Which design collaborations changed the game in 2022?

Together we can. I think, above all others, this has been the mantra that has carried the most meaning in 2022, since the industry rose from its forced hibernation of the pandemic. It’s been an exhilarating time for people working on the hotel design scene, which has kept us folks in the media on our toes throughout a tumultuous 12 months. When it comes to editing Hotel Designs during this period, it has felt, at times, like we have front-row seats to the most magical fashion show, with so many designers and brands pushing against conventional approaches to instead define a new era of hotel design and hospitality on a global scale.

This year, we have seen pioneering hotel concepts become reality – and designers, architects, hoteliers and brands working as one to collectively create conscious spaces full of imagination. Before we take off into a new year, where new trends, hotels and designers will be waiting, we have identified just a handful of the collaborations that, put simply, made the industry look, think and discover something new over the last 12 months.

Gabriel Scott

Image credit: Gabriel Scott

Six designers, David Rockwell, Kelly Hoppen, Alessandro Munge, Michelle Gerson, Sybille de Margerie and Guan Lee, were asked to help lighting brand Gabriel Scott to reinterpret the studio’s most iconic fixture, the Welles Chandelier. The six fixtures, first showcased at Milan Design Week 2022, have now been formalised into six capsule collections that include chandeliers, sconces and pendant lighting. “Inspired by jewellery, the Welles Chandelier is a true representation of our design philosophy – to design and make modular products to custom specifications,” said Scott Richler, Gabriel Scott’s Founder and CEO. “The Welles Reimagined capsule collections celebrates our brand ethos and the collaborations we undertook with each designer perfectly demonstrate how we like to work together with our design and architecture clients to achieve something really special and tailored to their requirements.”

Inoda+Sveje + Minotti

Image caption: The Yoko, designed by INODA+SVEJE. | Image credit: Minotti

Unveiling its largest collaboration to date, Inoda+Sveje launched three products this year in the Minotti 2022 Collection – they were Yoko, Lars and Sendai. Minotti described the collaboration as ‘two worlds connecting’, referring to the the two owners’ separate heritages – one Japanese and the other from Denmark. But, in reality, these protagonists within the 2022 Collection were the result of three cultures coming together in harmony, including Minotti’s Italian style. The tread that connects each piece is the language of minimalism, told is various ways.

One month after the collection was launched at Salone del Mobile, the design duo joined the DESIGN POD sofa to discuss the process, the details and the honest conversations that went into designing what was in many ways this year’s stand-out furniture collaboration.

Kit Miles + Moooi Carpets

Image credit: Moooi Carpets / Andrew Meredith

Telling a unique story of biophilic design, Kit Miles’ fascination with the rich synergy between plants and animals came to life in a collection with Moooi Carpets this year. Inspired by biophillia’s mesmerising patterns, the new addition to the Moooi Carpets’ Signature collection was a selection of prints, aptly named Biophillia. The aim of the partnership project was to provide a ‘window into the world of plants and nature’ with hand-drawn dragonflies, flora and surreal plants that dance around each other bound as well as references to eternal natural cycles.

Lois O’Hara + Newmor Wallcoverings

Fresh out the blocks from its rebrand, Newmor Wallcoverings launched a vibrant and playful collaboration with mural artist, Lois O’Hara, as part of the brand’s Newmor Designer range. O’hara’s brand ethos explored how colour can have a positive effect on how people feel when they use spaces. Her unique colour combinations and use of shape and movement formed her signature style.

The brand launched the Newmor Designer collection as part of its commitment to bridging the gap between artists, craftspeople and commercial interiors. Artists such as painter and fashion designer, Iona Crawford; interior design duo 2LG; weaver Ptolemy Mann; artist Stephen Walter; and The Patternistas are currently represented. All of the designs can be custom coloured, scaled, and printed onto any of Newmor’s wallcoverings, including metallics, textures and window films.

WeWantMore + La Succulente + Côme Di Meglio

Image credit: WeWantMore

The most literal interpretation of HIX’s mantra, ‘Great Things Will Grow’, was the Mush Room installation, which was the result of a collaboration between WeWantMore, La Succulente and Côme Di Meglio. The studios threw open the conversation on alternative materials by designing a bar that would grow towards the event while at the same time developing an example of what one of these ‘great things’ might be – in this case, mycelium as a design material. The design of the mycelium bar drew inspiration from shapes and textures found in and on shells. It illustrated the infinite source of inspiration nature can be, both aesthetically and structurally. The overall shape had a sacral feel to it – almost like a tomb – which was, according to WeWantMore, a metaphor for burying a traditional way of thinking and reflecting on new ideas when designing spaces.

Ghislaine Viñas + The Rug Company

Image credit: The Rug Company

Marrying together saturated colours with a myriad of patterns, Dutch-born, New York-based designer Ghislaine Viñas created the new Shongololo rug for The Rug Company, which is available in numerous monochromatic and multi-colour options as well as various pile heights. “The Shongololo rug was inspired by large millipedes found in South Africa, where I grew up,” said the designer. “As a child, I found these creatures so endearing and fascinating. I loved giving the Shongololo a little tap just to watch them roll up into a coil – a mechanism for selfprotection. My design mimics the millipede in both its crawling and curled-up forms.”

Ramy Fischler + Novotel

Image credit: Accor

Challenging the conventional bleisure hotel experience, designer Ramy Fischler together with Accor and Ligne Roset Contracts, designed one of four new looks for the Novotel brand.

Flexibility is a key aspect of the different sleeping arrangements made possible by the daybeds, also manufactured by Ligne Roset Contract. Available in different colour options and for different bedroom orientations, the daybeds provide 18 different guestroom configurations.

The bedroom concept is available in full and partial realisations, with different colour options, in a standard and premium finish which includes additional charging outlets. One of the key features of the concept is the headboard. Available in a standard and premium finish. The premium option has connectivity to the bedside tables providing induction charging. Luggage racks, a mini bar and the Valmy armchair, also designed by Ramy Fishler and part of the Ligne Roset collection can also be included. The Ramy Fischler bedroom concept has already been used in Paris and will feature in other Novotel hotels soon.

Main image credit: Gabriel Scott / Moooi Carpets / Accor / HIX / Newmor / Minotti