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New Year Design Trends

At this time of year, many of us find ourselves looking at the exciting new design trends for commercial spaces. It is important to customers and staff that offices and reception areas are smart, welcoming and user friendly. First impressions definitely count and a pleasant working environment lifts everyone’s spirits and sense of well-being. There are new trending colours, textures and furniture shapes. Why not welcome in 2021 with some New Year design trends?

With so many people spending months working from home, there is a definite shift towards a more relaxed and flexible approach to office design. Adequate space and pristine kitchen and toilet facilities are essential in these COVID-19 days and they demonstrate to staff that their well-being and safety is top priority. Another important consideration in our modern world, is the use of sustainable and recycled materials wherever possible. The new design trends for 2021 will definitely make the workplace look and feel better. ( www.hackrea.com/stories/modern-office-design-trends-2021/)

Colours and textures

This year’s new colours for commercial spaces are taken from the domestic palette. All the earthy tones are popular for paints and furnishings. Colours include rust, greens, all shades of brown and deep wine reds. These are perfect for offices, as they are relaxing and less intimidating. These mellow shades can be used like a canvas and livened up with splashes of a bolder accent colour. Highlight accents using burnt orange, lime green or turquoise all provide great contrast. Once again, wood is the most important material for office furniture. The emphasis is on old, secondhand or upcycled furniture in lighter woods such as pine and oak. Interesting pieces of driftwood are being used as attractive features on counters and coffee tables.

The New Year design trend is flexible room design.

Work places are losing their formality

With many members of staff still working from home or continuing ‘flexible working’, companies find themselves needing to adapt their work spaces. Good video conferencing facilities are becoming a necessity rather than a luxury. These facilities will be vital for much of 2021. In some companies, this form of communication has proved so effective, that it will always be used now. Suitable comfortable areas for video conferencing are essential.

Consider adapting large office spaces to maintain social distancing. Once restrictions have eased, there will be the requirement for privacy for private meetings or customer visits. Perspex and glass screens have been widely installed for use during the pandemic, but many companies are now looking for alternatives that do the same job – but are more visually appealing. Planters, ‘living walls’ and huge indoor plants are all effective and versatile as they can be re-positioned. Fabric screens are popular as they add colour and can absorb noise effectively.

The pandemic has triggered dramatic changes in the workplace. Many companies now feel that as many staff members are only coming in on certain days that ‘hot desking’ is the way forward – rather than having designated desks. Create a spacious and comfortable’collaboration zone’ for staff. These are areas where they can meet and sit comfortably, whilst they share ideas or discuss projects.

Resimercial design is gathering momentum

For the last few years, ‘resimercial’ has been a buzzword with interior designers. The is a blend of the words ‘residential’ and ‘commercial’ and it describes bringing home comforts into office design. After so many months of home working, this idea is proving increasingly popular. A more relaxed work environment helps promote happiness and mental well being in staff. Resimercial styling softens the starkness of the office by introducing indoor plants, warmer lighting and attractive wall paintings and pictures. Build on this style by adding softer seating, coffee tables and rugs.

Reception areas are very welcoming

Reception areas are becoming boutique

The character of a company and hotel reception areas is dramatically changing. Both are losing their clinical and corporate character and gaining what interior designers call a ‘boutique style’. New style receptions feature statement wallpapers, softer paint colours and eclectic collections of comfortable seating. Colourful tactile fabrics that are different from the usual corporate array can banish blandness. There is a gallery approach to wall decoration, this groups interesting paintings or photographs with a common theme.

The idea behind these design changes is that receptions should be welcoming to customers and in no way intimidating. Customers are more likely to relax and linger in them. Receptions with a relaxed feel, will make customers feel more comfortable about asking for any advice they may need.

Restaurants are softening their design trends

Rustic charm is emphasised by large plants

Many diners love to feel that their favourite restaurant is ‘home from home’. One of the trending styles for homes in 2021 is rustic charm and this is also good for restaurants. Rustic charm is a perennially favourite style. It works well in older properties with wooden beams and panelled walls, but the new take on this look works in bright, modern spaces too. In the past, rustic charm meant everything in the room was in this style, but the modern twist for 2021 is to develop the theme using just a few key pieces of furniture.

