Euro-Art completes your hotel interior

Art is an essential part of any interior. Even in a hotel, an attractive colour scheme and stylish wall decorations contribute to the hospitality and positive feeling of visitors. "Art in a hotel should not only be beautiful, it should tell a story at the same time," Olga Zelenko of Euro-Art confides. "Paintings and frames play a big role in the appeal of the rooms and public areas, and it is our job to bring out that story with appropriate artworks."

For fifty years, Euro-Art has operated from Herentals as a manufacturer and wholesaler of wall decorations and paintings. Founded in 1973 by Raoul Schurmans and his wife Lucienne Bergen, the company initially focused on the artisanal manufacture of frames and mouldings for paintings. The company received a new impulse with the arrival of son Harry Schurmans. To respond to trends, the range was expanded: Harry added paintings, framed art prints and photographs on plexiglass to the product range. 

By colour

Euro-Art collaborates with architects, offices, the better furniture shops and hotels. How they proceed differs for each collaboration. For example, for Corner Hotel in Nieuwpoort, they went looking for wall decoration based on the colour scheme in the interior. "From the interior designer, we got the colours and textures of the wallpaper, seats, paint and cushions. That forms the basis of our proposal, although we create contrasts at the same time. We look for the exact hue in our own catalogue and from publishers and artists around the world, and make a large selection. From these, the interior designer chooses the works that best fit the feel and story of the hotel. We also provide appropriate frames for the prints. If, for example, the design already includes a touch of gold, we choose the same frames. The frames also add an extra contrast to the interior," says Olga Zelenka of Euro-Art.

Surprises on the wall

A recent achievement is the work for Rosa Hotel in Ostend. The inspiration came from the name and rose accents in the hotel. Olga: "The interior designer wanted to use big photos of famous retro stars. With the bubblegum they blow, the pink returns in the art prints. We didn't have this in our collection, but found it from one of our designers. For specific requests like this, we will look for a particular work or engage a designer to create it for our client."

This is what Euro-Art did at the Burlington Hotel, for example. For the architect involved, art should not simply be beautiful or interesting, but equally surprising. "Guests want to see different accessories at hotels than at home. The architect knew very well what he wanted: works of old sailors with a bright blue stripe. We chose the paintings ourselves and applied blue paint to them. It fits very well, because that colour is present a lot in the hotel. The fact that this hue recurs everywhere is not only beautiful, it also gives people something to talk about. They don't easily forget an artwork like this."

With its offering, Euro-Art helps hotels they work with to tell their story or history. "For an ongoing project for Hilton Hotel Antwerp, we had illustrations created. The architect wanted Art Deco-style illustrations of iconic Antwerp architecture to match the interior of the hotel. The best way to do that is to have them created on demand. That way, you see the gold accents from the interior also reflected in the images. We don't stick to our existing collections, but help shape any idea the client has."

Right on time

Besides art, Euro-Art closely follows trends in design and fashion. It gives their collection a young, dynamic injection. This can be seen, for example, in the work for La Réserve in Knokke. "As a nod to the seaside town, the hotel wanted to work with ladies in swimming costumes, but in a stylish way," Olga continues. "All photos are black and white with striking accents, such as surfboards by Dior and Chanel. In this way, the hotel and its art immediately exude a certain lifestyle." 

The Euro-Art team always guarantees on-time delivery. "In Knokke, we were able to start on the assignment three weeks before the opening. We had to look for suitable photos, approve, frame and install them. Fortunately, we have everything we need to produce quickly. Three days before the opening, we hung all the works ourselves in La Réserve." 

According to Olga, you only have one chance to make a first impression. "When stepping into a room, you have your judgment ready within seven seconds. When guests enter the entrance hall or their own room, they should immediately feel harmony and balance. The picture has to be right. A work of art helps with that." Moreover, a hotelier need not worry about the budget. With limited budgets, Euro-Art takes a critical look at the materials used, to still achieve the intended effect in an economical way.■