i+D - January/February 2020 - 16

Materials
Hospitality

SPECIAL
EFFECTS

2.
3.

If there's one common thread among all boutique hotels,
it's the desire to provide guests with an experience that is
decidedly more unique and personal than they might fi nd
anyplace else, even among other boutique hotels. And,
with today's 24-hour social media cycle, what property
wouldn't want the design of its interiors to be that
next viral Instagram post? Bringing such a memorable
experience to life is, of course, a task that falls to the
interior designers who need to not only seek out products
that bring beauty, luxury, and comfort to a property but
also must make sure those products are workhorses that
meet all levels of safety requirements and are durable
enough to survive the wear-and-tear that comes with a
consistent turnover of guests.
Luckily for the designers of the interiors, the designers
and manufacturers of the products are only getting more
creative, offering options to take design and customization
to new levels, while keeping all the requirements of a
hospitality setting in mind. At the recent BDNY trade
show in New York, product designers showed decorative
throws that are machine-washable, levels of texture and
color woven into carpet to give a more lush and luxurious
feel, temporary wallcoverings that can be customized to
create truly unique settings, and more. These options are
designed to make guests feel more at home, to incorporate
thematic hues in a subtle manner, and to create an
experience visitors won't soon forget.
-Jennifer Quail

Image 1: Shaw Contract/Image 2: Tempaper
Image 3: Ethnicraft/Image 4: Wallace Sewell

1. SHAW CONTRACT. Desert Lights is a new carpet and rug collection that marks Shaw Contract's sixth collaboration with
Rockwell Group. Inspired by the plants, animals, and geography of the American Southwest, as well as the light and color
transitions of the desert from dawn to dusk, the patterning and colorization of the collection is intended to bring a soothing vibe
to hospitality spaces. There are two different construction methods in play here that together allow for pile height customization
and plush, sculpted surfaces, as well as advanced dye injection technology to maximize color clarity.
2. TEMPAPER. Tempaper has made a name for itself in the residential market for its user- and wall-friendly removable wallpaper,
and the company has now expanded into the hospitality and contract segments. One of the bonuses the company notes for the
hospitality market is its product's ability to simply peel off the wall in the event of a redesign, with no damage and consequential
repair work to the wall itself. This allows a boutique property to stay fresh and update its look more often for lesser cost. The
non-toxic product has particular appeal for high-traffi c areas because a damaged panel can simply be peeled off and replaced,
and also its vinyl makeup allows for scuffs to be wiped off with a damp cloth.
3. ETHNICRAFT. Traditionally known for its contemporary wooden furniture, Ethnicraft has launched its fi rst textiles line:
Refi ned Layers. Pillows and throws for the collection were designed by artist Dawn Sweitzer and are inspired by her travels
and love of nature. Her vision came to life via color, texture, and materials, in her studio in High Point, North Carolina, where
she wove the fi rst designs on her artisanal loom. A warm color palette and natural yarn material come together in minimal and
abstract patterns. The collection includes a range of 19 pillows, in two sizes, and five throw styles.
4. WALLACE SEWELL. Following up on successful collaborations with Designtex, West Elm, Anthropologie, and the Transport
for London-for which they designed custom seating upholstery for the London Underground-Emma Sewell and Harriet
Wallace-Jones have expanded the scope of their namesake company to include machine-washable throws, ideal for a boutique
hotel that wants a custom look and feel but also needs to keep concerns of cleanliness top of mind. The pure cotton collection
offers a variety of designs that can be tailored to a particular project or client.

i+D - January/February 2020

CMY

i+D - January/February 2020

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