adventurous" which can be achieved with glass elevators, a dramatic two-story lobby, a sweeping stairway with multiple landings, or a large courtyard that's inviting without being intimidating
  • "historical" which can be achieved by using arches, columns, sculpture, grand wall murals, and other architectural enhancements

"Generation X" travelers have become the largest group of business and leisure travelers. Who are these people and what do they want? Gen X-ers were born between 1965 and 1980, and they represent about 20% of the U.S. population. They were "latchkey kids" with both parents often working outside the home, so they are very independent. They're also more tolerant of alternate lifestyles and cultural diversity, plus they're the best-educated and most technology-savvy generation in history.

Important for hoteliers is that this age group spends more money per trip than others, such as Baby Boomers This translates directly into the design and purchasing decisions you must make. For example, here are some things Gen X-ers like:

• cutting edge electronics and "staying in touch," so internet access - preferably wireless - is important to them both in-room and in public areas
• freebies such as free bottled water
• public areas to mingle and socialize - they multi-task well, so it's not unusual for them to have a conversation while working on a laptop with multiple wide screen TV's blaring in the background
• style and innovation - they look for places that set trends, but most are closer to the middle than the edge in their personal tastes and preferences
• vacation travel, including combining pleasure with business - so it's not unusual for them to extend a trip in order to stay longer in a location they wish to see or experience
• The multi-purpose lobby is "in" - it has become space that can accommodate both large and intimate gatherings plus accommodate a number of different guest activities. Today's lobby also has areas designed to serve as a business center, as a social meeting place, and as a meal area. No longer are separate rooms being designed for these various functions. Instead, there are smaller alcoves or furniture clusters within the larger overall space.
  
  For example, two small sofas with a coffee table between them can be used at 8 a.m. for breakfast and at 8 p.m. for socializing, so it's a preferable furniture treatment to the traditional dining table with four chairs.

Case goods are looking different - in both function and finish. For example:

• the traditional two-door armoire with drawers below a TV shelf is being replaced with stand-alone armoires and chests which feature more compact display shelves to accommodate appliances such as flat screen TV's and microwaves
• higher, wider, and fancier headboards to enhance the sleep area - 36 inches to 42 inches high is more popular than 24 inches to 28 inches
• redesigned work desks and seating areas that transform a hotel room into a comfortable "office away from the office"
• a much wider range of finishes is available - in colors and styles that are designed to be more stylish, durable, and "like home"

The residential look continues strong - travelers want to be surrounded on the road by the features and the gadgets they have at home. Years ago, hotels provided an experience that was better than what most travelers had at home. But today people are more affluent and sophisticated in their home lifestyle - they don't expect to take a step backwards when they check into a hotel. This means hoteliers must provide the "creature comforts" and "touches of home" that their guests expect. Consider these techniques for both public areas and guest rooms:

• cover surface such as floors and counters with materials that are inviting and familiar because many travelers have at home, such as granite, wood, and ceramic tiles that look like wood
• window treatments that are cozy, comfortable and fashionable such as roller shades and blinds

"Color contrasts" are popular to create an interesting, exciting look. This is definitely a "love it or hate it" approach that's not for everyone but it is in keeping with the "boutique style" of hotel design. For example:

• use fabrics for draperies, bed coverings, and upholstery that feature small patterns or no pattern at all, then select carpeting that features bold and colorful patterns
• combine basic black and white or charcoal and white with a vibrant, high energy accent color such as red, hot pink, or purple

Things To Avoid

Try to stay away from everything that is opposite of the "things to remember" we've discussed here - while this may sound simplistic or trite or even like a bit of humor, it's actually a very serious and hopefully helpful, fact-based reminder. For example, avoid the following:

• styles that are more "traditional" or that are too ornate with lots of detail - today's trends and preferences are for a look that's more simple, streamlined, dare we say "contemporary"
• neutral wall shades in guest rooms - consider going for the visual impact of a "punch" color on one wall
• products that are common or can be readily seen in lots of places - guests want hotels that have a unique look, so hoteliers need to respond with unusual products. Sometimes this may mean a designer needs to be more creative and persistent in finding items, while sometimes this may literally mean a custom, one-of-a-kind order.

Unusual items may cost slightly more or have longer delivery times, but a good designer and purchasing company can save money in other areas of your master FF&E plan.Savvy hoteliers will take advantage of these "hot" FF&E trends - and they'll do it without burning through their budget. How? By picking the right design and purchasing partner, then working with them closely to create a great look that doesn't lose sight of the bottom line.

Amy Locke is director of interior design at Hatchett Hospitality. She works with franchisers and franchisees on a wide variety of hotel brands, styles, and themes – from economy to luxury, from resort to business conference, and from traditional to modern. Previous to joining Hatchett, she held a position in interior design with Ethan Allen Interiors. Ms. Locke earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from the Art Institute of Atlanta. She is completing a degree in feng shuiand is an allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Ms. Locke can be contacted at 770-227-5232 or Amy@HatchettHospitality.com Extended Bio...

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