< PreviousSpecial Report commercialinteriordesign.com Month 2021 40 SPECIAL REPORT A bedroom at Ibis Styles Sarajevo by MIXDSpecial Report 41 Month 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com OUR BLEISURE Unpacking the business of hospitality design PAGE 42 Talking trends in hospitality FF&E with Indigo Living's John McLennan PAGE 44 Disrupting hospitality design to boost profi tability with Design by Mahsa PAGE 46 An Olympic legacy lives on – inside the Balkan chic hotel by Polish studio MIXD PAGE 50 H2R Design founder Husain Roomi refl ects on hospitality design a year post-COVID Im ag es : P io n S tu d io HOSPITALITYSpecial Report commercialinteriordesign.com April 2021 42 TREND TALK Indigo Living works in China and quite a few countries in Asia, Hong Kong, as well as here in the Middle East, in the UAE and Saudi. There are different trends going on in different regions but one of the things we saw a lot of recently is that things went simple with quite a minimal aesthetic. But, we are starting to see a little bit more colour and texture. Now the consideration is, if people want more colour, how do you do it without going over the top and looking gaudy? I think, as people start to look post- COVID, and as they've been at home for so many months in their sweats, they want to go somewhere they can get dressed up, somewhere that has a little bit of colour and a little bit of life – somewhere that makes you feel good. The zen, comfortable look, is becoming ubiquitous across all levels of hospitality and commercial spaces, from a two-star property up to a fi ve-star, they all look very similar, as they're trying to pull off a simple, clean look. It is a very diffi cult look to pull off correctly. So, some of the higher end properties are starting to put in a bit more colour. It has to be done a very sophisticated way, or it can coarse, and that's where the designer is key. They have to have a really fantastic eye for colour and pattern. IM A G ES : CHI -SHOU WA N G Put some colour into it John McLennan, executive chairman of Indigo Living, on FF&E trends in the hospitality industry Indigo kitted these holiday rental apartments Vibrant greens are going to be bigSpecial Report 43 April 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com For us, you'll probably not see it in our spring/summer collection, but you'll start to see it in the winter/fall collection – a lot more colour, pattern and texture. It's always fashion fi rst, then a year later it moved into homes and then commercial, but now it's almost instantaneous. Commercial takes longer, as you have to get it signed off, you have to get it built and installed, whereas in residential or retail it can happen straight away. We have two seasons a year and we follow fashion trends fairly closely. Without giving too much away, the whole concept of this trend called Japandi, started off with a wabi-sabi kind of look and it's now gone into a Scandinavian look. It's a very neutral palette, but you're going to see a lot more patterns, maybe blues. I don't want to think shibui, but maybe Japanese textures and patterns on one side, then on the other side, everything's started to be more rounded. The sofas are rounded, book shelves are more curved. You're going to see the main colour blocks are quite neutral. Greens will be a little bit sharper, orange and yellow will be popping up and some reds will be coming back in again. I don't think there's going to be a lot of pink coral. That's gone. We're now pitching on projects where people are wanting a lot more colour, but the woods are still quite light. With projects now, we're saying you have to spend a certain amount of money. If you want it to last one year then that's not us. I don't want you coming back to me to say your project is falling apart and you want me to redo it. If you work it out over the history of the project, value is there. piece, but you can't put it throughout. Going forward, I think we're going to see a movement towards brighter colours, but less acidic. You're not going to have acidic yellows and greens, these lemons and limes. It's not going to be a pastel, it's going to be rich and vibrant and it's going to be used in such a way that you're not going to walk into a room and see a bright red sofa with orange cushions walls and green speckled wallpaper. We are going to see some strong pops of colour. A trend coming through in fashion design is 'peacocking' [dressing for full show to attract attention from others]. People are coming out of this whole thing and we are possibly going to see a new 'Roaring Twenties.' I think it'll hit fashion fi rst and hen it'll move into residential interior design. In residential design you move much faster than commercial. Yellow and grey [as Pantone colours of the year], for me is an interesting choice. I thought grey was a bit depressing and wondered why we were continuing with dull colours? I also thought yellow was quite harsh. So, in my personal opinion, that will disappear quite quickly, like when we had shiny copper. That lasted about half a season. Maybe one little accent The cushion provides a pop of colour