Inside the design of Room2 Belfast
Eco hometel room2 Belfast, the latest property from real estate investor and developer Lamington Group, is set to open on 16 October 2023. With sustainability at the forefront of room2’s brand ethos and in line with Lamington Group’s commitment to become net zero by 2030, the property will support and celebrate the best of local creative talent as well as eco-conscious, striking designs from innovative artists and producers.
Continuing to showcase a commitment to circular economy principles – which includes eliminating waste and pollution and circulating products and materials – room2 Belfast will open with a variety of progressive, artistic design features. Highlights include a café bar made with recycled glass, a standout reception desk created with plastic bottles from room2 Southampton and the acclaimed room2 Chiswick – the world’s first net zero hometel, which launched in 2021 – carpets crafted from recycled fishing nets and more. There will also be occupancy-enabled rooms, two lab rooms and solar panels, as well as a 100% renewable energy tariff, ensuring a minimum carbon footprint.
Aiming to challenge the notion of waste within the hotel industry, room2 Belfast has also partnered with start-up brand Spared to breathe new life into waste materials, including transforming plastic shampoo bottles into a statement reception desk, which will be visible from the moment guests enter the property and tabletops for the café.
A sustainable, design-led furniture and lighting procurement company where production leftovers are recycled or sent to energy schemes to ensure a zero landfill policy, Dodds & Shute have supplied 90% of the furniture within room2 Belfast including bespoke sofas, headboards and tables. A registered B-Corp and long-term partner of room2, the company adhere to the highest environmental, social and governance standards including setting a new standard for responsible materials, low-impact delivery strategies and championing circular economy design.
A Northern Irish illustrator and well-known, influential figure on the Belfast social scene, Jamie Beard’s work is primarily centred around portraiture. He was commissioned to create a special portrait within the wardrobes of room2 Belfast that conveys the richness of Irish mythology and folklore, bringing it to life and acting as a surprise moment for guests when they reach inside the wardrobe rail, adding another unique feature to the guestrooms. As well as this, room2 has used the unique print in branded collateral, such as for notebooks and postcards available for guests.
Another native artist specialising in fine art paintings, Rebecca’s O’Doherty’s work aims to evoke emotion and spark the imagination. The artist has created a mural for the backdrop of room2 Belfast’s reception that has truly captured the spirit of the hometel, inspired by her original Sitting Room painting. The piece evokes the memories that build up in a home over time, which is what room2 Belfast wanted to bring to the space in line with the hometel concept.
A local Northern Irish lighting company, Mullan designs and manufactures custom light fixtures with a focus on premium design and quality products. With a team of craftspeople that make everything by hand in Mullan Village, the brand has supplied 350 organic ceramic wall lights for the guestrooms, all crafted just 50 miles from the hotel. Inspired by the rural surroundings in the Irish countryside, the ceramic designs reflect the company’s organic roots and sustain the centuries-old tradition of Mullan as a village of makers.
Designer and sustainability enthusiast Jill Gurney meanwhile launched Linen Lane, specialising in lamps, shade and homeware, with a vision to bring eco-friendly fabrics to the modern home. Linen Lane has provided handmade linen lampshades throughout the property, all of which are made in Northern Ireland.
Other sustainable designers and artists involved in room2 Belfast include Alana McDowell, the illustrator and designer responsible for painting every guestroom alongside Obin Specialist Joinery, Potters Thumb, Planq, Kenosis, Merchant & Found, Biohm, Felix Lighting Specialists, Dyke & Dean, Sansho, Clayworks, Resillca, Ege, Baux, Mosaic Factory, Mourne Textiles, Camira Fabrics, Kirkby, Yarn Collective and Tibor Fabrics.
