Common Hospitality FF&E Mistakes And How to Avoid Them
Considering changing your hotel’s furnishings on your own? There are a few things you should know before.
Selecting hospitality FF&E involves many different moving parts. Having spent more than 17 years working on FF&E for independent and branded hotel owners, we’ve seen it all and have learned a lot in the process.
One of our biggest takeaways is that there are many seemingly small details that if not addressed can turn into big mistakes. These mistakes can be costly and time-consuming, so it's best to avoid them as much as possible.
With a particular focus on design, manufacturing, installation, and budgeting, our team has compiled a list of some of the most common FF&E mistakes we've come across, as well as tips for avoiding them.
10 Common Hospitality FF&E Project Mistakes
- Follow trends, but don't overdo it
Trends can come and go quickly. When choosing décor, focus on longevity, quality, and your hotel’s brand.
A timeless design can better stand the test of time. Remember, trends are temporary, but good design is always in style.
- Choose pieces that are designed to last
Commercial hospitality furnishings are more durable and more resistant to wear and tear than their residential counterparts. Even if a piece looks good, if it's not built for commercial use and requires a lot of maintenance, chances are you'll have to replace it much sooner than you’d like to.
Investing in high-quality materials means you’ll get products you can rely on for years to come. Aside from that, high-quality materials just feel better to the touch.
- Make sure fabrics and wallcoverings are up to code
To do this, you will need to use fire-retardant fabrics and wallcoverings or treat them to comply with fire regulations.
Don’t skip this. A fire marshal will inspect your property once it’s ready. Your opening could be delayed if these textiles don’t meet code requirements. Contact us to find out more about our custom commercial fabric solutions for your next project!
- Try it before you buy it
To get a more accurate idea of what your custom order will look and feel like, consider having a Model Room or ordering some prototypes. This will allow you and your team to carefully review custom items to see if it’s exactly what you’re looking for before placing a big volume order.
Most brands will make this a requirement, but not all. Even if it isn't required for your project, we strongly advise our clients to make this investment!
- Keep light out from rooms
If you want your guests to have a good night's sleep, hang blackout drapes along with your sheer curtains. Otherwise, light might seep through into the rooms. This is something you can test out during your model room review as well.
- Set the mood with lighting
Speaking of light, it’s also important to have the right amount of lamps on the floors, tables, and walls so that each space is well illuminated.
But it's not just the amount of lighting that's important - bulb temperatures and colors should all be the same. The type you choose will depend on the mood you want to create. A few options would be soft white, warm white, neutral white, or cool white. A lighting consultant can help you figure this out, based on your hotel’s specific needs.
- Communication is key
A lot goes on in an FF&E project. At every stage of the project, you need to clearly communicate your expectations and concerns to contractors, vendors, and installers. Lack of communication can lead to budget overruns and costly last-minute changes.
Changes need to be communicated to the appropriate teams as soon as possible. For example, any modifications made to pieces with electrical components should be relayed to the architecture and interior design teams and the general contractor so that outlets can be installed in the right places. Weekly coordination calls and on-site meetings help all stakeholders and subcontractors stay on the same page to prevent issues down the line.
- Measure twice, cut once
Of course you want your furniture to fit right, but you also want to be able to get it into the rooms.
You’ll want to ensure that larger pieces can pass through your hotel’s doors, elevators, and hallways! Our team will handle this for you; we provide field measuring as a service and will ensure we engineer the pieces in such a way that they can fit wherever they need to.
- Be mindful of timelines and local regulations
To avoid running behind schedule, always communicate your target dates to your subcontractors. Interior Designers and FF&E manufacturers need to know what dates they’re trying to hit so they can schedule their deliverables accordingly or tell you if there is a conflict.
As you eventually organize deliveries and installation, make sure that you have permission to use loading docks, elevators, and alleyways. You’ll also need to rent trucks as well as hire crews for unloading and installing items.
When it comes to installation, keep in mind local regulations and Union requirements to avoid time delays and additional costs. Ask us about our installation services!
- Budget for the unexpected
Budgets for FF&E are often underestimated. There’s no such thing as a perfect project, and things don't always go as planned. Sometimes construction can end up costing more than expected, so it’s important to factor in unexpected expenses when preparing your budget so that your FF&E budget doesn't get depleted.
Find Out How We Can Help You With FF&E
At Lang & Schwander, we’ve been furnishing hotel interiors in the US, Caribbean, and Latin America for over 17 years. For both branded hotels and independent hotels, we offer a full-service Interior Design studio, custom FF&E production, shipping services, and in-house installation services.
Contact us to schedule a call and discuss your project!