Hotel Design: Time for Innovation from the Floor Up

As hotels continue to upgrade their interiors with eye-catching items such as unique artwork, highly decorative lighting and inspirational custom carpets, the trend toward better technology integration continues as well. Hotels undertaking these initiatives are out to set themselves apart from the competition, while also creating highly memorable experiences for their customers.

starwood-hotel-keyless-smartphone-bluetooth-lock-entryWhat’s happening in the world of Hotel Design? A recent Buzzfeed article titled “The Hotel Industry’s Race To Escape The Dinosaur Age” addresses one of the current struggles of the Hotel world: technology. Features like mobile booking, keyless check-in, and customer operated kiosks in the lobby bring old hotels into the new age. The article got us thinking. Technology isn’t the only thing hotels should update to join this century. Changing the check-in experience for customers will lead to redesigning the lobby. This is an opportunity to update all aspects of your hotel design.

Screenshot 2015-02-25 15.09.55In the article Ryan Meliker, a senior analyst at MLV & Co, says “large hotel chains tend to conduct a major overhaul just once every seven years.” That’s not hard to believe considering the logistics of a major design overhaul. It is shocking to think that interiors that were “in-style” or “on-trend” seven years ago still exist in most hotels. Carpet has a distinct advantage because it can be easily removed and a new design theme can be added with less interruption of the hotel’s business.

Newer interiors, like updated technology, especially appeal to younger professionals who travel.  This includes millennials who know what they want, compare hotels online, read reviews and take to the internet to voice concern and displeasure more than any other group. (Photos of Hotel Design Magazine from 2008).

Hotels that want toScreenshot 2015-02-25 15.12.43 attract more travelers, gain repeat customers and generate more word-of-mouth buzz must frequently update their interiors. These updates need to be sensitive to the design, functionality and technology trends which are often driven by the “next generation” of customers while considering the context of the property’s brand. The opportunity for carpet in the millennial quest for a unique and authentic hotel, lies in its ability to be custom designed more easily than other furnishings.

Generally speaking, today’s interior design aesthetic is cleaner, integrates bolder color choices and features highly decorative finishes. Designers working on hospitality projects can achieve stunning, memorable and customer-centric design looks when specifying the right commercial carpet.  Whether it’s a custom product or a running line, carpets made with Zeftron nylon range from sleek, to delicate floral designs, to bright and modern. With a custom carpet, you can achieve virtually any look you desire.

We recently helped the Embassy Suites Nashville at Vanderbilt upgrade their more than 200 rooms. This project proves that even established big-name hotels can make significant changes on a property-by-property basis. The end result is a beautiful fresh space.

Zeftron Nylon Embassy Suites Nashville

We encourage you to Make A Design Statement with your next project and leave a lasting impression on your guests.


Related article: Recently we looked at how employers have a better chance at hiring and retaining talent with better workplace design.

Contact Us

If you would like more information about Zeftron nylon or would like to partner with Zeftron on A&D visits, contact Zeftron Business Leader Tim Blount at: timothy.blount@shawinc.com or 706-532-2984.

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Bandelier made with Zeftron Nylon

Zeftron nylon is proud to work with a mill partner who values sustainability. BOLYU Contract was named “Environmental Supplier of the Year” by Home Depot, and they use renewable energy in all commercial facilities to meet manufacturing needs. One of the beautiful carpets made by BOLYU with Zeftron nylon is Bandelier.

Screenshot 2015-01-15 15.12.53

Product Specifications:

Construction: Tip Sheared Loop
Yarn Content: Zeftron® Nylon with 25% recycled content
Dye Method: Solution Dyed
Yarn Weight Tufted: 36 oz./yd.
Width: 12 feet
Pattern Repeat: 1.8″ W x 2.13″ L
Installation: Broadloom

Screenshot 2015-01-15 15.11.50

 

Pairing outstanding durability with enduring beauty, Zeftron nylon makes a perfect high-performance
partner to high-intensity commercial spaces. Bandelier can transform commercial spaces and is both functional and stylish.

Zeftron nylon means style—pure and simple. High-performance, fully recyclable nylon that is a beautiful
tool of the design trade.

 

Bandelier is available in thirteen colors: Sandoval, Hawk Springs, Yellowstone, Sierra Mesa, Ponderosa, Medicine Bow, Copper Canyon, Great Divide, Bitter Creek, Paradise Hills, Eagle’s Nest, Sweetwater and Black Mountain.

Screenshot 2015-01-15 15.14.56

To find other Bolyu styles made with Zeftron Nylon please reference our Carpet Searchtool: the Zeftron Style Guide.