Successfully create a warm, comfortable ambiance in your restaurant, with some rustic charm. Introduce this design trend effortlessly, with the addition of a grandfather clock, traditionally styled chairs and a display of antique glasses. Indoor plants are a big design feature for 2021 and some traditional leafy plants such as ferns and palms accentuate the look perfectly. Climbing and trailing plants can be cleverly used to decorate bare walls and staircases as well as conceal doorways.

There are many exciting ideas for interior designs in 2021 that will dispel the clinical look still found in so many commercial spaces. Why not make it your New Year’s resolution to ring the changes in yours?

Ideas, Interior Styles

Creating the Perfect Reception Area

The reception area is the first room your customers see, so it’s important it looks exceptional. After all ‒ first impressions really do count! This crucial area is often given no thought or attention and yet they are like ‘the window of your company’s soul’. However, with careful thought, you can create an impressive space that not only reflects your organisation but can be used as a valuable marketing tool.

So, is it time for an upgrade?

Start With the Walls and Floor

Ensure your flooring is practical as well as hardwearing ‒ there will be plenty of traffic, so it must always look clean and in good condition. Wood looks homely, whilst tiles look smart and efficient. Whatever you decide, choose a neutral shade, but don’t be tempted to add a rug as these can be a trip hazard.

Think neutral colours for the walls too, for example, white is crisp and clean looking but can look stark. Softening the colour with an ivory or cream works well and you can always break this up by having one ‘statement wall’ in your company’s colours.

Choose Great Artwork…

More than anything else, the artwork you hang on the walls will define the character of your reception area. Many companies use artwork to enhance their branding by incorporating either the colours or a large framed picture of the company logo. In restaurants and hotels, the artwork can be bright and contemporary or classic in style. This all depends on the character and ambience you are trying to create.

…and stylish Furniture

The reception area is where people first arrive, meet company representatives, wait for meetings or their table reservation. It is really important to ensure that this area is attractively furnished and has comfortable seating. There are a variety of styles to consider; the clean minimalistic lines of Nordic furniture and the beautifully curved shapes of classic styles – plus all those in between!

It’s important to remember that the furniture should be good quality and well made as it will be constantly in use. It’s also very important to have furniture that can be easily cleaned as mud and split drinks will be common occurrences. A large central coffee style table will prove very useful too!

Assess Your Lighting Needs

Lighting is an aspect of interior design that frequently gets forgotten but is so important from a practical point of view. Carefully placed lamps and spotlights can create pools of light helping to develop the room’s ambience. Adequate lighting in a reception area is vital, as many customers will want to read whilst they wait and staff will need to carry out duties such as taking payments etc.

Other Points to Consider

Do you need somewhere for people to hang coats and jackets? An enclosed wall cupboard with plenty of hanging space looks smart.
Do you need a stand for rain-drenched umbrellas?
If you are welcoming visitors to your company, consider investing in a coffee machine. A complimentary coffee whilst they wait can be a popular addition. Pay careful consideration to dirty spoons and condiments left around, especially in these times of COVID.
Would customers enjoy reading a magazine? But only keep a few fresh copies available rather than a huge pile of tatty old ones!

The Final Touches

By now your new reception area will be looking very stylish but may feel as though it is missing something important – and it is, but this can easily be put right.

Include Plants!

…better yet artificial plants.

A single large plant in a corner can look dramatic, or a large planter with a variety of different houseplants should do the trick! If the reception desk or coffee table looks dull, a beautiful plant arrangement in a stylish container will definitely make all the difference. Trailing plants can be cleverly used to add interest to a plain section of wall or to disguise an ugly staircase.

Hotel lounge uses low planting to offer seated privacy.

Divide seating areas with colourful climbing plants can work well as light can still pass through. When it comes to artificial plants you don’t have to worry about high maintenance, and they’ll look great all year round.

Creating a smart new reception area will pay dividends as customers will feel warmly welcomed and it won’t be long before they return again!

Ideas, Industry, Interior Styles, Seasonal

Nordic Design Ideas

The distinctive interior style known as ‘Nordic Design’ has been around since the 1950s, flourishing in the five Nordic countries – Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland.

This style embraces three keywords:

Minimalism
Simplicity
Functionality.

Nordic design is currently proving extremely popular in private homes, restaurants and in the corporate environment because it is a look that is fresh, very functional whilst also welcoming. To execute this look, always create with an eco-friendly and sustainable approach in mind.

