Part 4
Plastics and Memphis 80's -seem dated-ditched for 'natural' materials (or bumped up similes) bringing the 'home' craft vibe to commercial and residential areas.
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| JM Lifestyles decorative concrete (and functional architectural elements-like rooftops, countertops as well as furniture, planters, bathtubs) and this BDNY BEST of Show tabletop...gathered loads of interested eyeballs at the trade show. Woodform Concrete® + Real Concrete® (great for kitchen islands too) are made from 50% post consumer recycled content and come in many colors. |
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| Vermont Farm Table sources their wood sustainably AND builds their stunning tables (etc) in VERMONT! Solid wood-21 species' possibilities also include power and data integration-so cool -mixing up the farm vibe with the new. Built to order. |
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| WE LOVED these-a collab...Interior Designer Beth Donner's new furniture designs -Beth Donner Designs-Hotel Collection Roots & Repose with the NATURALIST. Winning fusions of earthy wood with inserts in credenzas, tables, headboards, chairs, side tables etc The Naturalist was also featured in our clip on custom garden walls. |
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| Belgium based Ethnicraft is widely available-online too-for commercial/residential customers here. Products come in oak, teak, walnut etc...made to showcase the natural beauty of the wood. |
Technology-is impacting -everything (duh) but guest room smart devices- mirrors + tabletop device's with functional touch screen capabilities...that enhance or replace personal human interactions...seem destined to non-white gloved-luxury destinations and millennial-Gen Z targeted spaces.
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| Specific software loaded with hotel functions (room service, lighting, housekeeping, streaming-music-movies on the tv, room temp controls....)-replacing what some of those landline telephone buttons (and humans who answered) used to do-and then some. A cloud based platform-capable of voice controls (modular voice platforms -Google, Alexa...) -and YES there's an app to stay connected to their room (assuming post checkout-this doesn't work????)- Cirq+'s security-privacy issues (we didn't see or read any legalese terms of service (use) like the ones we get with other hardware/software 'things'....but it probably won't deter those consumers who won't care and don't experience a hotel room as a refuge from all the tech in their lives. A winner of Best New Hotel device-at last year's show. |
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Smart mirrors have gotten a big upgrade since they were introduced. We last wrote about residential focused Creston Home Automation systems- a few months back...
Mirror Image-is a new entry to the consumer market-and already on the commercial market -with customizable software AI-packages -with varying levels of interactivity. These mirrors...are available in different sizes-ranging in decor style from antique to sleek. |
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We had a long chat with founder Glenn Neugarten about his company's bumped up mirrors-that have the flexibility of 'add- ons '- of being a Smart vanishing tv, a shelf unit w/ USB ports, controlled via a waterproof remote (+holder=handy), synchs with Bluetooth...and has the 'usual' expected lighting controls, volume controls, date-weather- digital clock, dimmer switch, "Do Not Disturb /Make Up Room housekeeping requests button-'task fulfillment center', and clever-potential for a revenue producing custom guest souvenirs-boutique etc.
Gobs of humans visited this new exhibitor to the BDNY show. FYI Micror Image makes 'dumb' mirrors too LOL...and a semi-Smart version-not connected to wifi. We LOVE their product range...!
We're curious-if one could disable these tech enabled devices connected to wifi/cloud platforms... if a hotel room is equipped with one...because all of this interactivity-seems a bit voyeuristic creepy-and open to hacking- potentially-let alone an unwanted collection of personal info (maybe). Guessing hotel management is going to have to come up with a 'terms of use' policy...
PS: Pals with rather high security clearances (kind the FBI conducts) would never stay in these tech-ed hotel rooms when traveling on biz...we asked! |
