Hospitality Style

I’ve been to lots of trade shows over the past decade or so, but this week marked a first for me: a trip to NeoCon in Chicago. After navigating numerous shows set in single-level, hangar-like spaces, NeoCon’s multi-story layout in the venerable Chicago Merchandise Mart was a definite change of pace – and, I must admit, an enjoyable one. Show veterans told me to avoid the usually crowded elevators as much as possible, and in heeding their advice, I was rewarded with red-carpet treatment (literally) for using the steps. And opening the doors to each floor was akin to entering Oz, as each level was very distinct from the one above or below.

NeoCon is short for the National Exposition of Contract Furnishings, and it does include a hospitality section, which showcases the latest flooring, furniture and other accoutrements for hotels, restaurants, resorts, etc. This part of the show can help to fire the imagination of those interested in keeping up with the latest trends in contemporary hotel design. But the show also offered the sheer fun of wandering and stumbling upon the unexpected and the just-plain cool (and often, both). One such moment for me was provided by Karim Rashid’s Chakra chair for Raynor Contract. With its “zoo-morphic” structure, this futuristic seating is sleek and comfortable. Trust me on the latter; I plopped down in one and was very reluctant to exit. But there was the siren call of another floor to explore, with more insights into hospitality design trends to unearth…