Having said that, there is no single Nordic Design. Rather it is more of a state of mind and lifestyle choice that oozes understated elegance. It is best described by the Danish word Hygge; feeling of warmth, cosiness and well-being.

The nordic design definitely preceded minimalism and in fact championed it! The ethos of this style is that the space should look light and airy and that the focus should be on the simple lines of the furniture. Both light and air should be able to flow freely through the room.

Materials

Natural elements such as wood, stone and plants are really important. Wood is very popular and is used for cladding walls and ceilings to add warmth and texture. Instead of carpets, natural or painted wooden floors are much preferred.

Colour

The colour palette focuses on soft hues and plenty of natural shades such as white, creams, coffee shades and cool greys. Other colours used include the softest shades of pink and blue.

Furnishing

Furniture designs are very important as the piece must be stylish with clean lines and made with great craftsmanship. Shape is vital and each item of furniture should have a beautiful silhouette. In Nordic-style rooms, ‘a little is definitely more’ with few ornaments and absolutely no clutter.

Soft furnishings are also in mellow tones, but texture is really important for cushions, rugs and throws. Introduce colourful accents with these items too – rich gold or strong turquoise being popular choices.

Nordic Lighting

Light is an essential consideration as the room must be light and bright to achieve a livable finish. Windows are large and bare with no dressings to maximise the amount of daylight coming in.

Artificial Nature

One of the easiest ways to introduce a natural splash of colour – and one that is regularly used by Nordic designers – is to introduce indoor plants. Some types of indoor plants are perfect to use to complement this style as they soften the lines in a lovely natural way. Strategically place one or two plants, including a large dramatic plant with lush green foliage.

Amongst the popular varieties to use for Nordic designs are:

Large orchids
Philodendrons
Rubber Plants (Ficus Robusta).
Pots of Sansevieria Trifasciata – more commonly known as ‘snake plants’ or ‘mother-in-law’s tongue’.

These can help mirror the clean clear-cut lines of a Nordic style room perfectly. To create some interest in a corner or on top of a wall unit, Golden Pottos (Scindapsus Aureus) is a lovely leafy trailing plant that will do the job perfectly!

You can accommodate these with the perfect planters. Choose those in natural materials such as terracotta or wicker.

To complete the look in true Nordic style, add a couple of pieces of high-quality ceramics and some candles. After that, relax in this perfectly curated Nordic style room and enjoy the Hygge…

Ideas, Interior Styles, Seasonal

Floral Design Ideas for Corporate Events

First impressions matter when it comes to Corporate events; delegates could be in attendance from a day to several days, even longer.

Some of the latest reports value the event industry at a staggering £39.1bn with 50% of companies allocating over 20% of their spending on marketing to organising events – therefore, the look is key!

Do you remember the floral arrangements at a recent event you attended?

Did they fit their purpose? Were you impressed? Did they add to your overall experience?

Sadly, floral displays, regardless of the function or event, often miss the mark and overall event design can leave some clients disappointed and not wishing to re-engage with a brand or company.

Understanding What a Corporate Event Entails.

A corporate event is any form of event, hospitality or social activity which is organised or funded by a business entity.

Due to its somewhat broad definition, it is accurate to say that the target audience for corporate events can be as equally comprehensive as they can include:

Employees
Board members
Stakeholders
Customers / clients
Potential clients

All sorts of companies organise events for a variety of occasions. They may be looking to celebrate, reward, motivate, team build or encourage potential collaboration. Whatever the occasion, there is always an event solution, and this may require some interior or exterior design.

Let’s look at some examples of corporate events:

The Trade Show

Organisations often attend trade shows as a lead collation exercise. Companies may also choose to host or sponsor a trade show to reinforce their image as an industry leader among those who may be attending. With today’s ferociously competitive market it’s important to create a show-stopping stand and a memorable experience for any potential guess.

Areca Palm DeLuxe

Awards and Gala Dinners

These traditional event experiences can be used in multiple ways. If organised by a business they can reward and motivate employees, suppliers, resellers and potential customers by providing awards across several categories to recognise achievements. Businesses will also regularly sponsor and enter industry awards to promote their business, improve their standing in the industry and increase brand awareness. That being said, it’s important to make guests feel welcome and valued.