Click here to contact a Bolyu rep. To contact Zeftron nylon call Tim Blount at 706-532-2984 or email him at timothy.blount@shawinc.com.

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About BOLYU Contract

BOLYU Contract is the commercial carpet division of Beaulieu of America which was founded in 1978. Today it is one of the largest privately held flooring producers in North America. Originally established to manufacture area rugs, the company invested in yarn extrusion in 1981 becoming the first manufacturer in the carpet and rug industry to produce their own yarn. The company then diversified into tufting carpet (under the brands of BOLYU and Aqua Hospitality Carpets), establishing the factory known today as Beaulieu Commercial in Chatsworth, GA.

About Zeftron® Nylon
For more than 40 years, Zeftron® nylon has continued to deliver more value-added opportunities and advantages to the commercial interiors marketplace through dedicated partnerships, a premium branded nylon 6 product and superior service. Based in Dalton, Ga., the brand brings a history of innovations and unparalleled style, performance and environmental attributes. All Zeftron nylon yarns are closed-loop recyclable, MBDC Cradle to Cradle certified and come standard with a minimum 25 percent recycled content. As part of the brand’s commitment to environmental stewardship, Zeftron nylon makes recycling easy with its 6ix Again Recycling Program – a simple to use, all-inclusive carpet recycling initiative. Zeftron nylon is a part of Shaw Industries Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company.

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Today’s Workplace Design: Three Benefits of Carpet

MSRI_Berkeley_19
Carpet made with Zeftron nylon

The office of today is not what it used to be. Gone are the days of gray walls and tiny cubes separating the individual from the masses. The new workplace is open, airy, colorful and brand-driven. Now more than ever design is critical to achieving collaboration, inspiration and maximum productivity.

 

But how does a designer come up with the perfect interior for a client? Unfortunately, there is no secret formula. Instead it changes with every space that is created. But what doesn’t change is the need to connect the design aesthetic of the environment to the functional needs of those occupying the space.

Carpet made with Zeftron nylon at Bar Architects in San Francisco
Carpet made with Zeftron nylon at Bar Architects in San Francisco

The floor is typically the largest surface of any interior space. As a result, the flooring product you select can play a major role in both that space’s design and functionality. What can help you make the decision to choose carpet over other floor coverings for the next commercial space you design?  Below are three points to consider:

Acoustics: It’s well-known that quieter environments can foster greater focus and attention. Global design firm HOK lists this as one of their top 10 trends influencing workplace design today, and we agree. One of carpet’s best features is sound absorption, which can help reduce unwanted noise and create more productive employees.

Color: Carpet ain’t what it used to be! Our mill partners work hard to create amazing carpets that are not only beautiful, but highly stylish and versatile. We recently released seven new colors called the Brilliant Collection, which include colors like Lemon, Hot Pink, & Electric Blue to name a few. Why is that important? Research shows that bright colors not only add a spark of energy to a space, it can also foster greater engagement and activity.

Branding: Earlier this year Building Design & Construction posted an in-depth look at how millennials respond to workplace design. The new workplace is quickly filling up with this young generation and they expect a branded feel to their workspace. High-quality design in the workplace is a competitive advantage and will help with recruitment and retention of millennials, and all employees. Carpet offers the flexibility and customization to create a branded feel for your project.

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Carpet made with Zeftron nylon at Bar Architects in San Francisco

What are other important factors when you specify carpet for your projects?  When choosing a commercial grade carpet, we have talked in the past about the importance of knowing the traffic the space will receive, as well as the maintenance plan for the space. Let us know if you have any questions about Zeftron nylon!

To contact Zeftron nylon call Tim Blount at 706-532-2984 or email him at timothy.blount@shawinc.com.

 

Zeftron Nylon is Cradle to Cradle Certified Silver

Zeftron nylon is proud to be Cradle to Cradle Certified(TM) Silver
Zeftron nylon is proud to be Cradle to Cradle Certified(TM) Silver

Zeftron Nylon is the only commercial nylon of its kind to be a Cradle to Cradle Certified(TM) Silver yarn product available to carpet manufacturers. Zeftron nylon is a proven environmentally responsible yarn system that is 100 percent closed-loop recyclable at the end of its useful life. Backed by constant research and product innovation, all Zeftron nylon yarns come standard with a minimum 25 percent recycled content in every color.

Zeftron nylon is Cradle to Cradle Certified(TM) Silver because of the use of environmentally safe and healthy materials, design for material reutilization, use of renewable energy and energy efficiency, efficient use of water and maximum water quality associated with production, and instituting strategies for social responsibility.

