What puts you in a good mood? Hotel owners and designers are constantly looking for new answers to that question because they know today's travelers want their hotel to be as pleasing as their trip. Colors, music, and artwork are among the popular ways hoteliers try to create a special environment. However, two especially effective techniques are within reach and under foot, literally - in the form of lighting and flooring. READ MORE

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. READ MORE

First impressions can be effective or disastrous, but they are always lasting. Nowhere is that more true than the highly competitive hotel industry, where the look and feel of a property can immediately turn guests on - or off. That's precisely why hoteliers are increasingly turning to professional design and purchasing for their furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E). Buying FF&E can be a challenge, but it doesn't have to be painful - either for your peace of mind or your bottom line. READ MORE

In recent years, it has become trendy for some Westerners to use feng shui in making life decisions. Of course, feng shui has guided the lives of many people in the Orient for more than 3,000 years. Yes, feng shui is a complex concept, but its implementation is based in large part on common sense; such as correlating form with function or selecting and positioning objects in a way that is smart as well as aesthetically pleasing. My article explores some basics of feng shui and then applies them in a simple, useful, practical manner to the interior design of a hotel. READ MORE

Buying furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) can be a challenge, but it doesn't have to be painful - either for your peace of mind or your bottom line. Yes, you're spending a lot of money to furnish your hotel - but a purchasing professional can help stretch the dollars you spend, while also building the value of your property. By definition, choosing your FF&E means making choices - and the right choice for many owners and property managers is to assign purchasing responsibilities to an outside source. So when people claim that they can do effective buying of products for you, how can you be sure you're selecting a reputable purchasing agent for your FF&E needs? READ MORE