Calla Lily and Orchid Vase Display

Experiential Marketing

This marketing is becoming increasingly more popular as businesses look to create a closer bond with their customers. The idea is to immerse attendees within the brand experience and stay on message through a fun and memorable event. By aligning positive emotions with your brand or business, customers are more likely to want to invest in your products or services, which is why it is important to make the experience as interactive as possible. This way delegates will feel emotionally invested in what your company is selling.

Indoor green wall module vertical garden

Wall Mounted Indoor Green Wall

The Product Launch

It’s an exciting time for any company. All the hard work has finally paid off and it’s time to launch the all-important product. After all this work, you need to capitalise on any potential interest. Interest equals leads and leads equal sales.

If managed well, the event will generate media coverage and an industry buzz prior to the actual product release. These days they need to hit the zeitgeist and have a flashy feeling more than just having a large dinner party where guests only get to interact with people near them. If it’s within your budget, you should consider the value of the celebrity or “influencer” appearance as this can also maximise any potential impact with our social media channels. Just be sure to make it on-brand to the product.

Modern Eclectic – Amaryllis

Whatever the occasion there will hopefully be important people and potential clients enjoying the bespoke event that you and your team have created. Opportunities to impress don’t present themselves often so this is your moment to impress them!

Floresy Products, Ideas, Interior Styles, Seasonal

How to prepare your hotel for winter

Winter is most definitely on its way, but if you are a hotelier the show must go on. So how can you prepare your hotel for winter?

According to Eurostat: Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy and Austria were the most popular EU destinations for EU tourists travelling outside their own country in the 2018-2019 winter season.

So if you haven’t already, it’s time to prepare your hotel for the winter months to ensure your business is running smoothly during this season.

Extra Exterior/ Interior Effort

Cold weather generally keeps travellers indoors for longer periods of the time, so make sure your business is a visual delight for the festive season. Play around with wreaths, dry scented fruit and even pine cones. You can even explore outside of seasonal foliage on hand by garnishing your rooms with artificial plants.

No watering …no problem!

Yes, it may be cold, but there are plenty of ways to bring the cosy to your outdoor space. Consider adding external heating, you can even explore a cosy fire pit. Couple this with super warm blankets, ambient lighting and voile! A perfect space to drink your mulled wine underneath the stars.

Stockpile

Bad weather can ultimately lead to issues on the road. And that can lead to delayed or cancelled deliveries to your hotel. You don’t want to be caught out, so it’s time to put your forward-thinking, preparational hat on.

Over the weeks start to stockpile:

Toiletries
Linens
Stationary
Food
Shovels
Rock salt

And in case of a power outage:

Torches
Batteries

Keeping a stash of inexpensive umbrellas for the guests can also be a nice touch.

Safety First

Flooring should be one of your top considerations for many reasons. The carpeting inside public spaces are a heavy expense and need to be maintained as customers trudge snow and mud inside and out. A non-carpeted or tiled floor can be a slippering accident waiting to happen. Lay down heavy-duty rubber mats with large grooves in them at the entrance to catch the moisture and salt before it’s brought into the hotel. In addition, place longer walk-off mats at some of the entrances to ensure guests can wipe off slush, snow and salt.

Utility Check

If your utility providers have not contacted you to carry out their checks – then it’s time to contact them. Especially in terms of heating facilities like boilers and thermostats. It’s especially great to take advantage of these visits if your utility contract includes a free maintenance check and if it doesn’t, it may be time to revisit your utility contract.

On top of this, consider the preventative measures you can take to ensure guests have a delightful mid-winter stay free from disruption. For example gutter cleaning, checking for drafty windows. As the for the exterior, do your lightbulbs need replacing and it might be time for car parking and pavement repairs.

Change to the Food and Beverage Menu

It’s the moment you have all been waiting for… Your team have been busy developing an exciting menu with tastes and colours to comfort and brighten the darker days of winter. Time to release your new hearty winter menu!

Winter can be magical as long as you are prepared.

It is imperative that you are operationally running during this season as it’s a competitive market out there. So make sure you don’t lose your customers to another hotel around the corner because you weren’t prepared.

Planning now will help ensure that you and your guests experience a great cold-weather travel season without a hitch.

