HAMBURG, Germany – Authenticity and sustainability are the trends in the hotel business. What is wanted is holistic concepts with an individual touch – from furniture to home textiles and lighting to colour schemes. Natural materials have a major part to play, such as linen and silk materials, wood and natural stone – they not only generate an atmosphere of calm and warmth, but also meet the increasing demand for environmentally sound hotel concepts.
“Green awareness among guests is increasingly a factor – that is a clear trend in the industry, and will of course be duly reflected at INTERNORGA,” explains Claudia Johannsen, Business Unit Director at Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH.
An exclusive market overview with the latest trends in hospitality will be presented at INTERNORGA in Hamburg from 11 to 16 March 2016.
Design makes the difference
Perfection right from the start – from low-budget accommodation to luxury hotels. Hotel operators have just a few short moments to make a good impression on their guests.
Alongside service, design has become the key differentiator, with a major impact on image building and client appeal. Competitive pressure in the hospitality sector is increasing all the time, and hoteliers face the challenge of generating a consistent overall impression while creating a unique hotel identity.
“Interior decorators have to bear in mind that too many accents and design features will overload the space, and disturb the sense of harmony,” says Jörg Hebel of the JAB ANSTOETZ Group, a major player in the interior decoration market.
The company’s Cosmopolitan Line provides a consistent concept for all hotel fabrics and fittings; it comprises curtains, dim-outs, decoration and upholstery materials, ideal to mix and match while highlighting individual character.
The magic of light and colour
Hoteliers are increasingly using light sources to underscore the unique personality of spaces. “Lighting is all about individuality. That is why we go for customised lighting, and develop the lighting scheme in close consultation with our customers,” says Bernd Löseke of Missal Objekt Licht GmbH & Co. KG.
Lighting is not only a great way to generate mood and atmosphere, but is increasingly designed for smart, multifunctional operation.
“We use energy-efficient LED systems, and include novel features such as a USB charging station in the lamp base. That enables hotel guests to recharge their smartphone or tablet in the base of their bedside lamp, for example, and at the same time to operate the lamp conveniently from the bed,” added Bernd Löseke. Another important aspect in design of hotel and hospitality rooms is the colour scheme.
“Colours express so much, and give a first statement on the direction and concept of the hotel,” says Anja Deeken-Riekermann of Deeken raumconzepte. They actively influence how guests feel, and have a physiological impact on the human body – they can relax or actively stimulate, and influence the autonomic nervous system.
Natural is good
Hotel and property interiors are going green. Commitment to the environment and resource efficiency is a major factor in conversions and new building. “Sustainability is already essential in manufacturing.
Buyers are increasingly looking at how the furniture and fittings are manufactured, because that is also reflected in quality and service life,” says Anja Deeken-Riekermann of Deeken raumconzepte.
Natural materials, colours and textures give the hotel an authentic look and feel, and open up new possibilities for companies with a sense of sustainability. Coco-Mat, a bed and mattress supplier, also highlights the interplay between natural products and relaxation, using exclusively natural materials such as coconut fibres, natural rubber, cotton and linen.
“We are confident that sustainability and natural products will move more and more into the focus of hoteliers,” says Konstanze Dammann of Coco-Mat. “And we are convinced that a comfortable bed in a pleasant atmosphere is the most important thing a hotel can offer its guests.”
The company also uses 100% natural products for accessories such as pillows and bed covers – Coco-Mat’s “Pillow Menu” gives a range of pillow types with fillings of natural rubber flakes, down, feathers or pure wool.
Table culture – from natural to colour explosion
Back to nature is likewise the big trend in table decoration, tableware and cutlery, and that is reflected in design. “A good example today is our ‘Modern Rustic’ collection – resilient professional porcelain in a natural ceramic look,” says Manuela Küfner of Bauscher.
“We took our inspiration for the colour scheme from the natural surroundings, with design nuances such as Ceramica Wood, Ceramica Sand and Stone Gray.” Villeroy & Boch, an iconic tableware manufacturer based in Mettlach, is committed to combining good environmental policy with good business sense.
That means careful selection of high-quality raw materials, exclusive use of lead-free, very evenly applied two-firing glazes, contaminant-free paints, and the use of innovative manufacturing processes.
Villeroy & Boch’s 2016 designs, by way of contrast, are aimed not so much at a natural look, but rather at an explosion of colour – “Colour is the new white,” says Jessika Rauch of Villeroy & Boch. The company features its new “Genesis by Affinity” collection at INTERNORGA 2016 – a colour variant of the successful Affinity series launched in 2013.
“This new product matches the ongoing trend in hotels and restaurants for more colour on the table.”
Table Top has exciting new trend topics, both in colour and in pure natural tones. The front runners will be effectively displayed on the SKYWALK Table, on the glass bridge linking Halls A1 and B1. INTERNORGA 2016 offers all trade visitors inspiration and a complete market overview of trends and developments.
About INTERNORGA
2016 is a very special year – INTERNORGA celebrates its 90th anniversary. INTERNORGA is the leading European trade fair for hotels, restaurants, institutional catering, bakery and confectionery, and has been held ever since 1921.
It is classified by the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA) as the only international HORECA trade fair in Germany.
INTERNORGA takes place in March every year, with around 1,300 exhibitors from Germany and abroad displaying their innovations, trends and complete solutions for the whole of the out-of-home market.
In addition to the exhibitors’ presentations, there is a big programme of supporting events, international conferences, award presentations, and innovative side-event concepts.
INTERNORGA is traditionally held at the Hamburg Fair site, at the heart of Hamburg. Admission is subject to proof of trade visitor status. For more information on INTERNORGA 2016, see www.internorga.com.