Pre-Dyed Fiber

“We have always worked to make a product that leaves little or no environmental footprint,” said Tim Blount, business leader for Zeftron nylon. “Every decision regarding manufacturing, product attributes and complete life cycle responsibility work towards this goal, from manufacturing only nylon 6 products to our simple to use commercial carpet recycling program, 6ix Again. We will continue to bring innovation to the marketplace as an industry leader in closed-loop manufacturing and recycling.”


The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, which was gifted to the Institute by its Founders, William McDonough and Dr. Michael Braungart, in 2010.


Contact Us

If you would like more information about Zeftron nylon or would like to partner with Zeftron on A&D visits, contact Zeftron Business Leader Tim Blount at: timothy.blount@shawinc.com or 706-532-2984.

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We love Lemon! Part of the new Brilliant Collection

Josef Albers was a German-born American artist & educator whose work formed the basis of some of the most influential art education programs of the 20th century.

“Color is understood through experiences” – Josef Albers

Did you know that the color yellow is the easiest for the human eye to see? It’s no wonder that school buses and street signs are yellow. Our eyes are drawn to elements that are bright inside and out. That was the inspiration behind one of our newest color offerings: Lemon! 

According to an independent study on slideshare titled, “The Psychology of Color in an Interior Space”:  “Different shades of yellow convey different messages. A light yellow might bring warmth and softness… whereas a bright yellow might raise the emotional temperature and increase liveliness and encourage innovation.”

Photo by Interiors  and Sources of the Archer New York Lobby
Yellow accents in The Archer New York’s Lobby- captured during the recent Interior & Sources Hotel Bus Tour that Zeftron nylon sponsored.

Although bright interior colors have not always been readily applied in schools, offices and public spaces, yellow and colors within this family are catching on according to HOK, a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm. HOK says: “smart organizations understand their primary goal is to enhance the performance of their people.”  Yellow, the firm says, is a color that “makes people feel clear-headed and alert, allowing for clear thinking for decision making.”

Who doesn’t want that?!

Imagine the possibilities when you add a bright color like Lemon to your next project. You can customize a beautiful, highly styled carpet for your next interior with pops of color such as Lemon and completely change the feel of the space.

What would you do with Lemon accents in your next space?

The Brilliant Collection from Zeftron nylon
The Brilliant Collection from Zeftron nylon

About the Brilliant Collection: 

Zeftron nylon’s new Brilliant Collection comprised of seven highly vibrant colors. The new colors bring more styling options that add a dash of energy or excitement to a hospitality, corporate or other commercial interiors project. The collection gives our mill partner designers and commercial designers even greater options and inspiration for creating or specifying the commercial carpet product you desire

For more information please contact Tim Blount at 706-532-2984 or email him at timothy.blount@shawinc.com.

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Introducing Electric Blue: Part of Zeftron Nylon’s Brilliant Collection

Last week we announced our new Brilliant Collection. Comprised of seven highly vibrant colors, the Brilliant Collection adds to our already amazing palette. This week we are taking a look at the first of these colors, Electric Blue. 

Blue is a color based in nature that has some powerful emotions tied to it. According to The Colour Affects System of applied color psychology, blue is associated with cool, calm, water and renewal. Historically in design blue has been the color of the elite, the regal, and it can be found abundantly in upscale European luxury hotels and homes.

Westin Excelsior Rome
Westin Excelsior Rome

How can you amp up a color that already has such a decided place in design? Make it electric.

Introducing Electric Blue, one of 7 new colors offered by Zeftron Nylon’s Brilliant Collection.  Electric Blue brings energy and brightness to a space. It sets off other elements in a room and is a great compliment to classic colors.

The idea of electric blue nylon fiber incorporated into a custom carpet brings classic luxury into the modern age and is perfect for hospitality, corporate or other interiors environments. Reminiscent of the resent color forecasting by Color marketing Group, we believe that through collaborating with our mill partners and crowdsourcing via the 2013 Zeftron Color Survey, Electric Blue is on-trend.

Brilliant Collection
Brilliant Collection

The seven colors of the Brilliant Collection are:  Hot Pink, Lemon, Brilliant Orange, Lime, Electric Blue, Bay Blue and Raspberry Wine. These colors were designed to harmonize with Zeftron’s other colors and perfectly complement Zeftron’s existing base shades.  Each proven color, including those in our metallic and vibrant hospitality collections, is a clear saturated hue making for unlimited color possibilities.

The 7 colors of the Brilliant Collection
The 7 colors of the Brilliant Collection

“We think designers will enjoy playing with these new colors to add more fun, energy and creativity to the carpets they envision for their projects,” said Zeftron Nylon Business Leader Tim Blount.

