“Wallcovering” in a hotel specification covers very different products, from heavy contract vinyl in a service corridor to a printed mural behind a reception desk. They are chosen for different reasons and they should be judged by different tests. This guide separates them and lists the questions worth asking before a pattern is chosen.
The main types
- Contract vinyl. A vinyl face on a fabric or non-woven backing, made for impact, abrasion and repeated cleaning. In the United States it is graded from Type I to Type III by durability, and Type II is the usual choice for corridors and public areas. It is the workhorse of hotel corridors and back-of-house walls.
- Non-woven wallpaper. A blend of cellulose and synthetic fibres that stays the same size when wet, so seams stay closed and panels come off dry when the scheme changes. It carries printed detail very well. It is used for feature walls, restaurants, suites and anywhere the wall is looked at more than it is touched.
- Textile and natural wallcoverings. Woven fabric, grasscloth and similar surfaces. They are chosen for touch and depth, and need more care and more skilled installation.
- Digitally printed murals. A single image or large-scale pattern printed to the dimensions of one wall. This is how a property gets a wall that no other hotel has.
Fire classification: the questions to ask
Fire performance is set by the regulations and the fire strategy of each project, not by the supplier’s brochure. Requirements differ by country, by building type and by where in the building the wall is.
- In Europe, reaction to fire is classified under EN 13501-1 (the Euroclass system). In the United States, the usual reference is the ASTM E84 surface-burning test.
- A classification belongs to a tested system: the wallcovering, the adhesive and the wall it was tested on. Ask for the test report and check that it matches your substrate.
- Ask your fire consultant which class each zone requires before you fall in love with a material.
Our own position, stated plainly: Carta Noor designs are printed to order on a premium non-woven with water-based HP Latex inks, and a certified contract substrate for hospitality specification is in development. Tell us the standard your project must meet and we will check it before you order.
Durability and cleaning
Put the toughest material where luggage, trolleys and hands reach, which is roughly the lower 1.2 m of corridors and lift lobbies. Printed non-woven belongs above a dado or protection rail, behind furniture, or on walls guests look at from a distance. In a restaurant, the wall behind a banquette needs a wipeable finish. The wall above it can be whatever you like.
Hotel wallpaper design: which pattern suits which zone
- Lobby and reception. One large gesture, seen from the door. A radial design such as Ottoman Dome is designed for the wall behind a desk.
- Corridors. Rhythm matters more than drama. Repeating arches such as The Riad Archway or the lattice of Mughal Jali Screen shorten a long corridor visually by dividing it into bays.
- Restaurant and bar. Dark grounds with fine metallic-coloured line look best at night. Midnight Medina and The Artisanal Zellige suit these rooms.
- Guest rooms and suites. The headboard wall, in a pattern that is calm at close range. Damask of the Dunes is the quietest design in the collection.
What to ask any supplier
- Is the design printed to order, and can the same wall be reprinted later for repairs?
- What are the panel width and available lengths? Ours are 76 cm wide in 244, 274, 305 and 366 cm.
- Can you supply a panel schedule from our elevations, with numbered panels in hanging order?
- Can we see a large printed sample in the finish we will use, not a small swatch?
- Which test reports exist, and for which substrate and adhesive?
For project enquiries, see the trade programme. The designs most suited to public spaces are collected in Hotel and Restaurant Wallpaper, and our earlier guide covers wallpaper for boutique hotels.
