Paul Wise, CEO and Founder of Hospitality Projects, discusses how his luxury furniture and joinery company supports designers with a seamless and bespoke service.
Hospitality Projects is renowned for creating and supplying successful custom-made furniture and joinery, working with an international array of top designers and hospitality brands such as Soho House, Nobu Restaurants, Dorchester Collection, and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.
Founded by a well-established team of senior industry professionals, Hospitality Projects’ role is not just to manufacture and deliver well-designed products, but to support the design and supply process. Thus, removing pressure and hassle from their clients and allowing more management and design time to all parties.
We caught up with Hospitality Projects CEO and Founder, Paul Wise, to find out about the inner workings of the business and how they continue to support designers with their unique service.
How you approach creating bespoke furniture and joinery that aligns with the unique brand identity of each project?
Hospitality Projects firstly involves itself in studying the clients brand values, target audience and desired ambience, engaging in a collaborative design approach. We can then ensure that the bespoke furniture and joinery designs reflect the client’s vision and requirements at the initial stages.
Our approach is strongly focused on customization and personalisation. Our team look at various materials, finishes, textures and design elements to tailor the pieces to a specific project.
Attention to detail is essential throughout the design and manufacturing process, to ensure that the vision has been captured at the design stage and continued through the manufacturing process. Once the design stage is complete, we work with our skilled craftsman and master artisans to decide what traditional and modern technique combinations we may use in order to bring the product to life.
Can you tell us how you facilitate communication and collaboration with interior design teams to ensure a seamless process?
Each project is assigned to a Project Manager & Design Manager to work alongside the interior designers from the conceptual stage. This allows the designer to focus on the design intent whilst Hospitality Projects guides them through functionality, material selection and all technical aspects.
Regular meetings help facilitate ongoing collaboration through the products life cycle. In the initial stages this includes things such as design workshops and brainstorming sessions which allows us to gather all of information needed to create a full working design pack.
We have a great network of suppliers, which allows us to work with the design team on finishes and material selections sometimes improving the overall look of the product but also ensuring that the product is made within the budget that has been set.
Once the client has agreed on the design, we are then able to start prototyping the product. In our experience, it is critical to involve the designers in the prototype process so we can refine the design and make any necessary adjustments collaboratively. This interactive approach allows for fine tuning to ultimately achieve the desired aesthetic and functional outcome.
Once the product has reached the final stage of production, our Project and Design team, work alongside our contracts manager to ensure a smooth seamless integration into the final build environment.
What measures do you take to ensure that the furniture and joinery supplied meet industry standards and can withstand the rigors of high-traffic hospitality settings?
Hospitality Projects carefully selects high-quality materials known for their durability and suitability for commercial use. We use materials such as solid woods, high grade veneers, various metal forms, both liquid and solid and the correct foam combinations that are proven to withstand wear and tear in hospitality environments.
As a group we have stringent quality control processes at every stage of a products life cycle including, thorough inspections of the raw materials, components and the finished products to ensure they meet industry standards and project specifications.
Our team of skilled artisans and craftsman have a diverse skillset in furniture making and joinery. Our team’s attention to detail contribute to the durability and longevity of every custom-made piece.
Creating a collaborative culture within our workplace allows the CNC technical machining team to maximise output and leverage on our capabilities. We have some of the best upholsters and finishers in the industry to ensure every seam is straight and every high gloss finish shines.
All of our products come with a warranty and aftercare service to provide assurance to our clients.
How do you approach the design of custom furniture and joinery to allow for easy reconfiguration or updates over time?
Hospitality Projects incorporates modular design principles into custom furniture and joinery where possible allowing for easy disassembly, reconfiguration, and expansion where needed. Modular components can be rearranged or added to accommodate changes in layout, function, or guest preferences without the need for extensive renovations.
Utilising componentry and interchangeable parts into the furniture pieces makes it easier to source replacement parts for future updates or expansions. This method was recently used on all of the guest rooms at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Mayfair.
Working alongside the group on an attic stock programme (should something become damaged), we are able to respond quickly to the situation by replacing any parts. This upholds the standards expected of a 5-star hotel.
Another example of how we accommodate to flexibility and adaptability is the use of durable and high-quality materials in our sofa frame constructions. This allows us to re-upholster items needed for aesthetic or maintenance reasons. Not only does this create a sustainable way of re-using the product but also keeps the costs down for the client.
Our Design and Project teams are always keeping up to date with future trends allowing us to be able to advise on timeless aesthetics to ensure long term relevance and value for clients. By adopting this approach, it ensures that the custom furniture and joinery we design for projects is flexible, adaptable, and future proof, allowing for easy reconfiguration or updates over time to meet changing trends and guest preferences.
www.hospitality-projects.com | IG: @hospitalityprojects_london
