Found objects find new life in San Francisco eco hotel

I read a story in Hospitality Design magazine last week that made me smile. It was about the aptly named Good Hotel in San Francisco’s trendy SOMA district.

The 117-room property – once the site of a Best Western and a hostel catering to backpackers – has been totally remodeled and decorated largely with reused, everyday objects. The designers called upon area artists to put the finishing touches on everything from the lobby to the guestrooms.

For example, a recent art school graduate fashioned a cool bench from old blankets. A furniture maker built a computer desk from old cabinets, and he constructed a coffee table that included parts from a skateboard. Throw pillows in the guestrooms were covered with bedspread material from the old hotel. Recycled water bottles now form a chic pendant light.

I like this approach for so many reasons. First of all, it’s light hearted and fun. Some of those design elements are so quirky; you can be sure that guests are having blast exploring all the eccentric touches scattered throughout the building.

Next, the hotel employed the work of local artists, providing income for neighborhood folks. Local art immediately establishes a “sense of place” – an ambiance that adds to your guests’ overall experience.

I also like the Good Hotel’s approach to decorating because it’s cheaper than using new items. This design technique helped the hotel keep its costs down, which helped it keep its rates down, which in turn helps keep heads in beds. Enough said on that!

But what appeals to me most is how it promotes the idea that “used” doesn’t necessarily mean “useless” – that just because something has passed its prime in one form doesn’t mean that it’s not perfect for some other purpose.

Now, I’m well aware that this design tactic won’t work for everyone. But I firmly believe that the underlying philosophy will.

Call your green team together to brainstorm about how you can use repurposed items in your eco hotel – or how you can donate your facility’s used items to a worthy cause in your neighborhood. Then drop us a line at info@EcoGreenHotel.com and tell us what you came up with. We’ll post some of the best ideas online and share them with the eco hotel community in our newsletter, too.

Learn more about San Francisco’s Good Hotel here: www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/good.

For more information visit: www.EcoGreenHotel.com