Odonnell Nov 08 Newsletter


ODonnell eNews



Autumn 2008

Working Brief

Radisson
ODonnells have been awarded a major contract to supply 207 bedrooms at the new Radisson property in Durham with Headboards, Wardrobes, Desks, TV Columns, fixed and free-standing luggage racks and wall mirrors. The project is heavily design focused with a bold use of coloured laminates mixed with walnut finishes. This is the first time ODonnells have been invited to work with main contractors Ward Robinson, designers Redbox and architects McAlpine.

Marriott
The first floor of the Marriott in Grosvenor Square, London has just been completed. Under the guidance of The Parker Company, ODonnells have supplied a four-poster bed, bedside table, desk and chair, mirror, coffee table, ottoman and lounge chair for each of the 40 bedrooms. The next phase of the fit-out involves two further floors.

Hilton
ODonnell’s ongoing association with the Hilton brand continues with the successful completion of the second phase of work at the London Metropole. 155 rooms have been fitted out with bedbases, wardrobes, credenzas, desks and headboards with a shelf. Oak veneer finishes with clear and stained sections were used. The Hilton property in Belfast has also been completed with the supply of Corner suite dressing table units, Writing Desks, Headboards, Dressing table mirrors, bed frames, TV units and Corner suite executive desks for 51 bedrooms.

Trinity Plaza
The new furniture for the unusually-shaped fourteen long bedrooms at the Trinity Plaza, Dublin called for some “out of the box” thinking in terms of casegoods design. Despite the limitations, ODonnell wanted to achieve a feeling of space and depth so they combined the Wardrobes and Headboards into one piece of furniture. The rooms are completed with Desks, Nightstands and full length Mirrors.

Ramada Encore
ODonnells have just completed the bedroom fit-out of one of the latest additions to the Ramada Encore chain in Doncaster. Teams from QS John Waite, BDL Hotels and Designers Irwins oversaw the fit out of this 102-room property. ODonnell, chosen for their knowledge of the product, design expertise and levels of service and delivery, supplied headboards, desks and wardrobes in stained Ash.

Crowne Plaza
ODonnells are on schedule to complete the fit out of 228 bedrooms at the Crowne Plaza Manchester. The bedroom casegoods include Headboards, Desks and TV Units and feature high gloss black and white finishes to enhance the designers’ use of mirror-door wardrobes. Other special design features included upholstered panels in the Presidential Suites.

Examples of some of our recently completed projects can be seen at:
www.odonnellfurniture.com /portfolio

ODonnell eNews
Autumn 2008 Issue 5

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	Carbon Neutral

Jim O’Donnell has been at the helm of specialist Hotel Bedroom Furniture Makers ODonnells for the last forty years. His business philosophy has always been about maintaining quality and affordability by translating architects’ and designers’ concepts into functional products that will produce the levels of comfort and style that today’s hotel guest expects.
The company’s challenge for the next decade is the “Green” question so Jim has committed ODonnells to become Carbon Neutral by 2012.
“As everything that goes into a building has a carbon footprint then everyone is involved and everyone can help,” says Jim. “Over the next 40 years or so, the Construction Industry will have to halve its emissions to meet government targets. However, I believe that if we are prudent and start to communicate clearly now among our different disciplines of creative design, building, construction and manufacturing we will go way beyond this and push for buildings to be Carbon Neutral. Even with present technology this is possible but with consistent effort and further technological development it will surely become easier.
“Whatever the future specification for the interior design of a new hotel - boutique, urban chic, minimalist, sumptuously opulent or just plain practical – I think we can realistically look forward to them all being “Carbon Neutral” and I believe it will be a great pleasure to stay there.”
ODonnells have always considered that the best hotel interiors are created from a synthesis of the elements that comprise a well-designed building: the architectural structure, the services that help it to function, the ecology of the building – the air, the water, the light, the materials used in the furniture and fittings. As Jim says, “Our surroundings in West Cork have deeply influenced our belief in the importance of the relationship between internal and external spaces. Our quest for Carbon Neutral quality is therefore a relentless, continuous process.”
You can read Jim’s full article about Hotel Design and the Environment question in November’s issue of FX www.fxmagazine.co.uk/digitaledition/