Industry, Trends

Why your hotel should open its doors to remote workers

Open your hotel to remote workers and reap the benefits

The number of remote workers is increasing. The Office of National Statistics predicts that 50% of UK employees will be remotely working to some degree by 2020. London alone already has more than a million people who regularly work from cafes, restaurants and other public spaces. D&D London is catering to the coworking market when it opens five of their restaurants to remote workers in June.

As the number of remote workers increases so too does demand for quality remote workspaces. A Guestline survey states that 1 in 4 remote workers feel there aren’t enough hotels that cater to the remote working market.

So, how can your hospitality business benefit from this shift in how we work and encourage digital nomads into your premises?

What is remote working?

A remote worker is someone who works outside a traditional office environment or in a different location to their employer/client.

Remote workers include freelancers and the self-employed who may not have dedicated business premises other than their home. But also includes employed staff who can choose to “work from home” either full-time or part-time aka a remote employee.

Why is remote working increasing?

Being able to work remotely has been empowered by both technology and attitude. Laptops, mobile devices and wifi have given workers the freedom to move away from a desk and therefore also out of the office. Cloud technology allows access to central information from anywhere. Plus video calling and collaboration software such as Slack negates the need for face-to-face communication.

The types of roles have also changed with an increase in tech- or service-orientated jobs. Plus there’s been a cultural shift in our understanding the importance of a good work/life balance that has helped facilitate the shift towards remote working.

What remote workspaces do remote workers choose to work from?

Remote workers are resourceful and creative in where they choose to work:

Work from home: not everyone has a study or home office so this can often be on the sofa, at the kitchen table or even in bed.
Use a coworking office: remote workers can hire deskspace in a shared office that includes shared office equipment plus other people to chat or network with.
Coffee shops and libraries: many public spaces offer free wifi to their patrons. Coffee shops also offer refreshments whereas libraries offer peace and quiet.
Your hotel lobby or restaurant: hospitality businesses are beginning to tap into the remote worker market. Read on to find out more.

Remote worker finds a quiet spot to work.

What are the benefits of remote working?

The benefits to the worker and their employee are significant:

Workers have a better work/life balance
Environment benefits from less commuting and travel
Remote working means happier and less stressed employees
Remote workers are outperforming office workers with increases in productivity
Cost savings for the employer in operating overheads including needing smaller offices.

Is coworking and remote working the same thing?

Not always. A coworking space, where individuals can rent a desk or office space to suit their needs, could be viewed as a regular or traditional place of work – it’s still an office after all. Freelancers and self-employed people are more likely to use a coworking space than a remote employee.

The shared amenities and opportunities to meet and chat with other workers are much like a typical office with similar distractions of the open plan office. However, not all coworking spaces are equal. The rise of the remote worker has also led to the rise in the choice of coworker spaces.

Benefits of opening your hotel to remote workers

Many hotels and restaurants struggle to fill their premises during the day. Tapping into the remote worker market can help boost many aspects of your hospitality business:

Increase footfall during quieter times of the day
Existing guests will benefit from the workspaces too
Encourages contractors and business travellers to your hotel
Brings new people into your business who may not have otherwise visited
Promotes the use of your function rooms for business purposes
Creates a vibrant ambience: your establishment is a popular venue!
More sales of beverages, snacks and lunches. How about a remote worker “lunchtime special”?
Benefit from word of mouth recommendations.

An empty lobby during the day isn’t earning you anything.

How to encourage remote workers into your business

Wifi and Connectivity

The biggest factor that will attract remote workers into your lobby is the quality of the internet connection. It needs to be fast, reliable and secure. Show that you welcome remote workers by displaying the information about your free wifi and how to connect to it.

Ambient noise levels

Most remote workers will opt for a quieter workspace (but there are those who thrive in busier environments). So, ambient and background noise is acceptable whereas loud voices are less desirable. Consider how close the coworking space is to the kitchen, front desk, toilets or other areas that are noisier and busier.

Comfort

Your hotel lobby or lounge is probably already a comfortable space. Think about keeping seating in smaller groups and add side or coffee tables. Natural light is best but bear in mind that harsh lighting can increase screen glare.

