Prints For Hotel Interiors

Trends in art: hotels can create distinctive interiors by keeping up with some of the hottest trends affecting the art market

Nowadays, there is much more to hotel design than simply coordinating wall colors and furniture. Art and prints for hotel interiors has become a central focus for hoteliers due to its appeal to consumers and its ability to add personality to any room.

"Art is a must in a five-star hotel," Russell Glotfelty, co-owner of Hospitality Galleries, recently told Hotel Interactive (www.hotelinteractive.com), an online source for news for the hospitality industry. "It puts the caliber of the property ahead of its competitors, and it finishes off the space, it is a necessity, as far as it gives the hotel credibility."

Even more credibility can be gained by hotels that stay on top of the hottest trends in art. Jackie Gango, art director for Portland, Ore.-based art publisher Gango Editions, said the most trendy boutique hotels, make art a priority in their design. "They are becoming a huge market, and they are willing to try more trendy prints," she explained.

Trends in art can span the spectrum. Some of today's top trends include original art and limited-edition prints that focus on color. This year, several experts in the art industry have watched a variety of hot colors emerge. Among the more coveted color palettes are:

RED HOT RED

Red has been a prominent color in art for several years, and its appeal shows no signs of stopping. According to Craig Anderson, sales manager for the Bentley Publishing Group, an art publisher in Walnut Creek, Calif., "Red makes a bold statement, tying in romance and the night life." He said the color makes vacationers think, "Hey! We are away from home let's enjoy our vacation."

WHITE & LIGHT

Joanne Chappell, founder of Emeryville, Calif.-based art publisher Editions Limited, said she has noticed a move away from neutral to a palette that in-eludes more whites and light colors. She said these colors are popular because they "allow for the introduction of bright color accents. The new neutrals have become the secondary pastels that provide the perfect setting for rich, spice-color accents."

HOLLYWOOOD HINTS

Gango said she has found that popular colors in art often come from Hollywood. "I am seeing a lot of trends coming from the movie and TV industry," she said. "All the reds, beading and tassels--that whole look came from 'Moulin Rouge.' The movie 'Chicago' got us thinking more about jazz and the palette from that movie. We were already doing prints of Tuscany, but when the movie 'Under the Tuscan Sun' came out, its spectacular photography made people want more Tuscan. The color marketing groups consider all these things and more when making color forecasts."

SMALLER GETS BETTER

Another trend that art experts are noticing in hotels is small art in greater quantities. A popular trend in home design is the grouping of several small images together, and the hotel industry has been adopting the idea.

"The trend is definitely toward smaller sizes, 16 by 20 inches and down," said Chappell. "This means more images can now be used in groupings in more areas. This has moved from the standard of two large matching images being hung over the bed and desk."

Anderson said he has watched this trend evolve further into the grouping of small, square-shaped images. "I'm seeing more squares lately as the rooms become smaller and more box-like. The squares conform better with the room," he said.

Gango said she has also seen many hotels adopting unique print sizes, as well as using more prints per room. "Competition from the boutique hotels has made the chain hotels do the same," she explained. "Both groups are experimenting with new sizes. They will take a smaller print and very creatively mat it to a larger size, or they will use two or more prints in a single frame. They are using smaller pieces on smaller walls. It is no longer just two horizontals over the beds."

FLORALS STILL BLOOM

Floral-themed art has been and continues to be a hot trend in hotels and in the general art market. The universal appeal of flowers and their ability to coordinate with many decorating schemes make them a perennial favorite for hotels. "Florals and contemporary-abstract landscapes--clean, uncomplicated images people can live with that take them to a place they want to be--are always popular," said Chappell. Anderson agreed, saying that florals "fit into that 'comfort art' category with a broad range of color and style."

FIGURATIVE

Another subject hotels are clamoring for is figurative art. John Munnerlyn of Image Conscious, a San Francisco-based art publisher, said he has noticed a strong interest in figurative artwork from his hotel clients. "Recently, figurative has been our top-selling subject," Munnerlyn said. "There seems to be a strong demand for figurative art that has romance, passion and/or bold color. This also crosses over into the ethnic or multicultural category, where we have experienced some of our strongest sales in the last couple of years."

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