The New Year is almost upon us, and one thing I’ve observed during these times is that astrologers like to make predictions about what the coming year will bring. They look at planetary alignments and other occurrences in the heavens to foretell what could happen in the future. Though the practice is scoffed at by scientists, it’s widely believed in many parts of the world.

You don’t have to be an astrologer or believe that celestial bodies influence events here on Earth to enjoy a certain line of chairs from a design company called Zuo Modern. These items in their occasional seating collection are named after some of the planets in our solar system and other cosmic beings. Very stylish and contemporary, they can be used as contract bar chairs or for some other similar purpose.

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They aren’t usually known for being glamorous, airport hotels. But this mainly negative image of them is changing, thanks to the appearance of luxury hotels that one would think would otherwuse be located in a swanky place in town, not within an airport’s premises. It seems many of today’s travelers are willing to pay more to stay in a high-end, luxurious place near the airport rather than go further afield to find accommodation. Classy airport hotels with elegant, stylish, and modern furniture are now the homes away from home of certain individuals who travel for either business or pleasure.

The furniture for hotels one would find in these establishments is probably just as high-end as they are. Top quality chairs and tables, decadently luxurious beds, those kinds of things. Airport hotels do not automatically equate to shabby anymore. Modern designs that offer the convenience and pampering that guests appreciate are part of what distinguishes some hotels from others.

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Furniture that is upholstered in leather usually has this dignified appeal. Yet it also speaks of familiar comfort, inviting not just your visual attention but your sense of touch too. This is especially true of leather chairs, and these qualities would be of immense benefit for inns, bed-and-breakfast establishments, or other small hotels.

The Couchoid Lounge Chair from Blu Dot is one such piece of furniture that would do well in hotels, I think. It looks cool, but warm and comfortable at the same time, if you get what I mean. But what’s even cooler about it is that though it looks like it’s upholstered in leather, it really isn’t. It’s actually vinyl. Not the kind of vinyl used on flooring or what they used to make long-playing records out of, it seems. This kind has the supple look and warmth of real leather. So if you own a hotel and want leather-free furniture, then this could just be the thing for you. Your guests who are animal lovers would probably appreciate it too.

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Many hotel chairs are elegant creatures. They are pretty to look at, but sometimes their elegance is a bit intimidating. Sometimes it can seem like sacrilege to sit on them, so imposing and regal they appear. Thankfully there are hotel chairs that are more fun to look at, which actually seem to invite a guest to come and sit on them. Such is the 21 Hotel Seating Collection by Spanish designer Javier Mariscal.

Produced in 1997 by Moroso, the chairs in the collection look to be very comfortable, with their overstuffed seats, backs, and armrests. They do not have removable covers; instead, injection molded polyurethane foam covers the inner steel structure. This foam is fire-resistant, which is always a good thing for a chair to be. The feet are made of steel, with articulated underfeet.

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In the last post we looked at some of the floors of the Hotel Puerta America in Madrid, Spain, a very large hotel that has become famous not only for its luxury, but for the fact that each of its floors was created and furnished by a different designer. To be sure, only furniture of the best quality was used, from the contemporary bistro tables in the public spaces down to the chairs in the bedrooms. What’s intriguing is how they all came together to realize a particular designer’s concept of functional space.

Let’s take a peek at some of the remaining floors in our virtual tour.

The seventh floor is all Ron Arad, one of the most popular figures in the world of furniture design. Some parts of the floor seem to have a minimalist look, while others seem to be more opulent. What they all show, however, is Arad’s bold and strong style.

The eighth floor seems to be a land of dreams sculpted by Kathryn Findlay. Flowing furniture with soft curves, wispy fabrics, and tender lighting are what characterize these spaces.

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Hotel Puerta America has got to be one of the most interesting hotels I’ve ever come across online. Located in Madrid, Spain, it’s a towering achievement in architecture and interior design. What I find so enthralling about this hotel is the way it showcases the works of various designers. Each of them were given a whole floor to design, and each floor seems like a different hotel altogether. It’s hard to believe that such a range of talent and creativity – and from the industry’s foremost designers at that – are all in one hotel.

Hallways, bistro area chairs, beds, fabrics, toilet finishings, all of these and more were taken care of by each designer for his or her floor. Let’s take a look at some of them.

The first floor was designed by Zaha Hadid. She is the first woman to ever receive architecture’s Pritzker Prize. This floor is characterized by fluid curves. It’s like stepping into an ice cube, with the halls in bright white. Some of the bedrooms are more colorful, though, with their bright designs and hues.

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Sometimes human beings can be such antisocial creatures. Conversing with either friends or strangers is fine; in fact, I enjoy both immensely. There is always something new to learn, especially from strangers. Whether you meet them as you wait for your flight or strike up a few words with them in a hotel lobby somewhere, you get to know a bit about where they’re from, where they’re going, what their plans are for the next few minutes or hours.

But sometimes all you want to do is to be left alone with your thoughts. While seated in the reception room of a hotel or restaurant, how do you deflect a stranger’s attention or reject his or her overtures at conversation without appearing rude? Well, discourage that conversational opportunities by using appropriate furniture, such as the talking armchairs by Danish designer Louise Campbell.

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As a certified chocolate addict (and a Johnny Depp fan too), I really enjoyed the 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Getting to spend a day in that kind of magical factory would be sheer heaven. I remember this one scene from the movie, where Depp’s character, Willy Wonka, was commissioned to build a chocolate palace for an Eastern potentate. Everything in that palace was made of chocolate.

Well, it seems to me that Ron Arad’s Three Skin Chair would look right at home in that palace. It isn’t made of chocolate, of course. It’s actually made of multilayered lacquered wood, but to me it looks like a wonderful piece of chocolate shaving, one that has curved even more and melted slightly from the heat. Because of the dark color, it reminds me of dark chocolate, my favorite! It certainly looks like a very attractive piece of wooden sculpture, but not only that. With the way its curves flow, it looks like it would accommodate the contours of the user’s body, thus making for comfortable sitting. Bold-looking furniture, that’s one of the things Ron Arad is know for, and his pieces are versatile. They can be used as contemporary bistro chairs in dining establishments or enrich a hotel guest’s experience or simply to beautify one’s home.

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