Privacy

Feeling you have your own space within which to work is true for remote workers as much as it for those confined to a traditional office desk. A sense of workspace privacy is vital:

Use plants as room dividers and screens to create privacy.
Experiment with different seating and table heights to define zones and options for the remote worker.
Create smaller working spaces and a larger meeting room area with your furniture layouts.
Keep furniture lower level if you’re tight on space to create a better feeling of space.

Facilities

Are you able to offer device charging facilities or provide access to a printer? Some devices are power hungry so access to sockets is likely to be a dealbreaker for most remote workers. Consider offering free tea, coffee and water as well.

Free vs Paid Coworking space

If you’re are considering a paid coworking space you’ll need to ensure you can consistently offer all of the above. So the decision to offer a rentable space will depend on how much space you can dedicate to coworking. Plus both your location and existing infrastructure. If you’re not in an area of higher-demand – such as a city or large town – then you might not attract enough remote workers to make it viable.

The benefits listed above still apply to a free remote workspace. If encouraging remote workers into your premises helps your business feel vibrant and sells a few more covers and coffees each day, then what do you have to lose?

Floresy is a supplier of artificial plants and trees to hotels, restaurants and commercial businesses in London and across the UK.

Industry, Trends

How to become a wellness hotel

Wellness tourism is booming. But you don’t have to be a health spa to take advantage of this trend in travellers. Here are some ideas that any hotel can implement to help appeal to the wellness tourist:

Promote good sleep

As a hotelier, you know that getting a good night’s sleep is a key factor in getting a good review and seeing repeat business. Whilst you may already be proud of the quality of your bedrooms, are you using it in your marketing?

Getting good sleep is paramount to health and wellbeing just as getting exercise and eating a balanced diet. So, go the extra step and help achieve a high sleep quality for your customers:

Help your guests avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime. A fruit and oat smoothie is a better option than a nightcap as the oats and dairy contain sleep-inducing compounds.
Blackout curtains and/or eyemasks will help eliminate unwanted light
With people coming and going, it isn’t always easy to reduce noise levels, especially in urban areas. So how about complimentary ear plugs for all your guests?
Give your guests the option of no TV in their room.

You can help set the mood from the very moment your guests arrive and create a relaxed lobby. The use of plants and greenery to bring your guests closer to nature will have a beneficial effect.

Review your menu

One of the best things about staying in a hotel is someone else does the cooking (and the washing up). For many travellers, this is an opportunity to indulge. However, for a wellness hotel, this may be an opportunity to indulge your guests in healthier options as well:

Ensure you offer healthy, balanced meal options on your menu.
Consider including calorie information. This helps your wellness guest make informed choices about when they indulge.
Local and organic produce has long been a staple for many hoteliers and is a must for a wellness hotel. To push this further, you could include information about the local producers such as the ethics behind their business.
Include more plant-based choices on your menus – and make them accessible. How about an indulgent (and not particularly healthy) vegetarian main course? Better for the planet but also good for the soul. Avoid treating gluten-free or vegan options as afterthoughts.

Find out about wellness activities in your area

What is there to do near you that would appeal to a wellness traveller? Activities or experiences that will help relax or enlighten are perfect and why not try them out yourself first so you can give informed advice. Show your prospective guests there are lots to choose from near your hotel. It also helps create a stress-free experience when you’ve done the legwork. Activities to consider include:

Yoga, meditation or alternative therapies.
Walking groups or maps for local walking routes or sightseeing tours
Expressive and creative activities such as drawing or painting classes, craft experiences like weaving or woodworking.

You can also bring the activities to your guests and organise events in your hotel.

Dare to drop the WiFi?

Whilst ditching guest WiFi altogether might be a bit drastic, how about a technology-free zone somewhere in your hotel. No phones, tablets or laptops allowed. This helps create a relaxing and stress-free zone for travellers looking to escape.

Got gym facilities? Promote them.

Whilst fitness is probably secondary to relaxation, exercise and mental health are closely connected. And a hotel gym is a great asset so make sure your guests know about. However, perhaps consider the choice of words when promoting your gym. To attract a wellness traveller, its often more about de-stressing and being active than it is about working out or getting ‘pumped’.

If you don’t have gym facilities, is there a local gym that offers day passes? How about the optional extra for guests to have an exercise bike or a yoga mat in their room for the duration of their stay? Make sure you have a solution for the physically active wellness tourist.

