As guestroom footprints get ever smaller, designers are finding ways to get the most use out of the furnishings in each space. Here are a few options when it comes to multipurpose furniture and decorative items.
1. Mobility
Anne-Marie Earl, U.S. communications manager at Ethnicraft, said that hoteliers—particularly those in boutique and urban hotels—have shown interest in ancillary furniture. “Rather than compromise on what items the space can fit, the idea is to carefully select pieces of furniture that function in more than one way,” she said. For example, the company’s Ellipse side table is designed so the bottom can tuck partially under a sofa or bed to save on floor space. “It is also light enough that it can be moved throughout a room, depending on how and where it needs to be used.”
2. Sitting and Sleeping
The rise in family and “bleisure” travel is encouraging hotels to offer furniture that can serve a range of purposes for different needs, said Veronica Schnitzius, president of American Leather—from seating to reclining to sleeping. “Queen sleepers are still our No. 1 seller, but what we're seeing is also optionality,” she said, noting that some hotels may want a small chair that becomes a cot when a child needs a place to sleep.
3. Floor or Chair
Aimée Wilder Designs has a line of buckwheat-filled poufs that can serve as cushions on a chair or be stacked on the floor for different needs, serving as ad-hoc seating or footrests. Aimée Wilder herself, the company’s founder and creative director, likes using them for yoga. “We make them in two heights—4 inches and 5 inches—to accommodate different people’s ability to sit comfortably in a meditation position,” she said.
4. Trays and Tray Tables
Ethnicraft also has a line of portable tray tables that can be moved around a guestroom as needed. “The trays are lightweight and can be lifted out of the table and placed on a desk, ottoman or even a bed,” Earl said, noting that the tray designs can change the aesthetic of the room, and the trays themselves can be replaced when they start to show signs of wear.