	Cutting Edge

Quality craftsmanship teamed with cutting edge design is the order of the day at Dublin’s latest luxury hotel project in Grand Canal Square. Once more ODonnells have been chosen by the innovative interiors specialists Douglas Wallace Architects and Designers to produce bedroom case goods with a difference.
The five-star hotel is one of several commercial and leisure buildings currently under construction following the guidance of world-class architects and designers in the regeneration of Dublin’s dockland areas. Work has just been completed on the fit out of one of the six floors and it is anticipated that the hotel will be operational towards the end of the year.
All the woodwork for the 174 bedrooms features the use of contrasting black (Panga Panga) and white stained oak for the headboards, wardrobes, nightstand shelves, beds, desks, minibar and vanity units. Black melamine has been used for unit carcasses.
In addition, the layout at this hotel is far from conventional. Each bedroom has a sloping ceiling and is set at an angle to the hallway. The fitted furniture including wardrobe, vanity unit and mini-bar has therefore been designed to highlight these aspects with the clever use of vertical and horizontal floor-to-ceiling paneling.
ODonnell’s manufacturing expertise and woodworking skills are helping us achieve impressive results,” commented Colin Jennings, Associate Director at Douglas Wallace. “We chose ODonnell because of their proven ability to deliver quality furniture solutions to suit particular design demands for bedroom spaces. The challenge with this work in progress was to produce stylish furniture to fit non-standard spaces.”
Their identity has not yet been confirmed but a world-class management company to operate the new hotel will be announced shortly.

	Wow Factor

All 120 bedrooms in the new Hilton property at Kilmainham, Dublin feature quality casegoods and fittings manufactured by ODonnell.
ODonnells are delighted to extend their working relationship with the Hilton Group in the UK and Ireland and this new landmark 4-star hotel is the latest example. Cantrell & Crowley Architects & Interior Designers created the hotel’s bright, contemporary interior spaces and the bedrooms continue the modern style of the new building.
The use of a palette of greys, soft whites and burnt orange brings warmth to each

guestroom. These colours complement the stained oak finish of the furniture and contrast with a striking grey/green leather-covered headboard. These stylish headboards were supplied in three sizes and solid wood posts were used under the leather to ensure their rigidity and stability. Extra attention to detail like using matching leather to wrap the edges of the beveled mirrors on either side of the headboard bring a touch of class to the surroundings.
While the headboard gives the bedroom a wow factor, the inclusion of fitted wardrobes with sliding, mirror-fronted doors add sophistication to the practical necessity for storage. The wardrobes feature solid oak frames and were supplied by ODonnell to fit each room individually in two-, three- and four-door versions.
The furnishing of each bedroom was completed with matching oak bedside cabinets, a desk and chair plus two relaxing tub chairs.
ODonnell’s manufacturing expertise helped retain a solid feel to the furniture. The use of stained white oak and veneers achieved clean and simple lines that complement each room’s soft furnishings, fabrics, floor and wall coverings.

	London Refurbs

The final stages of two large refurbishment projects in well-known London hotels have just been completed by ODonnells.
The seventh and final phase in the conversion of the original Holiday Inn in Ealing to

a Crowne Plaza Hotel has just been successfully completed. ODonnell was invited to supply all the casegoods for the 131 bedrooms following work on a similar project in Sheffield. The bedroom casegoods are being supplied in Oak for standard rooms and a combination of Walnut and Cherry for the executive rooms. The furniture selection includes headboards, bedside cabinets, wardrobes with wall linings, minibar units, desks, television and Plasma Screen units.
While over in EC1, ninety rooms in the Guoman Tower Hotel have been completed by ODonnells with upholstered headboards, writing desks, LCD credenzas, wardrobes, breakfast tables, folding luggage racks and coffee tables in Walnut veneer finishes.

tel: + 353 28 22274

www.odonnellfurniture.com