Budget Caution Influences Trends
While design trends do influence refurbishment choices, it seems that budgets are the biggest contributing factor to choosing furniture packages these days.
But just what is available and what’s new?
Techset Furniture is one of Australia’s leading furniture and accessories suppliers to resorts, hotels, motels, restaurants, clubs, hospitals, medical centres, aged care facilities, corporate offices, schools and the like. After more than 22 years in business it has seen trends come and go but are finding that the GFC has really meant accommodation providers are a lot more cautious with their purchasing decisions.
Julia Ritchie, who owns and manages the business with her husband Bryan, says they have always offered furniture packages to cater for all budgets. “In these new economic times, the budget is the first thing that is usually discussed, then the style the client is going for, the colour scheme and the overall look,” she says.
Managing director of Australian company PPS Tailored Furniture Solutions, Paul Lane, agrees that budgets do determine the interior finishes and furniture packages chosen these days but says there are so many choices when it comes to furniture packages that customers are actually spoilt for choice.
So where should businesses start when planning a refurbishment?
Design trends
“Businesses need to take a holistic approach to refurbishing and know what final look they want to achieve before they start,” Mr Lane says. “Once budgets have been set fit-out solutions should be carefully thought out to maximise co-ordinating new items with existing architecture and remaining décor items.”
He suggests replacing fittings, equipment and minor works as well as furniture, as it can result in better ease of operation, improved technical innovations and be more visually appealing. Mr Lane says PPS receives new product ranges monthly and its furniture ranges change regularly due to clients’ needs and to reflect the latest looks from around the world. “At the moment the trend seems to be mixing an eclectic feel with unique traditional pieces, and most businesses are still aiming for a warm interior feel,” he says. “This can be achieved through layers of different textures and using different accessories like wallpaper.” Mr Lane adds that colour schemes don’t need to match up 100% either as textures and the use of different tones can give a deeper and more expensive look to a room.
Ms Ritchie of Techset says the furniture an accommodation provider chooses needs to be functional but look interesting, luxurious and welcoming and says this can be achieved with colours, textures, artwork and lighting. “Things don’t necessarily need to be completely co-ordinated as long as there is something linking them together such as a colour, a style or a texture,” she says.
“A feature wall of wallpaper behind the bed is a cheap and easy way of gaining maximum impact in the short term and it’s not too difficult to change.”
When it comes to trends and what is hot right now, Ms Ritchie says the vintage and retro looks are still popular teamed with funky mix and match items, and the classic neutral look has always been a constant and will never go out of fashion. “Light to medium colour timber stains are still popular in Queensland with darker timber stains being more popular the further south you go,” she says, adding that the hotel and resort industry are still impartial to chocolate and dark grey colour schemes.”
When it comes to outdoor resort and hotel furniture, the man-made wicker furniture is still the most popular in sun lounges, chairs and daybeds. And bright coloured furnishings are very popular in Queensland at the moment in yellows, limes, oranges and hot pink as they can be changed easily, while the larger furniture items remain in neutral colours,” she says.
The use of artwork
Both Techset and PPS agree that artwork is integral for any refurbishing project and they both include artwork as part of their furniture packages. Mr Lane from PPS believes artwork adds vital colour and texture to a room and says the frames used can change the feel of a room. “Thin light oak or silver frames give a modern feel and tones of walnut and gold give a more traditional hotel look,” he says.
Ms Ritchie from Techset says artwork is the important finishing touch. “When you are in a room for a few days you don’t want to be looking at a blank wall and sometimes artwork can make a great talking point.”
Artlounge Gallery Online is an Australian online contemporary canvas art design studio which was launched in 2006 and sells artwork to interior designers, hotels, resorts, boutique apartments, retail stores, corporate clients, display homes and a range of other industries.
Karen Finemore is the director of Artlounge and says artwork creates a focal point for any room and is definitely the final touch for any refurbishment.
“Artlounge canvas artworks take buyers on a journey through eclectic and in-vogue art styles from the abstract to children’s art, and from Moroccan art to motivational art. Each piece has been inspired by industry demand and created by visual artists,” she says. “If a client has chosen furniture then we assist with complimentary artwork or we can custom-design artwork to match colours in their chosen space such as a rug or cushions.”
Ms Finemore explains that larger artwork is popular in living areas and bedrooms to create a wow factor and smaller artworks are normally then used on smaller walls to compliment the larger artwork. She says the majority of their clients are sales-based although they do offer a rent, try, buy option. “We have a dedicated customer service and design team, an interior designer and a visual artist as part of our boutique business and all artworks are superbly crafted in-house by us,” she says. “And all our artwork is accessible, affordable, in-vogue art which is designed and tailored to suit our client’s taste.”
The refurbishment process
So how can companies like Techset, PPS and Artlounge assist the accommodation industry in the refurbishment process?
They can help with advice on colour schemes and possible fit-outs early in the planning process. Ms Ritchie of Techset says many clients come to them having already worked out their overall scheme with their own architect or designer and want to purchase the furniture and furnishings from Techset.
“Otherwise we have our own interior designer and after we have taken measurements of the rooms, we work out the appropriate sized furniture to fit the space, then assist with matching the colour scheme with the timber stain, fabric choices, soft furnishings and lighting. We also provide a full service at delivery by carrying out installation, placement and rubbish removal where necessary.”
Mr Lane of PPS says project managing refurbishment jobs starts with an initial meeting to discuss the job and budget, discussing design layout and colour schemes before PPS put together a 3D plan for their client to view and approve. “After the final presentation to the client, once approved we order then install and throughout the whole process we work very closely with our client to make sure their individual needs are being met,” he says.
Ms Finemore of Artlounge says they are normally contacted once colours and design have been decided by the client and they want artwork to compliment and enhance the interior. “For us, once clients have confirmed their selection then the fun begins,” she says.
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