What to take away for your Wellness Hotel

Wellness isn’t all about exercise and healthy eating. It’s a holistic approach to looking after the mind and body. So take a step back and think about what really makes people feel happy and healthy and implement that in your business.

Floresy can help set the mood with some well-chosen artificial plants and trees. Our products are low-maintenance, realistic and perfect for your wellness hotel vibe.

Industry, Trends

Why is Wellness Tourism Growing so Fast?

Wellness tourism has a global worth of $639 billion. In 2017, there were over 830 million wellness trips representing 17% of all global tourism. Plus the average wellness traveller spends more per trip than the average tourist. Spending by wellness tourists is 53% more when travelling internationally and 178% more for domestic travel.

What’s more, is the forecast for growth. Global wellness tourism is growing at an annual rate of 7.5% which is notably faster than the overall tourism growth prediction. The industry’s value is set to reach $919 billion by 2022 and surpass the 1 billion wellness trips per year.

So why is wellness tourism growing so fast?

What is Wellness Tourism?

Wellness tourism is a vacation, holiday or short break that puts your wellbeing at the centre of your experience. Travellers seek to relieve stress, regain a balance, pursue a personal passion or life goal or to simply kick-start a new healthier lifestyle.

Examples of a wellness trip include:

Wellness tourism infographic

Holidays that give the opportunity for reconnecting with nature either through their location or through activities they offer such as
Yoga retreats are popular choices as they combine physical and spiritual stimulation with relaxation, calm and inward reflection.
Activity-based holidays aimed at those seeking physical exhilaration.
Creative-themed holidays where travellers can attend creative writing boot camps or artists’ retreats.
Cultural experiences that seek to connect people with other cultures or religions.

Wellness destinations are not health farms where the objective is weight loss. Neither is it travelling to another country seeking medical treatment. A wellness hotel – one that promotes quality sleep, healthy food and freedom from stress is a simple example of a wellness destination.

So, why is wellness tourism growing so fast?

Wellness is the tonic to the stresses of modern life and is a growing trend. Wellness dumps the fad diets and fitness crazes for a more holistic approach to health. People are realising that they are in control of their own good health.

Wellness promotes healthy ageing

Our population is ageing. In 2015, 12.3% of the world’s population was aged 60 or over. That’s around 901 million people. By 2030, this is projected to increase to 1.4 billion or 16.4% of the world’s population. And he over 85s age range will show the biggest growth.

The baby boomer generation, those currently in their 60s and early 70s, want good health to get the best out of their later years. Plus they have the money, time and conviction to make their health goals a priority.

Being in better health as we age means that our growing population will not create an equal impact on healthcare. We don’t want to be a burden or to lose purpose as we age, and the pursuit of wellness allows us to remain independent and vibrant.

Wellness empowers people

The pursuit of wellness is not dependent on firstly consulting healthcare professional. People are able to make well-informed, proactive decisions about their lives independently.

One of the biggest shifts in healthcare is the balance or power or knowledge between a patient and their doctor. The wealth of information available to us as individuals is partly responsible for this shift.

People are realising that prevention is better than cure. So improving our health means that we are in control of our health choices. We are less dependent on a prescription or drug and therefore a faceless, third party like Big Pharma.

The wellness industry is booming

Naturally, as the overall wellness industry grows so too does wellness tourism. The popularity of mindfulness apps and plant-based diets are growing and many aspects of wellness are accessible and low cost.

Wellness brings global philosophies

Exploring other cultures can give a traveller a connection to the past, a fresh understanding of themselves or a simple sense of the one world identity. New ways of thinking can bring rejuvenation and a new zeal for life. We can access tai chi in Western countries but nothing beats the authenticity of morning practice in Bejing, for example.

How can Floresy help?

We can help create a welcoming environment for your wellness guests using our experience as interior plant landscapers. Wellness tourists may have expectations on the style and quality of the venues they choose and we can help your business meet that expectation. Find out more about our artificial plants for hotels or contact us today to speak to one of our customer managers.

Case Studies

ViBe Student Living Case Study: Adding a homely feel

ViBe Student Living is an “…ultra-modern, purpose-built and fully interior-designed” student accommodation in Kingston Upon Thames. Being only a short walk from both Kingston University and St Mary’s University, ViBe offers a flexible and vibrant modern accommodation option for students. It has everything: a gym, communal and social areas, a cinema room and private study areas.