McLennan looks ahead You aren't going to see pastels... Textured accents in the fabricsSpecial Report commercialinteriordesign.com April 2021 44 When we step out of our homes to patronise commercial centres such as restaurants and hotels, our choices will likely be based on the overall experience we expect to receive at the venue. This is hinged on factors such as comfort, ambience, service levels, and even photographic views. These determinants are used in measuring the standard of a hospitality space. Available studies have proven that a restaurant's interior design is directly linked to patronage. COVID-19 has impacted signifi cantly on spatial considerations and has forced professional interior designers to rethink their concepts in conformity with enforcements such as social distancing. Already, researchers have determined that techniques such as the use of mannequins and partitions as a means of revamping dining spaces to ensure physical distance is gaining ground. However, one may ask whether the reinvention of space utility based on social distance rules is going to decide space design forever? Is this idea sustainable, especially in the hospitality sector where experience is a determining factor in patronage? By necessarily sparing a thought for health and safety, there has to be a compromise between design and risk factors associated. For creative interior designers it is possible to produce great concepts whilst mitigating the spread of the virus. For example, cleverly placed partitions in an open-style restaurant can be designed to denote privacy instead of isolation. Designers understand the architecture of a space and know how to make elements fi t and function in it. The hospitality sector has seen challenging times since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation in March 2020. Low patronage has led to slowed business and losses in certain cases with businesses struggling to gain competitive advantage. In unusual times like these, can the craft of interior design play a defi ning role in differentiating one hospitality brand from another? The answer is yes. How does interior design ensure profi tability in a hospitality business? COVID-19 restrictions such as lockdowns and curfews have led to the shutdown or partial re-opening of hotels, restaurants and recreational facilities severely impacting revenue and supply chains. According to reliable research, the hospitality industry contributes US$3.41 trillion to the global economy every year, Motorino is a Design by Mahsa project Lou'Loua cafe is another Mahsa design Photo credit: Natelee Cocks OPINION: MAHSA GHOLIZADEH ON DESIGN AS A DISRUPTOR Special Report 45 April 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com Ensuring environmental sustainability in the hospitality sector using interior design Innovation has led to the creation of concepts such as 'green hotels', achieved through environmentally sustainable practices introduced into the project by the interior designer. A lot of responsible hospitality brands are leveraging these technologies, which decrease operational costs in the long-term. Data from booking websites has shown that a growing number of travellers prefer to book eco-friendly accommodation facilities to enjoy a 'sustainable trip'. Biophilic designs have become an integral part of contemporary hotels and restaurants in which green and nature- inspired elements are used throughout the process of design. These enhance a natural environment, brings life to the space and creates a positive connection effect.It is standard practice to include biophilia in all Design by Mahsa projects. The hospitality business depends on numbers and spending power to ensure its sustainability and profi tability at all times. With this in mind, be assured that these needs will be properly taken care of when placed in the hands of a professional interior design fi rm. Eddy Abou Khalil creating over three million jobs since 2018. With sharp declines in profi tability and patronage, every effort must be made to enhance customer experience, which will in turn lead to their loyalty and also attract new ones. Also, when employees are at ease in a functionally designed environment, they become more productive and highly placed to give off their best. Aesthetic interior design takes into consideration functionality, and ensures that every area of the hospitality facility is emotionally appealing by design and ergonomically fi tting in structure. Have you been to a restaurant where you thought something felt 'off' and inappropriate? Probably the lighting wasn't positioned well, furniture was out of place or the colours in the room gave a depressing feel. These are common problems that decrease patronage, hence dipping revenue. The advantage of using the services of professional interior designers is that they factor in aesthetics and functionality at the very beginning when developing Biophilia is intergral, argues Mahsa Australian-trained Mahsa Gholizadeh is the founder and design director of Design by Mahsa, a boutique interior design fi rm headquartered in Dubai, specializing in F&B, hospitality, retail