Procuring the furnishings and decor for a renowned Auckland hotel

When the renowned QT Hotel Group announced its intention to open the doors to its third location in New Zealand, on Auckland’s Viaduct, there was a buzz of anticipation. Already well-known across Aotearoa from its two hotels in Wellington and Queenstown, QT aimed to once again add its ‘signature touch of quirk’ to the interior design of this new location – one that suits the upmarket but bustling vibe of Auckland’s waterfront.

One of the first stepping stones toward achieving this was onboarding Nic Graham of Nic Graham and Associates, an interior design studio based in Australia, to lead the interior design for both the public spaces and the guestrooms of the hotel. An expert in hotel interiors and a longtime QT collaborator, Nic was tasked with manifesting a particular theme: an oyster shell; a rough outside combined with a seductive, polished interior – a metaphor for a repurposed inner city building.

The client and developer, Russell Property Group, also resolved to bring on a separate team of procurement specialists to collaborate with Nic, who could source items, liaise with manufacturers and deliver the specific custom furniture pieces, joinery and other supplies needed to make the vision a reality.

This is where Statement iD came in. An Auckland-based specialist procurement company, Statement iD has a depth of expertise in Furniture, Fixture & Equipment (FF&E) and Operational Supplies and Equipment (OS&E) procurement services, especially in the hotel and hospitality spaces – and their expertise in the Auckland market made them a natural fit for the QT project.

The procurement team enhances the design process with a thorough understanding of FF&E and OS&E. Sourcing for a hotel of QT Auckland’s size meant the procurement of a lot of items, says Tracy Cook-Kelland, the director of Statement iD.

“Specifically, this is everything from the furniture, to the joinery, to all things decorative – and this included the guestrooms and the public spaces,” says Tracy. “OS&E included all of the operating equipment, including that for housekeeping, kitchen and dining ware.

“This encompassed the bar, the restaurant, the conference areas, right through to the lobby, corridors and public space bathrooms.”

Such an undertaking requires a deft hand in leadership and frequent, quality collaboration between each different stakeholder. While Statement iD are experts in sourcing the right item for the right purpose, they must do so with careful guidance from the client, the interior designer, the developer, and others. It is always a balance of budget considerations, timelines and the design intent.

“We worked very closely with the client – the hotel group – and Nic primarily, as well as the executive chef, Sean Connelly, who had a very specific brief for what he wanted in the kitchen.

“And bear in mind: almost all of this was done over Zoom, because it was during the first lockdown in 2020. So that was an extra challenge, but this just made it more evident how good the collaboration was between each team.”

Of course the project was not without its challenges, the least of which was working around Covid. Statement iD provides an entire turnkey solution, which includes not only procurement but installation as well – and there were a few notable hoops to jump through to ensure this was done smoothly.

The team needed to ensure bespoke steel and stone items were designed to fit within the lifts: this meant making special trolleys to transport wardrobes and minibars into place.

“Some of our wardrobes, for example, were huge and heavy, and we had to fit them in the lifts. And we were often given specific timeframes – often evenings and weekends – to install,” says Tracy. “But once we got into the groove of things, it was just like any other project: going through every room, installing everything, signing it off, and making sure it's all ready to go.

“Quality delivery is something our team understands intimately, we see through the install of every item for sign off and handover. Thorough planning and project management are so important in our business as well as an eye for detail and an ability to forward plan for any limitations well ahead of time.”

And it was all for a great payoff: Tracy says Nic’s signature style was a joy to procure for, and that she loves to return regularly to the QT to enjoy the space.

“It was a really fun project to work through, and we really enjoyed working with the hotel team led by Doron Waite, they were amazing. Seeing all the different art and furniture and colours on display – from a design perspective, it looks superb,” Tracy says.

“I work on a lot of hotels, but it’s not every day you get to work on such a cool project like the QT Viaduct Harbour.”

Learn more about Statement iD.