Ms. Locke

Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment

Six HOT FF&E Tips Can Add Sizzle to Your Hotel - and the Bottom Line

By Amy Locke, Director, Interior Design, Hatchett Hospitality

But great hotel rooms don't just happen - they have to be carefully created with meticulous attention to the four stages of FF&E, namely, design, purchasing, transportation, and installation.

Exactly what are today's "hot" trends for "cool" rooms? Here are three "do's" and three "don'ts" that are helping many properties sizzle without burning up their FF&E budgets - and these tips can easily be implemented by you.

The "Do's"

1. Upgrade Bathrooms

Typically, guests spend more time in the bathroom than any area of the room, other than the bed. You want to create a bathroom that is beautiful, comfortable, and "home-like" while still providing practical, functional service.

Among the major benefits of the "thin slab" product are (1) it can be handled in much larger pieces than traditional granite, covering an area up to 4 feet by 8 feet with one slab, and (2) in renovations, it can be installed over existing tub/shower walls and tile.

This minimizes a hotelier's concerns about dealing with mold or other built-up deposits in the existing tub/shower area and installation time is much quicker thereby minimizing rooms out-of-order. And because the stone surface has no grout lines, it is cleaner to look at and to maintain.

The "thin slab" stone product also makes a very dramatic visual statement, especially as more hotel brands specify "all showers" rather than the traditional shower/tub combination.

2. Upgrade Bedding

A good night's sleep is why travelers check into a hotel - yet the bed has often been the forgotten room amenity. That's changing!

As for fabrics on bedspreads, they are becoming heavier and more stain resistant. Look for woven jacquard or a fabric with an unusual texture or weave.

3. Upgraded "Brand Specific" Design Standards

Franchisors are becoming stricter with their design standards - in fact, some brands are strongly urging their franchisees to use professional designers who are affiliated with the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) to be sure that the franchise specifications are properly met.

Using an ASID-affiliated designer can also be very helpful to the franchisee, especially if you wish to upgrade from the brand standards to accommodate local tastes and styles. A franchisor is usually more willing to accommodate variations when they are within the context of an overall professional design scheme.

It is the boutique-style hotels that have changed industry thinking or trends in two important ways - (1) they have raised the bar in hotel design and (2) they have caused franchisors to accept deviations from brand designs, as long as the overall look meets or exceeds those standards.

The Don'ts

1. Being Too "Trendy"

By definition, a trend is something that's here today and gone tomorrow. So if your FF&E design and elements are too trendy or gimmicky, your hotel's look will go out of style more quickly.

Whether you want a look that's traditional, contemporary, transitional, or even a little eclectic and whimsical, there are ways to design and purchase products which can be more timely or lasting. A professional designer can even incorporate a few select "trendy" items into a more lasting overall theme or design. By changing just these few items occasionally, you can keep the look of your property fresh and current without dating the hotel's overall design and feel.

2. Proceeding Without a Professional Designer

As noted earlier, when a franchisee uses a professional designer the franchisor is more comfortable knowing that design standards will be met - and that deviations from the brand's designs will be acceptable within an overall theme or context.

A professional designer provides the franchisee with considerable "value added" benefits, for example:

3. Buying FF&E Services "Ala Carte" Instead of "Bundled"

There are four distinct steps to FF&E - design, purchasing, transportation, and installation. You can buy these services separately from different companies or you can buy them "bundled" from a one-stop, full service supplier. You may even be tempted to perform some of these services yourself, but what's the best way to proceed? Here are some issues to consider before you make a decision:

And what a "turnkey" FF&E supplier does best is make sure the coordinators of the different phases are coordinating among themselves so the entire process flows smoothly. The phases may be separate and sequential, but they shouldn't remain segregated from each other.

The designer, purchaser, customer service representative, transportation expert, installation team leader, and sales person must communicate continually, closely, and candidly.

For example, if a fabric becomes unavailable or discontinued after you've approved the design, the purchasing agent can easily coordinate an acceptable replacement between you, the designer, and the sales rep.

Similarly, shipping and delivery dates can be moved up or back as needed to accommodate changes in construction and installation - all without creating either delays or unsightly, unwieldy product back-up at the building site.

The benefit for you as the franchisee is that with one call to one person, you get all the answers you want - and all the accountability you deserve.

FF&E is vital in creating a first and lasting impression on your guests - and by following a few simple tips, you can take advantage of the "hottest" design and purchasing trends, without burning through your budget.

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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