Find quality casegoods that fit your budget

6 Oct, 2009 By: HWN Staff Hotel Design

More for your money

By Paul Heney, Editorial director

Ask a hotel owner working on a renovation what is key to the success of the project, and chances are he will tell you he wants casegoods that allow for a room to look well designed on a reasonable budget. While that sounds like something that would make the average designer’s eyes roll, it is possible to achieve with a little advance planning and some basic knowledge about what you’re shopping for.

According to Leo Vogel, SVP of sales and marketing for American of Martinsville, a hotel should find a company that sees itself more as a partner than a vendor, and one that has global manufacturing capabilities.

“You want a provider that can offer value engineering and guarantees access to a variety of material and resource efficiencies and alternatives,” Vogel said.

Michael Zusman, CEO of Kwalu, says to look for casegoods that are complemented by matching seating, tables and wall protection to meet the demands of elegance and functionality within budget.

“Sleek interior design is marked by furniture that is both fashionable and functional,” Zusman said.
Carol Cannon, purchasing manager, Innvision Hospitality Supply, said owners should consider working with a procurement company.

“That offers the opportunity to learn about multiple casegoods vendors who are both reputable and reasonably priced,” said Cannon.

Buying right
Some vendors offer a variety of options, including scuff-resistant and scratch-resistant antibacterial finishes, critical for the heavy use that hotel guests impart.

Chris Robinson, VP of sales and purchasing, Hatchett Hospitality, said to focus on quality and details in workmanship, such as solid drawer construction, as well as surfaces that are high-pressure laminated and lumber-banded. And warranties shouldn’t be overlooked.

“Because casegoods are on the job for as much as 10 years, and undergo strenuous wear, warranties are especially important,” Robinson said.

Robinson also said casegoods are usually the largest FF&E investment, and will typically be used for five to 10 years, so look for a style that isn’t too trendy and wears well both in look and in quality.

For the broadest selection, it may make sense to consider a manufacturer who offers a variety of styles and finishes. From this wide variety, owners and designers can easily put together the look they want at a price that suits their budget. According to Robinson, rooms can be furnished at price levels ranging from $1,050 to $4,500.
Cannon said that her three keys to buying right are to select manufacturers who have good reputations, make sure you understand their production processes and then perform due diligence on manufacturers’ quality control. She also is a believer in buying U.S.-made products.

“In general, I find domestic vendors tend to practice stricter and more consistent quality control, though high-quality foreign casegoods vendors do exist in the marketplace today,” she said.

Helpful hint: Make it last longer
Most casegoods manufacturers offer touch-up kits that help eliminate or minimize scratches and nicks to preserve the look of the product longer.

Source: Innvision Hospitality Supply

Frederic Marq on sourcing creatively

Frederick Marq “One of the things that you can do is be a little more creative on finding your sources. … For a 455-room hotel in Miami that we’re finishing up, let’s look at the casegoods. I got quotations from China. It was about $1.5 million. Then, I got a quotation here in America, it was about $2.5 million. The owner of this property— it’s not a bank—I asked him, ‘Can we be more creative?’ And he said yes. We actually opened a mill shop on the fourth floor of the garage, we got a lot of little artisans from Miami, small contractors, small casegoods makers and the quote was $872,000.

"So even if those guys didn’t really know how to make their budget perfect, and we had to pay $200,000 more, I’m still at $1 million or $1.1 million, and I can see the progression onsite. It was phenomenal, and at the end of the day, we did this with every single aspect of the construction … we squeezed every dollar, and then we went back and squeezed them again.”

Frederic Marq, Frederic Marq Design Inc.

Product spotlight: Calvin Fabrics

To create Calvin Fabrics’ fall line of fabrics, Designer Danita Harwood pulled from a global market to develop new yarns, innovative constructions, beautiful dyes and the latest finishes. The result is a concise group of textures from the United States, Italy, Belgium, India and Switzerland. The collection features a palette of natural hues mixed with some colorful surprises. Core to the collection are three linens in different weights and finishes.
www.calvinfabrics.com