Contact Us

If you would like more information about the Brilliant Collection or would like to partner with Zeftron on A&D visits, contact Zeftron Business Leader Tim Blount at: timothy.blount@shawinc.com or 706-532-2984.

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Zeftron Introduces New Brilliant Collection

Zeftron nylon is pleased to introduce its new Brilliant Collection comprised of seven highly vibrant colors. The new colors bring more styling options that add a dash of energy or excitement to a hospitality, corporate or other commercial interiors project. The collection gives our mill partner designers and commercial designers even greater options and inspiration for creating or specifying the commercial carpet product you desire.

Zeftron nylon introduces the new Brilliant Collection
Zeftron nylon introduces the new Brilliant Collection

Like all Zeftron yarns, the new colors are solution-dyed, contain a minimum of 25 percent recycled content and are backed by Zeftron’s lifetime warranties for colorfastness, stain removal, wear and static control.

The seven colors of the Brilliant Collection are:

  • Hot Pink
  • Lemon
  • Brilliant Orange
  • Lime
  • Electric Blue
  • Bay Blue
  • Raspberry Wine
The 7 colors of the Brilliant Collection
The 7 colors of the Brilliant Collection

What Makes This Collection So Great? Marketplace Input & Collaboration!!

Zeftron nylon listens to our mill partners and designers who we meet in the field. The Brilliant Collection is a result of input from the in-house design teams of our mill partners and from hundreds of designers across the country through our 2013 Color Survey. We asked. You answered. We listened!

What else can you look forward to?

We will share new blog posts over the next few weeks exploring the colors of the Brilliant Collection. Check back soon for more details!

Zeftron will soon introduce nine new base shades to its color palette! We will share more information about these new colors soon.

Contact Us

If you would like more information about the Brilliant Collection or would like to partner with Zeftron on A&D visits, contact Zeftron Business Leader Tim Blount at: timothy.blount@shawinc.com or 706-532-2984.

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Chanterelle Made with Zeftron Nylon

A hallway with Chanterelle in Beaujolais.
A hallway with Chanterelle in Beaujolais.

This week’s featured carpet is Chanterelle made by our mill partner Aqua Hospitality. With it’s beautiful leafy pattern Chanterelle would be a perfect selection for hotel properties and luxury resort facilities.

Aqua Hospitality Carpets Director of Marketing Cathy Mansour says “Our goal is to research, develop and manufacture interesting and inspiring carpet products for the hospitality market segment.” 

Chanterelle installation in a guest room.
Chanterelle installation in a guest room.

 

Product specifications:

Construction: Tip Sheared Loop
Yarn Content: Zeftron® Nylon with 25% recycled content
Dye Method: Solution Dyed
Yarn Weight Tufted: 36 oz./yd. 
Width: 12 feet
Pattern Repeat: 24″ w x 24″ 
 
 
 
 

Chanterelle is available in nine colors: Burgundy, Bordeaux, Beaujolais, Champagne, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvigon, Pinot Noir, and Zinfindel.

 

Chanterelle is available in 9 colors.
Chanterelle is available in 9 colors.

To see other Aqua Hospitality styles made with Zeftron Nylon please reference our Carpet Search tool: the Zeftron Style Guide. Click here to contact Aqua Hospitality. To contact Zeftron nylon call Tim Blount at 706-532-2984 or email him at timothy.blount@shawinc.com.

About Aqua Hospitality Carpets
Aqua Hospitality Carpets uses a collaborative approach for creating unique and distinctive products for multiple hospitality settings by leveraging the strength, stability and expertise of its parent company, Beaulieu Group, LLC. As the number one carpet only manufacturer in the United States, Beaulieu is a world leader in the innovation, styling, manufacturing and distribution of carpets for the Hospitality, Commercial and Residential market segments. A vertically integrated organization, Beaulieu manufactures and produces its own carpet fibers, Type 6 nylon and Polyester, its own carpet backings and is a pioneer in environmentally responsible manufacturing practices and processes. From concept to completion, Aqua Hospitality offers a thorough understanding of the market to provide the expertise needed in all areas of carpet design, manufacturing and project solutions. From mid- to upper-end hotel properties, timeshares, condominiums and luxury resort facilities, Aqua can assist in developing the experience needed for both business and leisure travelers.
 