and other commercial projects. Meet the expert FOR HOSPITALITY IN 2021 the concept till the end of the process. For instance, themes adopted by Design by Mahsa for F&B spaces at the JA Hotel and Resorts in Dubai were developed in line with using sustainable techniques right from when the shop drawings were presented, renders were produced, construction works begun, until high quality fi nishes were achieved. Going through processes like these prevent unplanned for operational costs which may arise as a result of poorly executed projects. Apart from necessary periodic maintenance, the effects will be regular faults and failures. Interior design as a marketing and communications tool A hospitality business' brand is its identity. We all know certain brands that we can immediately identify by their interior and exterior architecture. In today's digital world people don't go to restaurants just to eat, and in hotels only to lodge there. There is always a lookout for opportunities to snap pictures or check in the location on social media. When the interior design in these spaces are great, their images easily go viral with a potential of attracting more customers and even infl uencers to the facility. This can also be used as a popularity and revenue generating strategy which adds to the profi tability of the business. The Motorino Pizzeria at Jumeirah Beach Residences in Dubai, for example, is said to be one of the most Instagrammable restaurants in Dubai not only because of its great service but also its aesthetically appealing interior.Special Report commercialinteriordesign.com April 2021 46 IM A G ES : CHI -SHOU WA N G GOING FOR GOLD Olympics inspire European hospitality projectSpecial Report 47 April 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com Photos by Studio PionSpecial Report commercialinteriordesign.com April 2021 48 On February 8, 1984, athletes from 49 nations fl ocked to Sarajevo for the Winter Olympics. The Games were reportedly followed by a tourist boom, sadly followed by a time of confl ict and loss of life. Now the vibrant, multi-cultural city's Olympic legacy lives on in ibis Styles Sarajevo, which opened its doors to guests in April 2019. Situated at the foot of snow-capped Mount Trebevic, the architecture of the 192-room hotel combines an existing building with a newly built tower block. This architecture, along with history and craft makes up the "spirit of Sarajevo". Traces of war can still be seen in the streets, but now cafes and craftsmen's workshops exists next to trendy boutiques and clubs. Polish studio MIXD channelled this cultural mix and combined it with Olympic nostalgia to create a Balkan chic hotel for visitors and residents in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Inside, exposed installations and raw concrete walls feature in the corridors and the hotel lobby. Interior materials and colours are bright and combine with wooden panelling in warm tones and locally-woven wool carpets of rich colours and patterns. On the ground fl oor, the main space is a lobby with reception, restaurant and a lounge bar. Central lobby shisha bar Chill Café is a focal point for aforementioned carpets and furniture by Bosnian craftsmen. Details of local handicrafts appear around the hotel, including room numbers depicted in hand- woven kilims [fl at woven carpets] and a restaurant wall decorated with metal trays that were forged by hand. Capturing the buzz of the Winter Olympics, a huge mural in the lobby restaurant by Polish artist Karol Banach. It captures the city's winter landscape and the Olympics games, when the host nation, then known as Yugoslavia, collected its fi rst-ever medal at the Winter Olympics: a silver by alpine skier Jure Franko in the men's giant slalom. The restaurant connects with the bar and Carpets are woven locally CASE STUDY: IBIS STYLES SARAJEVO BY MIXD Each room has a pair of skisSpecial Report 49 April 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com lounge where guests can sit in gondolas from a ski lift that are re- purposed as seats. Other quirky references to the Olympics take guests on a journey from check-in to stay. On arrival in the lobby, they're greeted by Vucko the wolf, offi cial mascot of the 1984 Winter Olympics, grinning out from a stylised painting about a fi replace. In reception, swings made from snowboards in the hotel have become a popular point for that all-important guest selfi es. Each guestroom includes a pair of bright orange vintage skis. On the hotel tower's 15th fl oor is Ingman Sky Bar, living up to its name with panoramic windows on three sides. Its title also honours the highest mountain visible from this vantage point; the former arena of the Olympic skiers' rivalry. A bar made of glass blocks serves soft drinks to customers sitting on stools covered in sheep skins. Guests can fi nd more opportunities to relax at level one, where the spa zone and swimming pool. The carpets at Chill The MIXD team Meet the creatives Design team: Piotr Kalinowski, Katarzyna Majer-Hola, Joanna Mazurek, Paweł Panek, Agnieszka Kaczara Murals: Karol Banach Photos: Pion Studio Inside the Sky BarNext >