FLOOR-TO-CEILING FOR THE ANDAZ OTTAWA HOTEL

Creative Matters' "Floor-to-ceiling" service involves working with an interior design team to create both the wall and the floorcoverings for a project. In 2016, we provided this service for luxury retailer Holt Renfrew and for the new Andaz hotel in Ottawa.

Andaz is a boutique-style hotel brand by Hyatt. Each Andaz hotel is unique in its design, inspired by the cultural life of the locale. Our Creative Director Ana Cunningham was the project lead for Andaz Ottawa Byward Market, and she predicts other hospitality clients will appreciate the creative and financial synergy of working with us on both floor and wallcoverings. 

This Creative Matters headboard wallcovering design celebrates Canada's mountain peaks. Photo: Josh Hotz

While Creative Matters designs embellish suites, corridors and lobbies throughout the hotel, Ana is most delighted with the effect created in the Presidential Suite. Here, the edgy-meets-elegant vibe of the geometric flatwoven rug is complemented by a gentle organic headboard wallcovering design celebrating Canada's mountain peaks. "I just love the result of the neutral tones next to the subtle hints of colour, and the sense of depth achieved by increasing the 'fade' between each mountain range so that it appears hazier in the distance," said Ana. 

The Creative Matters flatwoven area rug for the Presidential Suite: 100% wool, made in India. CMI designer: Sarah Stevenson. Photo: Josh Hotz

The interior design for the Andaz Ottawa was managed by Mason Studio. Ashley Rumsey and Simone Ferkul from Mason collaborated closely with Ana. Their direction focused on cozy textures and simple geometric patterns in subtle tones. Intended for millenials, the 200-room hotel explores Canada's cultural landscape through furniture, lighting and artwork. 

The Creative Matters map of Canada wallcovering transforms the elevator lobbies. Photo: Josh Hotz

The Canadian theme is well supported by our huge needle-felted maps of Canada that transform the elevator lobbies. Because the designs are hand punched into place, the pieces have their own character and are not exactly alike. Needle felt wallcoverings have a particularly painterly feel - like many of our rug designs - so the artwork process is similar to the way we create artwork for our rugs. 

The Creative Matters ombré wallcovering with geometric floorcovering for the Standard Suites. Photo: Josh Hotz

In all the suites, the needle felt wallcovering at the headboard replaces the need for art work and acts as a sound absorber. While in the Presidential Suites a mountain range transforms the room, in the Standard Suites, an interesting dialogue is created between the ombré striped wallcovering with peppery hues, and the geometric floorcovering. Throughout the 16-storey hotel - which opened in August 2016 - the carpets are united by prism patterns and clean geometry. 

Traffic-resistant nylon excels in the modern inset carpet design for the Arrival Lounge. Creative Matters designer: Sarah Stevenson. Photo: Josh Hotz

Another example of the geometric patterns in simple tones is the modern inset carpet in the Andaz Arrival Lounge. Here traffic-resistant nylon is skillfully designed to create the desired high-end ambiance for the space. Celebrating the power of pattern, the design brings a punch of colour and excitement to the neutral finishes while defined lines in eight colours complement the soft curves of the furniture.

The Creative Matters carpet design breaks up that long corridor feeling: 80% wool, 20% nylon woven Axminster, made in Thailand. Photo: Josh Hotz

In the corridors, the dark wood finish acted as the grounding neutral for our six colour selections. Crafted in 80% wool and 20% nylon, Axminster carpet in a contemporary tessellation continues the vision of urban sophistication and breaks up that long corridor feeling. The contrasts between the shapes provides a playful movement throughout the corridor. 

As she selects images for the corridor carpet and the elevator lobby defined by the needle-felted map of Canada, Ana said, "I really see the floor-to-ceiling concept becoming more of a standard format for us when it comes to hotel work. This is just the logical next level of service we can provide and we're excited to take on more projects like Andaz and Holt Renfrew in 2017."