Hotel Design and Redesign can be a complicated process, rife with industry-specific lingo. Now more than ever, a guest room makeover is needed to communicate cleanliness to guests, meeting their newly heightened expectations due to COVID-19.
This guide will help you navigate the process like a pro and get your room refurbishment done quickly so that you can get back to running your hotel. Rather than having to ask a million questions, take a quick read through our top 25 need-to-know terms:
This guide will help you navigate the process like a pro and get your room refurbishment done quickly so that you can get back to running your hotel. Rather than having to ask a million questions, take a quick read through our top 25 need-to-know terms:
- Accent Wall: One wall that is different from the others in a room. This can be a different color or even a wall-paper or pattern. They can be used to add a touch of style, depth, and texture to the design.
- Aspirational: A design to match a lifestyle goal. For example, indoor/outdoor, family, or professional.
- Brand-approved: A term often applied to FF&E vendors and products that have already been vetted by a hotel brand, such as Holiday Inn
- Case goods: Cabinets made of solid panels that serve as storage. Usually made of solid wood, HPL, TFL, and veneers, cabinets can be accented with other materials such as metals, plastics, glass, and more.
- Classic: Timeless designs characterized by clean lines.
- Clean: Linear and uncluttered. Using a ‘clean’ design can also give the impression of cleanliness to the guest, including easy-to-sanitize surfaces.
- Contrived Patina: Intentional markings on surfaces meant to mimic age/distressing. Certain metals, woods, and leathers are designed specifically to patina over time embracing markings and oils to create a beautiful distressed finish.
- Design scheme: An interior design concept curated specifically for the parent hotel brand that meets specific requirements and/or specifications while creating a signature aesthetic for the brand - e.g. The Casual, Truly Yours, Design to Dream 2.0.
- Design Tool - Object, media, or computer programs that can be used to design spaces. Modern design tools are often online and allow you to view all of the design elements (furniture, wall-color, flooring, art, etc.) in place before approving a design.
- Digital Rendering: A 3D image of your design that allows you to view your space.
- Focal point: The point in a room or design that the eye is drawn to. Other elements of design are intentionally related to this.
- Hue: The color or shade of an interior design element. Color can influence the tone and mood of a space, playing an essential role in creating ambiance.
- J-box: An abbreviation for “junction box.” J-boxes are units that house electrical wires. They’re meeting points for many different types of wires and can be placed in a stud above heavy light fixtures. Most j-boxes are situated behind the drywalls so won't impact your design. If they are not built into the wall, it is usually common practice to install them closer to the floor in a discrete location.
- Kelvin: Units of measurement that relate to the color of a light source. The higher the Kelvin number, the closer it is to replicating bright sunlight. Light sources that replicate sunlight can make a space feel brighter and more welcoming without needing to install windows.
- Laminate: A multi-layered synthetic type of flooring that is made using lamination. High-quality laminates can mimic wood flooring at a more affordable price and a more durable product.
- Layering: A design technique used to achieve depth and interest in a space through the use of various design elements.
- Preliminary quote: The initial project estimate you receive before you pay a deposit and receive confirmed pricing in a final quote. Your preliminary quote may not include shipping, freight, or taxes.
- Property Improvement Plan (PIP): A brand-mandated upgrade/improvement plan intended to bring a hotel into compliance with brand standards. The property improvement plans can have multiple completion deadlines within the plan.
- Samples: Small sections of product materials such as fabrics, wall vinyls, paints, tiles, carpets, and more that you can receive before purchasing to verify color and texture. The small sections of material vary in size.
- Scale: An understanding of how the size of one object in a space relates to the size of the other objects in the space.
- Sconces: A type of light fixture that is fastened to a wall for support.
- Textured: Mixed patterns and materials that give depth and excite the senses. This term can also refer to the physical feel of product materials such as unfinished woods.
- Wainscoting: A type of interior wall paneling that covers the lower portion of a wall.
- Web Builder: An online platform that allows you to choose design elements and preview virtually how they will look in your space. Weebly is an example of a web builder that allows you to choose from available design schemes, furniture, paint, and other elements, send them in for brand-approval, and then ship them to your hotel.
- Window treatments: Window coverings that are used for aesthetic design purposes as well as to provide privacy, insulation, and sound absorption.
Now that you are equipped with the industry jargon, you are ready to complete your project and turn your attention back to your guests.