ViBe Student Living reached out to Floresy. They wanted to add warmth to their new Kingston site using Floresy’s range of artificial plants. And rightly so. ViBe is a home from home for its residents and its little touches like greenery that add a homely feel. The brief was to work within the main communal areas.

With a property such as ViBe, however, it’s important to add to the existing fresh decor without detracting from the original, well, vibe. Floresy needed to work with the current interior design to come up with a solution that works for this unique accommodation offering and for the client’s budget.

The Process

The process always begins with a conversation. It’s important that we fully understand our client’s needs. Next are site visits where we can gather information on the layout, existing design and start to come up with ideas of how our artificial plants can enhance the space. Once all the information and requirements have been gathered, we produce a proposal:

Existing ViBe Student Living floor plans plus on-site photos help the client visualise our proposal

Throughout the process, we keep a dialogue open with our client as this helps keep everybody on track. It’s also important for the client to feel involved and in control. We discuss each option and make any changes the client wishes. Once the decision is made, its time to produce and install the artificial plants and arrangements.

Residential Case Study for ViBe Student Living

A row of box hedging plays with the outside-inside to create a fun corridor past the notice board.

Residential Case Study for ViBe Student Living Window planting

The plant arrangements add interest to an awkward spot. The planting and grey containers reflect the planting outside on the street.

This architectural feature creates a comfortable, semi-private seating area. Floresy’s trailing artificial plant arrangement helps to soften the pillar as it gives a more homely feel.

ViBe Student Living case study wall hanging artificial plant arrangement

Even the bin area is more glamorous when Florey’s awesome wall hanging flower arrangements are around.

Using our knowledge and expertise we helped our client realise their brief. The resulting communal areas have more warmth, vibrancy and homely feel without detracting from its modern style.

You can read about how we helped one of Sofitel’s luxury hotels solve an unsightly view here.

If you would like Floresy’s help with an installation or design project, please contact us here and we can start the conversation today.

Case Studies

Sofitel Case Study: Solving an unsightly view

Project: Sofitel (5-star, 183 room hotel)

Location: Waterloo, London

Brief:

Replace existing planting but retain the planters
Screen unsightly view of the machine room and piping from bedrooms

Products used:

5x Bespoke low-level box with mixed planting
3x Bespoke hedge with mixed planting
3x Bespoke green wall sizes 150cm and 180cm

At Floresy, we understand the importance of creating the right customer experience for hoteliers. Especially 5-star establishments in central London. The apparently effortless transition by your staff of guests from the lobby to bedrooms to function rooms is mirrored by the same high-standard of decor, cleanliness and amenities in every space in your hotel. However, the reality of running any 24-hour hospitality business is that, behind the scenes, it’s a lot less glamorous.

Sometimes this means substituting an unsightly view from a window with a far more attractive and pleasing alternative.

Our solutions

The brief for this project was two-fold with the first objective being replacing the existing – but tired – artificial planting whilst retaining the planters. As we both design and manufacture artificial plants we are able to create planting solutions for any problem area in a client’s brief. So using planters and containers of the client’s preference was easy. This area is outside one of the hotel’s many function rooms. Restricted access to this awkward space means maintenance would be an issue for real plants.

Our bespoke artificial tree and plant arrangements in the clients existing containers. These displays are uplit for added nighttime atmosphere.

Can you tell the difference? Floresy’s artificial plants are of the highest standard.

Next, objective number two was a larger roof area overlooked by several bedrooms. One of the benefits of using plants as room dividers or screens is they do not completely block the light. And this is an important consideration for any screen solution for a window when detracting from an unsightly view.

Our green walls make great screens and because they are freestanding, they are a perfect solution for this situation. They are easy to install in addition to not blocking all of the natural light coming into a room.

What lies behind: solving the unsightly view.

The result is much better

For other bedrooms overlooking the roof, the use of low-level window boxes as an attractive feature was sufficient in order to maintain the illusion of a swan.

Our bespoke wooden box hedges in situ

Our conclusion

The project is a success with both satisfied customer and supplier. We are looking forward to working with Sofitel again soon.

If you have a similar unsightly sight at your premises, you can read more about how Floresy can help. Alternatively, give us a call on 0208 0770891 to speak to one of our helpful customer managers.