We take a look at the refocused Sleep+Eat show to see how designing for emotions and senses is at the core of hotel, restaurant and bar bathroom design.

With a new name, new location and new focus, the European design event for the hospitality industry, now retitled Sleep+Eat, takes place at London’s Olympia from November 20-21.

Hoping to catch the eye of more than 4,700 visitors who attended the show last year, over 50 companies will be launching collections for hotel and now restaurant and bar environments.

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However, the two-day show is not focused on exhibition stands alone.

It includes a conference programme, including the Eat Theatre, which will span topics such as designing for Michelin chefs and the reinvention of afternoon tea.

And completing the line-up of activities, Sleep+Eat features the perennially popular concept spaces Sleep Sets, which this year will be joined by Eat Sets.

Was the relocation the Business Design Centre in Islington to London’s Olympia successful? We went to Sleep+Eat to find out.

Sleep Sets

This year, the concept guestrooms, which have been designed to provoke, amuse and inspire, have been created by four architectural and design companies.

Rather than being given a brief, the Sleep Sets see design practices pairing with influential brands that may not necessarily spring to mind in hospitality environments:

• Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) London has teamed with the Natural History Museum,
• Denton Corker Marshall has paired with West Ham United FC,
• Yasmine Mahmoudieh has joined with Penguin Modern Classics,
• AB Concept has linked with Herme Paris.

Although the schemes are still under wraps, the design practices have given an insight into what visitors may expect to see.

The natural world and our connection with it will be the focus of the Sleep Set from HBA London.

Creative director of HBA London Constantina Tsoutsikou explains: “Ours will be a room for today’s explorers, a space for wandering minds and new insights.

“We all respond to nature emotionally, intellectually and physically, and now more than ever before, hotel guests are seeking experiences that rejuvenate, inform and remind them of natural wonders.”

Eat Sets

In addition to the Sleep Sets, a collection of concept rooms based on restaurant and bar spaces called Eat Sets will join the show this year.

Similarly designed for the senses, three UK-based design firms will create interactive installations to challenge and subvert visitors’ expectations:

• Echo Architecture will be creating a Cornish seaside restaurant,
• 3Stories Anticaff has been designed to turn the traditional concept of the British greasy spoon on its head,
• Shalini Misra will be creating a nostalgia-driven nightclub.

Speaking about designing for the senses, head of design at Echo Architecture Eugene Sellors states: “Dining is all about responses.

“We don’t just experience the food, service and table settings, our memories are made up of a collection of emotions, created by a dialogue between the senses and the connections we feel with those breaking bread with us.

“This is what we want to deliver in our Eat Set.”

With senses and emotions at the heart of hospitality design, and how these spaces ultimately inspire residential projects, perhaps you should visit the show and get a feel for how they could influence your future projects.

Here are our 11 picks for what you should see while you’re there:

1.

In collaboration with sister companies Victoria+Albert Baths and Shaws of Darwen, the Perrin & Rowe stand will feature three displays.

These will include a washroom, Deco cloakroom and an interactive display showing basins and brassware.

Its latest Hoxton bathroom brassware collection will star, along with its instant Hot Taps in a hospitality area.

2.

Exhibiting its glazed titanium steel baths, shower floors and washbasins, Bette will be promoting its 30-year warranty.

It will be providing live demonstrations of its products finished in BetteGlaze which, according to the company, is harder than marble, plastic or epoxy granite.

Taking centre stage will be the BetteLux Oval Silhouette bath, shown here in its shimmering Blue Satin finish.

3.

In the spotlight at this year’s show is the Dallfex system from Dallmer, which includes a drain body and a choice of seven shower channels.

The shower channels range from its CeraWall and CeraFloor design to the CeraNiveaux and Zentrix models.

Most of the channels are available in a choice of finishes, including matt and polished stainless steel, plus a range of lengths, resulting in around 100 variants.

4.

In a setting which will replicate an opulent bathroom in a penthouse suite, Vado‘s hero product launches will include the Sensori SmartDial digital shower.

This will be joined by its Sky and Geometry shower heads and slide rail kits with an integrated outlet.

Completing the line-up on the stand will be a selection of brassware finishes, due to launch in 2019 as part of the Individual Collection.

5.

For the first time, Merlyn will take a stand at Sleep+Eat to showcase its latest launches, including its Red Dot Award-winning Arysto Eight Infold Door enclosure.

It will be joined by the Merlyn Black range with ancillary products, such as trays.

In addition, visitors will also be able to see the latest bespoke colour options available to the company.

6.

Roca will be displaying its most popular sanitaryware ranges Beyond, Carmen and Inspira (shown).

It will also be showing a wall of brassware and its Bespoke Solid Surface capabilities for customised bathrooms.

It will have project basins on display from case studies with Bloc Hotels and Yotel.

These bespoke basins will be of interest to visitors designing for hospitality or commercial markets.

7.

This year will see Kaldewei introduce the interactive ‘Material Experience’.

Visitors have the opportunity to test the company’s steel enamel using nail varnish, wire brush and a Bunsen burner.

In addition, on show for the first time in the UK will be its latest floor level shower surface NexSYS.

This will be joined by coloured Miena washbasins, Classic undercounter basins and a ‘Perfect Match’ trinity of Kaldewei bathing products in one harmonious colour.

8.

Colour is set to play a prominent role on the Unidrain stand, which will focus on its HighLine Series, an almost ‘invisible’ drain with panels in steel and frosted glass.

The HighLine Colour Series and Unidrain bespoke – a made-to-measure solution – will be joined by the Reframe Collection.

The Reframe Collection of bathroom accessories comes in five colours, including on-trend copper.

9.

Roman will be exhibiting a combination of solid surface moulded shower trays, with basin, vanity units and bathroom structures made from Corian.

However, taking centre stage will be its Black Grid printed Wetroom Panel which offers silicone-free installation.

Roman offers 15 aluminium and hardware colour finishes, which will also be on display at Sleep+Eat.

10.

Inspired by the communal bathing, the Plural sanitaryware from VitrA is designed by Terri Pecora.

The furniture-orientated collection has been created to transform the bathroom into a living space, which can be occupied by multiple users.

This will be joined by VitrA Miniworx tiles, along with VitrA’s V-Care shower WC.

11.

Founder Partner of the show Grohe will be demonstrating its strength as a complete bathroom provider, as well as showcasing its kitchen products.

The stand will demonstrate co-ordinated design from accessories to ceramics and sanitaryware.

In addition, making their UK debut will be the Atrio collection, which launched at Milan Design Week, and the Euphoria SmartControl.

Marketing communications at Grohe UK Kelly Everest commented: “Grohe is excited at the prospect of returning to the re-invented Sleep+Eat event as Founder Partner for its first year in the brand new Olympia location, and the 13th year since its inception.

“The new direction for the exhibition perfectly aligns with Grohe’s continually expanding kitchen categories, which now includes kettle hot water taps, and taps which dispense filtered and chilled still, medium and sparkling water.

“Sleep+Eat will now provide an additional platform to support Grohe’s business ventures in this area, as well as continuing to highlight Grohe as one of the key global suppliers of sanitaryware in the hospitality market.”