NEW YORK—Traditionally, hotels have turned to white bedding linens to give the guestroom a clean, crisp appearance. But more and more hoteliers are looking for subtle hints of color for the bedding accents to create an understated, yet distinct, appearance. From throws to shams to coverlets, Kravet Contract, a provider of woven products, sheers, bedding and heat transfer prints, has seen an increase in custom orders for these requests in the hospitality industry.
In an attempt to leverage its position as a leader in the decorative fabrics industry, Kravet Contract offers a program for its hospitality division called Made To Order Bedding. This program is fully customizable, offering a range of designs and colors fabricated to exact specifications for hotel properties. More recently, the brand has experienced an industry shift from all white bedding to a new alternative for bedding accents.
“Today, the overall concept of bedding ensemble style has leaned more toward a casual and chic residential look versus the typical guestroom schemes that have been in the market for the last eight to 10 years,” said Robert Duban, EVP, contract sales, Kravet. “As more custom requests come in, we have seen a shift toward introducing subtle hints of color through bedding accents, but the overall desired top-of-bed look is still primarily white.”
The Made To Order Bedding program offers constructions that are suitable for all hospitality bedding programs. The program is full-service, offering custom-fabricated goods created with custom-colored products and custom-developed fabric.
Existing designs can be custom colored to coordinate with any design aesthetic. Fabrics range in weight, offering endless options on any top-of-bed application, including, but not limited to, duvet covers, coverlets, throws, shams, decorative third sheets and sheeting. Each item is woven and manufactured to meet all commercial laundering requirements.
While the top of bed remains primarily white, accent pieces such as bed skirts have been requested in neutral shades from Kravet Contract.
For Kravet, white continues to be the predominant color story in the company’s program. “We have put together accent pieces such as pillows, throws and bed skirts that introduce splashes of color in more subtle ways for various hospitality brands,” said Duban.
Kravet’s most requested custom colors for guestroom bedding include mid-tone golds, chocolate browns, and a range of gray and blue tones.
While Kravet has not had any requests for a true linen construction in bedding, there has always been an interest in piece-dyed or “linen-like basecloth” constructions, according to Duban. “We have several different options that stand up to the rigors of commercial laundering,” he added.
The Made to Order Bedding program was first introduced in 2012, after recognizing the need for a custom-bedding program in the hospitality industry. The company conducted in-depth research, and relied upon prior experience and targeted focus groups with clients, including major hotel brands.
“The launch began the conversation with our customers about Kravet’s overall capabilities,” said Duban. “This has been the catalyst for opportunity that may have not been there before. Made to Order was designed to fit every budget for any brand’s needs. Various constructions, extremely low minimums and competitive pricing are what sets Kravet Contract’s bedding program apart from the competition.”
He added, “What makes us unique is that Kravet can produce smaller quantities to meet the needs of even the smallest boutique properties. As is all of the Kravet brand, Kravet Contract is continually on the forefront of technology and cutting-edge style in the industry.”
Since launching the new program, Kravet has largely received positive feedback from customers. “Kravet’s Made To Order Bedding is praised for the overall quality of the product, the unique constructions and our competitive pricing that is provided upon request,” said Duban. “Based on our success in other facets of our hospitality and healthcare businesses, this was a natural progression. Having access to one of the largest, privately held exclusive textile archives gives Kravet Contract the edge on providing truly unique designs at affordable pricing.”
Kravet Contract was created in 1997 to service the contract hospitality market, healthcare, and architecture and design industries. For unique specifications, it began offering a custom-woven and custom-print division dedicated to creating specialized fabric constructions and designs. “This was the next avenue that Kravet wanted to break into with our fashion sense and 98 years of experience in textiles,” said Duban.
Founded in 1918 by Samuel Kravet, Kravet Inc., is a fifth-generation family business that distributes fabrics, furniture, wall coverings, trimmings, carpets and accessories. Beginning with a trimming store in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, by the mid 1930s, S. Kravet & Sons began selling fabrics and trims exclusively to the interior design trade, eventually becoming a business-to-business operation. The Kravet family’s dedication and commitment
to innovation has helped the company transform from a small fabric house to a global leader, representing brands and designers from all over the world, according to the company. In 2015, Kravet Inc., introduced CuratedKravet.com, a to-the-trade-only e-commerce site offering designers furniture and accessories curated from around the world. Kravet Inc., owns Kravet, Lee Jofa, Groundworks, GP & J Bakver and Brunschwig & Fils, all high-end fabric houses that specialize in style, luxury and design. With locations in North America and worldwide, Kravet Inc., aims to offer a high level of customer service, quality products and web technology for today’s design professional. HB
Kitano Hotel adds airweave mattresses
The custom airweave mattress consists of a base mattress and top mattress that can be flipped to customize the sleep experience from soft to hard.
NEW YORK—The Kitano Hotel New York, a boutique property located in Midtown Manhattan, has begun integrating custom airweave mattresses. With a goal of improving a guest’s sleeping experience, The Kitano is the first in the U.S. to roll out an exclusive airweave mattress design in a selection of guestrooms, according to the hotel.
The custom mattresses consist of a base mattress and top mattress that can be flipped to customize the sleep experience from soft to hard. In addition to the mattresses, many of the hotel’s rooms already have airweave mattress toppers, which are made from highly resilient, three-dimensional resin fibers woven together in a way that allows users to roll over with ease and maintain a deeper sleep. The scientifically supported topper helps dissipate heat and moisture generated by the body.
According to airweave, the mattress allows for more restful slumber through its ergonomic, breathable design and high resilience. airweave is proven to minimize strain on joints, reduce restlessness while sleeping and distribute weight evenly, all of which amount to a life-enhancing sleep experience that leaves people feeling invigorated and refreshed upon waking.
Made of airweave’s proprietary airfiber plastic material, the mattresses are lightweight, making them easy for staff to transport, as well as sustainable and hygienic. Both the mattress and cover can be washed and recycled upon disposal.
The Japanese-owned, 150-room hotel is located at the corner of Park Ave. and 38th St. within the city’s Murray Hill district. The Kitano New York, which offers staff members versed in the Japanese language, caters to a large number of executive business travelers from Japan.
