Bathroom Design

Exterior lighting in urban jungle

5 creative ways to incorporate solar lighting

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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With the race to Net Zero well and truly underway – and with the industry continuing to innovate new ways to design consciously – interior designers, architects and hoteliers are finding new ways to save energy. Here, Zach Edwards explores creative ways we can introduce solar lighting in landscape design… 

Guide to Hotel Design

Effective outdoor lighting is essential for hotels, especially those that offer space for outdoor activities and outside F&B.

The number-one reason for installing outdoor lighting is safety and security. No operator wants a guest or staff member to trip and take a fall in the shadows. Likewise, no one wants someone to fall victim to crime in a dark corner.

But outdoor lighting comes at a cost. Lighting a large establishment takes a lot of electricity – and money. This is where solar lights come into play. Here are five inexpensive ways to incorporate solar lighting into your exterior design.

1) Along pathways

Lighting in Kings Cross, London

Image credit: Tom Parkes/Unsplash

Dark walkways are a lawsuit waiting to happen. Installing electric lights can involve stringing wires or trenching. Solar lights are more versatile when it comes to placement. They’ll work anywhere they can get a minimal amount of light.

Stick lights will work, but taller post lamps spread more light along the walkway. They’ll also be able to absorb more of the sun’s rays during the daylight hours. Let’s face it: Evening strolls become much more romantic with the gentle ambiance of soft lights. Moonlight adds a little, too, of course.

2) In gardens 

A contemporary glass building with garden solar lighting

Image credit: Zero Take/Unsplash

You’ve worked hard to provide your guests with an elegant and beautiful landscape. Whether you’ve surrounded the grounds with topiaries, colourful blooms, or lots of greenery, the beauty of your landscape scheme can be lost at nightfall. But carefully placed solar lights can subtly highlight both hardscape and softscape elements naturally without harsh intrusion. Consider solar sculpture lights to add a soft glow to your plant life once the sun goes down.

3) In doorways

A creative lighting installation inside a doorway

Image credit: Alberico Bartoccini/Unsplash

Adequate lighting is crucial at entrances. This is where most people stop to find their room key or card that lets them into the building. The chief advantage of solar lights here is money savings. Mounted outdoors, they pull their juice from the sun, not a meter.

4) In entertainment spaces

Even if guests don’t use the pool at night, they like to gather outdoors around it on a cool summer night. Lights inside the pool aren’t enough to illuminate the entire area. Today’s solar lights come in a variety of fixtures ranging from post and table lamps to coachman and Japanese lanterns. They can work well on terraces, patios, and decks and can nestle into the corners and niches where electrical lights (and cords) are cumbersome.

5) In parking areas

Commercial solar post lights have been available for several years and are becoming widely used as streetlights. They can provide security and safety to guests as they come and go.

Another benefit is guest appreciation. Studies show Americans are becoming more eco-friendly and energy conscious. The minute your guests drive up, they’ll see that your establishment is doing its part to be sustainable. A hotel that displays that spirit may encourage more return visits and referrals.

Main image credit: Unsplash

Creating a cohesive design language between bedroom & bathroom

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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With wellness and wellbeing creeping up on the agenda in modern hotels, more emphasis is being put on bathroom design to ensure these areas, within the context of the overall hotel experience, become more than practical spaces. When designing the bathroom, designers should consider creating a cohesive design narrative that compliments other areas of the hotel, especially the bedroom. Nick Brown, Leader, Hospitality UK, LIXIL EMENA, who is responsible for overseeing hospitality projects for the GROHE brand in the UK, writes…

Guide to Hotel Design

In recent years, the bathroom has shifted from a purely functional space designed for hygiene and cleanliness to one that now also embodies wellness and relaxation. Much like the bedroom provides a sanctuary for sleep, rest and recuperation, the bathroom now also has a similar role to play in providing the space for us to take care of not only our personal needs on a physical level but on an emotional level too.

Therefore, as the purpose of the bathroom has shifted towards more of a living space, there has been an increasing synergy between bedroom and bathroom design. The harsh boundaries that once separated individual spaces have now been broken down and we are seeing the merging of bedroom and bathroom coming into one shared space more and more.

Other factors such as urbanisation have played into this shift also. The increasing demand for more housing and living spaces in busy urban areas has created the need for micro-living environments that use clever innovations and solutions to optimise on available space. This trend is not only being seen in the residential market but in hotels too, particularly those in busy city centres where space is also at a premium.

Similarly, space is often at a premium for hotels in urban areas and particularly those in busy city centres. Designers and suppliers are recognising this need for a more cohesive language between bedroom and bathroom and not only adapting the layout of these spaces but also reconsidering product designs, shapes and colour finishes too. Meanwhile, designers also face the challenge of creating a layer of privacy and the option for the guest to shut off and create a divide if they wish to and typically look to more streamlined, discreet or integrated solutions to provide the best of both worlds.

As designers begin to open up these spaces and physically bring the bathtub or basin into the bedroom, manufacturers are also re-imagining product forms and providing design options that align with the softer aesthetics of a bedroom.

For example, ceramics in soft curves and organic forms are usually far more suited to a cohesive bedroom/bathroom space than harsh geometric shapes or patterns. The sight lines in a bedroom should be soft on the eye, favouring more minimalist design in order to instil a sense of quiet and calmness that can help guests unwind and drift off.

GROHE bathroom lifestyle shot featuring Grandera shower, tap and bath filler

Image credit: GROHE

Bathroom design has shifted away from being merely functional, sterile and clinical to embrace colour and personalisation, allowing for a greater sense of character and an enhanced home-from-home appeal. With the need for design language between bedroom and bathroom to be more in sync than ever before, the psychology of colour will play an increasing important role in how designers bring hotel spaces to life. Rich metallic finishes bring warmth into a space and create cohesion across bedroom and bathroom touchpoints, from light switches and furniture to brassware and accessories. Alternatively, muted metal finishes like nickel can offer a more understated look that creates harmony within the two zones whilst still being sophisticated and minimalist.

Designers can also play with contrasting or complementing textures to create both similarity and difference within the space simultaneously.

> Since you’re here, why not read our roundtable on stylish sustainability in wellness?

GROHE is one of our Recommended Suppliers and regularly features in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our recommended suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.

Main image credit: GROHE