'Every hotel has its own unique story'

Hotel interior goes hand in hand with its own identity

Sutherland Design designs hotel interiors with a story of their own. An authentic look to make guests feel connected to the hotel. The company works closely with hotels to align requirements and design. Owner Pascal Sutherland and designer Ruben Buter talk about how they approach hotel interiors and what they all take into account during design.

If Sutherland Design gets a new assignment, Sutherland and Buter or one of the other two designers will go to the hotel. "Hotel interiors go hand in hand with an individual identity''. After all, every hotel has its own story. Whether that has to do with the hotel owner's background or the history of the property: there is a story everywhere. "And that's what we then like to engage with." 

The experience is central

"It all starts when entering the lobby and it ends in the hotel room. From start to finish, you tell a story. Everywhere in the hotel one encounters details that connect and together create original landmarks. The hotel room naturally forms the moment
supreme that completes your guests' experience," Buter says. Sutherland adds: "With different materials and unique design, we try to draw guests into the story. We do take inspiration but we also look for a strong foundation that transcends the temporality of trends. This is how we create sustainable hotel furnishings that will still be relevant ten years from now." 

When Buter starts brainstorming, he looks for a guide, such as the history of the property. To illustrate, the men describe a hotel in Liege that is now being renovated. The hotel used to house a linen factory and before that a monastic order. Buter brings these two key facts together in the interior design to tell the unique story of this hotel. 

The merging of materials, structures and shapes creates a coherent whole that exudes the same calm and serenity as the former monastery. The history of the linen factory is reflected in structures and linen fabrics. Thus, the reception desk translates the altar and the reading table is a contemporary cloister table. The layout of all functions even has the design of a cruciform church.

The central entrance is flanked by meeting rooms that have added arches, much like those of an old cloister. "They can be objects that arouse curiosity and lead the guest to discover intriguing stories."

Designing hotel interiors is anything but boring. "It's okay to have something crazy in the interior, because these days hotels are looking for something unique, something exciting. Of course, we design everything in consultation with the hotels. Our designs are a combination of design, years of experience and practical solutions," says Sutherland. 

Director of his own film

Another great source of inspiration for Buter comes from films and books. "I often see myself as a composer of light or a director of a space. When I visit the space, I always think about how the visitor will experience this space. How can I design this space so that it almost looks like a still from a film? If the camera is pointed at that corner, where should the lighting fall so that this particular part is shown off to its best advantage? This is how I do it with every space to make the design come together to fit. I often create a storyline that is read from the guest's perspective. This is how I try to enthuse the client and the designing can begin."

While designing, they have to consider a number of important aspects. "You obviously want guests to have the most comfortable experience possible, and that's already in the small, but practical things. Like: where do you put the power outlets? And is there a logical route in the lobby? When the hotel has a logical layout, you save a lot of hours on housekeeping on an annual basis. "We also look at the layout of the room, for example, and then hang the bedside tables on the bed so that housekeeping can clean more easily," says Sutherland. 

Buter adds: "Then, when it comes to design, you can also play with different colours of lighting, for example.For example, a green colour in a meeting room can be very productive and reassuring and orange, on the other hand, is very nice for brainstorming together after a presentation."

Retaining guests at your hotel

More and more often, Sutherland Design sees hotels wanting to stand out from other hotels. They want to bring out their own core values and tell their story. "You can capitalise on that by making the interior very own and personal. The story is reflected in a chair, the colour of the paint or the material used for the counter in the lobby. In the design, of course, we take into account inclusivity and the different types of guests. For example, not everyone wants a picture of a nun above their bed." 

"Core values can be expressed in, for example, an accessible atmosphere, warm welcome, familial, optimistic, comfort and reliable. I translate these core values into an interior design that stimulates all five senses. Without me having to tell the story, this completes the guests' experience," Buter concludes.