Wall coverings are something that meets the guest’s eye no matter what he is doing in the room and as such are an important component of the in-room experience. Curtains too, catch the guest’s attention as soon as he opens the door and wonders what view lies beyond them. For both components, some hotels will swear by white, while others like to throw in dashes of colour. Read on to find out how these are picked, chosen and fitted.
WALL COVERINGS
A large chunk of hotels, we’re told, already use wall coverings in rooms instead of paint, due to the ease of maintenance and versatility that they present. “Currently we use water emulsions of ivory and beige on our walls as they go very well with our contemporary art work. Going forward we plan to introduce wall papers in our rooms as it is easy to maintain and clean,” says Sareena Kochar, assistant vice president of housekeeping, Lemon Tree Hotels.
Neha Gairola, Rooms Division Manager, Mövenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore adds, “Wallpaper can add texture, dimension, and a richness that paint isn’t able
to deliver.”
An example of the versatility of this building material is the Royal Orchid property, Regent One Hyderabad, which has used a host of different solutions. “The façade has a wire-cut brick wall to give it a colonial look. The lobby and landings of guest floors have teak wood on the walls along with pink spider onyx marble to blend. Corridors along guestrooms have a young, textured finish,” says Manish Dayya, general manager, Regenta One Hyderabad. In fact the hotel sports several varieties of marble on walls. “Honey Onyx marble has been used in the reception areas. We also have an abstract design of an orchid on a canvas behind the reception area, which adds a burst of colour,” Dayya adds. In F&B areas and banquets, fabric panels have
been employed.
Leather is becoming popular among designers — everything from cushion covers to carpets is finding second skin in the fabric. Regenta One uses copper coloured leatherette at its lounge bar, Salsa.
There are loads of new technologies to catch up with. “The lobby has a 90-feet high atrium ceiling with see-through elevators having a medium density fibre-board wall covering, featuring intricate jaali work from the Nizam era to bring in the right feel and texture.
Lemon Tree properties — particularly the new ones which are being fitted with wallpaper instead of paint — use contemporary designs to underscore their brand promise of young, fun and spirited hotels.
However, there are rules of thumb to pay attention to. Gairola says that high traffic areas should steer clear of wall paper. The Mövenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore uses wall coverings in guest rooms but paint in high-traffic public areas.
An obvious pointer is to watch out for dampness. “The only challenge in maintaining wall coverings is when a wall goes damp. In this case we often need to change the wall paper to maintain the uniformity and look,” Kochar adds. It follows that hotels should ensure that designs chosen will be available later. Kochar also says that they go with only a trusted partner: “We use the best agency, Marshalls, to get our wall coverings done,” she says.
A host of trends and new solutions are doing the rounds. “In terms of design, the inspiration is natural — so the forest floor is an inspiration, leaves are a staple offering in terms of motifs, as are animal prints that provide a cosy backdrop, and add colour and life to the wall. In diametric opposition, geometric prints and retro designs are finding favour. Across the board, hotels are going green, from choosing grasscloths — which are seeing a resurgence, to natural weaves and organic materials,” Gairola shares, of trends that she has noticed.
She goes on to talk about product updates that ensure durability. “Some of them are washable — they come with a protective film which protect the main body from any damage. Alternatively, wall papers are also available with protective glazing which prevents abrasion and staining,” she says.
CURTAINS
Everyone threw in floor-to-ceiling windows, with everything from style to light-saving in mind. The problem with that is that rooms get heated, and what happens if the guest wants some shut-eye during the day? It is humble, old-school curtains that come to the rescue. This furnishing staple has also taken on the role of displaying some degree ethnicity amidst a globalised, brand standards-driven room design.
Functionalities first. It is best to stick with the common practice of having a set of heavy curtains (to prevent light from entering) and sheer ones (to allow the option of letting in daylight). Heavy curtains absolutely must have a black-out lining which is three-pass as it ensures that the guest is not disturbed by the day light. Gairola says, “Most of the curtains used in the public areas where there is high traffic have polyester base which is very durable and has low maintenance cost. Raw silk curtains are used in guestrooms. We look for fabric that has been treated with scotch-guard, at the manufacturing stage, to prevent staining and surface damage.”
In terms of prints and styles in trend, tribal prints, that have caught every creative mind by storm and this has extended to curtains as well. The hardware related to curtains also draws attention. “We prefer imported G-rail (German technology) rails with best hooks for smooth functionality,” says Kochar.
