Gabriella Tóth, head of Coninvest’s furniture division, shares her insights

Materials, wear and tear, maintenance. Things most don’t think through.

When a guest area is handed over, everything is new, clean, and precise. The surfaces are flawless, the joints are tight, and the furniture presents a cohesive look. Most decisions at this stage are about aesthetics—about how the space looks on day one.

The real question, however, isn’t that, but rather what it will look like in one, three, or five years. A guest area isn’t built just once; it continues to be used continuously. And this use leaves its mark on every material.

Not all materials age the same way

The materials used in hospitality are not just aesthetic choices, but functional ones as well. The same surface behaves completely differently depending on the kind of wear and tear it undergoes.

A lacquered wooden tabletop, for example, provides a beautiful, uniform surface at first. However, after a few months of intensive use, micro-scratches, heat marks, and discoloration caused by cleaning agents begin to appear. In contrast, a properly selected, highly wear-resistant surface may not necessarily remain flawless, but it ages more evenly.

The difference is not which material stays “new,” but how it changes.

Wear and tear is not a flaw, but a process

It is important to understand that wear and tear in a guest area is inevitable. The real question is whether this wear and tear occurs in a controlled and aesthetically pleasing manner.

A well-chosen material can age gracefully without losing its value. A poorly chosen surface, on the other hand, quickly becomes stained and uneven, creating a disorganized appearance.

In the case of chairs, for example, it is not uncommon for the heaviest wear to occur not on the seat but on the legs and joints. Constant pulling and moving can loosen the joints over time if the structure is not designed to withstand this.

Maintenance is not an afterthought

One of the most common mistakes is that maintenance is only considered after handover. In reality, however, the sustainability of a guest area is determined as early as the design phase.

A surface that is difficult to clean or sensitive to chemicals will become problematic within a short time. The same is true for hard-to-reach structures or complex joints.

In a well-designed guest area, maintenance is not a compromise but a fundamental principle. Materials and solutions are incorporated that can withstand daily cleaning and remain manageable in the long term.

Usage reshapes the space

The guest area is not a static environment. The movement of guests, the work of staff, and daily foot traffic are constantly reshaping it.

The most wear and tear always occurs where usage is most intense: at entrances, around counters, and along traffic routes. At these points, it’s not enough to think in terms of “attractive” materials; here, solutions designed specifically for durability and heavy use are required.

If these areas aren’t properly managed, the space will very quickly lose its cohesion.

Repairability and renewability

A well-designed guest area isn’t just functional—it’s also sustainable. This means that individual elements can be repaired or updated without having to rebuild the entire space.

Replaceable upholstery, surfaces that can be refinished, or modular furniture are all solutions that offer significant long-term benefits. A guest area is thus not a one-time investment, but a system that can be continuously maintained.

The real question

When designing a guest area, the most important question isn’t how it will look on the first day. Rather, it’s how it will hold up over time.

Materials don’t just appear in a space; they also react to what happens to them. Wear, cleaning, and heavy use all shape them.

Functionality reveals all

Over time, a guest area always reveals how it was designed. Well-thought-out spaces age gracefully, remain manageable, and still look presentable years later.

Less well-thought-out solutions, on the other hand, fall apart quickly. Not all at once, but little by little. A scratch, a stain, a loose structure, then another. And after a while, it’s no longer clear what the original concept was.

The difference doesn’t become truly visible at handover, but during use.