About Zeftron® Nylon
For more than 40 years, Zeftron® nylon has continued to deliver more value-added opportunities and advantages to the commercial interiors marketplace through dedicated partnerships, a premium branded nylon 6 product and superior service. Based in Dalton, Ga., the brand brings a history of innovations and unparalleled style, performance and environmental attributes. All Zeftron nylon yarns are closed-loop recyclable, MBDC Cradle to Cradle certified and come standard with a minimum 25 percent recycled content. As part of the brand’s commitment to environmental stewardship, Zeftron nylon makes recycling easy with its 6ix Again Recycling Program – a simple to use, all-inclusive carpet recycling initiative. Zeftron nylon is a part of Shaw Industries Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company.

Find Zeftron nylon online:

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Arcadia made with Zeftron Nylon

This week’s featured carpet is Arcadia made by our mill partner Bolyu. Arcadia is a broadloom textured loop made with Zeftron® Nylon with 25% recycled content. This product is available in 12 foot broadloom and features a 28 ounce tufted weight.

Arcadia by Bolyu Carpet

Arcadia is available in thirteen colors: Sandoval, Hawk Springs, Yellowstone, Sierra Mesa, Ponderosa, Medicine Bow, Copper Canyon, Great Divide, Bitter Creek, Paradise Hills, Eagle’s Nest, Sweetwater and Black Mountain.

Arcadia is available in 13 colorwaysTo find other Bolyu styles made with Zeftron Nylon please reference our Carpet Search tool: the Zeftron Style Guide.

Click here to contact a Bolyu rep. To contact Zeftron nylon call Tim Blount at 706-532-2984 or email him at timothy.blount@shawinc.com.

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6 Questions with Elizabeth Moore of B Carpet

B Carpet has been creating high-quality, custom-crafted carpet for the hospitality industry for 35 years. Last summer, the company introduced a new color manufacturing process that accommodates a larger color palette for the commercial carpet it designs. The result: B Carpet products are now more brilliant than ever.

A long-time partner to Zeftron that has been creating custom-made carpets with our premium nylon 6 fiber, we are pleased to feature B Carpet’s President Elizabeth Moore in this special blog article. Here, Moore talks about B Carpet’s new technology, how it works and how it sets B Carpet apart from other commercial carpet manufacturers.

Q: What is the name of this new technology?

A. We call it Octacia. The name is derived from the fact that it is an eight-color manufacturing process. Oct refers to eight, and “acia” means “yarn” or “thread” in Latin. When we say “8 plus”, we are referencing the fact that there are actually more than eight yarn colors when some of them are cut ends and some of them are loop pile.

B carpet
Photo courtesy of B Carpet

Q. How does it work?

A. Octacia works with our patented Tapistron computer yarn placement (CYP) technology to now accommodate a larger palette of eight colors. This is something no other CYP tufting machine in the world can do. Traditional CYP machines use six colors, and some machines are limited to cut pile only, which means there are no shades of the six colors to work with.

Q. What are the benefits of Octacia?

A. We are able to offer the most superior design detail and manufacturing precision in eight colors. The technology enables us to make various tuft densities and easily run between 100 and 200 tufts per square inch, which provides much more density than an Axminster carpet, for instance. Using the CYP process, we can create unique patterns with all cut pile, all loop pile, or cut and loop custom-designed and custom-colored products for a project using wool or solution-dyed nylon. Most designers feel that a cut and loop CYP give the richest and most elegant design capability of any tufted process other than hand tufted products. So, adding two more yarns to the palette enhances the options quite a bit.

 

Installation of B Carpet
Installation of B Carpet

Q. How does this new technology help B Carpet compete with Axminster products?

A. Woven Axminster products are cut pile only so they cannot be made in cut and loop hand-tufted looks. Also, most woven products come from overseas, and customers are increasingly requesting American made products. Among the American made choices for tufted designs, the Tapistron technology is a superior alternative to carpet made on Colorpoint and ColorTech machines because of the density and clarity that we can achieve.

Q. Are there any environmental benefits to the new technology?

A. Yes. Octacia technology is less resource-intensive than other competitive technologies. Compared to other tufted products, Octacia technology puts far less waste yarn on the back of the carpet and requires less latex to be used to secure the yarn. It’s a more earth-friendly option than wool Axminster products that contain skein dyed yarn, which produces effluent waste from the dye process. Also, those Axminster products are shipped over long distances, usually from Asia, compared to Octacia products made here in the United States.

Photo courtesy of B Carpet
Photo courtesy of B Carpet

Q. What does this new technology mean for designers?

A. With Octacia, more design ideas can be transformed into beautiful carpets, made in a process that respects the beauty of the environment.

For more information about B Carpet, please visit http://www.bcarpet.com

Photo courtesy of B Carpet
Photo courtesy of B Carpet