Hotel art procurement is the process a hotel uses to buy wall art for its guest rooms, corridors, lobbies and common areas: writing the brief, getting quotes, approving the artwork, paying, and managing delivery and reorders. This guide is for hotel owners, procurement teams, FF&E specialists and interior designers buying art for a new build, a renovation or a refresh.
To see artwork chosen for hospitality spaces, browse the hotel wall art collection.
Key Takeaways
Hotel art procurement starts with a brief: room types, room counts, wall sizes, palette and install date.
Wall art is usually bought as part of the FF&E budget, alongside furniture and lighting.
A supplier that makes every piece to order can match sizes and frames across hundreds of rooms and reorder the same pieces later.
At Buy Wall Art, orders of 10 or more pieces qualify for project pricing through the bulk wall art quote page.
Who Handles Hotel Art Procurement?
Who buys the art depends on the size of the project:
Independent and boutique hotels: often the owner, general manager or interior designer.
Larger hotels and hotel groups: a procurement team, an FF&E purchasing firm or an art consultant, working from the designer's specification.
Interior designers: specify the art and often place the order for the client. Designers can apply to the Buy Wall Art trade program.
The Hotel Art Procurement Process
Write the brief. List every room type, how many of each, the wall sizes and the look the art needs to match.
Request quotes. Send the brief to suppliers. A quote should list the artwork, formats, sizes, price per piece and production timeline.
Review samples or mockups. Check colour, frame and scale before committing to a large order.
Approve the selection. Confirm artwork, sizes, formats and quantities in writing.
Pay and schedule production. Payment terms and the production timeline are set in the quote.
Receive and install. Pieces that arrive ready to hang save installation time.
Plan reorders. Record which piece hangs where so replacements match.
What to Include in a Hotel Art Brief
Room types (guest rooms, suites, corridors, lobby, elevator landings, restaurant) and the number of each
Wall dimensions, or the art size needed for each wall
Palette, brand guidelines and the style of the property
Preferred format: stretched canvas, framed canvas or framed fine art paper
Frame colour
Budget per piece or per room
Install date and delivery address
For sizing each space, see the standard hotel wall art sizes guide.
How Wall Art Fits the Hotel FF&E Budget
FF&E stands for furniture, fixtures and equipment. Wall art is usually one line in that budget, so it is planned alongside furniture and lighting rather than bought separately at the end. Setting the art budget early stops it from being cut when other items run over. The guide to FF&E in interior design explains how wall art fits in.
Planning the Procurement Timeline
Art is often one of the last items installed, so the timeline gets squeezed. Work back from the install date and leave time for the quote, samples, approval, production and delivery. At Buy Wall Art, the production timeline is confirmed in writing in the quote, and smaller orders typically take 3–5 business days to produce.
Reorders and Replacement Pieces
Artwork in guest rooms and corridors gets damaged over time. Made-to-order production means the same design, size and frame can be ordered again, so a replacement matches the rest of the room. Many hotels also order a few spare pieces for the highest-traffic spots. For how hotels keep art the same across every room and property, see how hotels standardize artwork across multiple rooms.
Choosing a Hotel Art Supplier
Look for a supplier that can quote by room type, hold the same sizes and frames across a large order, confirm a production timeline in writing, and reorder the same pieces later. The checklist in what to look for in a commercial wall art supplier covers this in detail.
Buy Wall Art makes wall art in three formats: stretched canvas, framed canvas and framed fine art paper, in 11x14, 16x20, 18x24 and 24x36 inches, with 30x40 and 36x48 inches on select artwork and custom sizes for commercial orders. Every piece is made to order, UV-printed and ready to hang, with free shipping across Canada and the U.S. Project orders are paid by invoice by email or by e-transfer.
To choose a supplier, see hotel art suppliers: what to look for. For guest room picks, see bulk wall art for hotels.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is hotel art procurement?
Hotel art procurement is the process of buying wall art for a hotel's guest rooms, corridors, lobbies and common areas, from writing the brief and requesting quotes to approving the artwork, paying, and managing delivery and reorders.
Who handles art procurement for a hotel?
Art procurement for a hotel is handled by the owner, general manager or interior designer at smaller properties, and by a procurement team, FF&E purchasing firm or art consultant at larger hotels and hotel groups.
What should a hotel art brief include?
A hotel art brief should include each room type and how many of each, the wall sizes, the palette and brand guidelines, the preferred format and frame colour, the budget per piece or per room, and the install date and delivery address.
Is wall art part of a hotel's FF&E budget?
Yes, wall art is usually part of a hotel's FF&E budget, which covers furniture, fixtures and equipment. Planning the art budget alongside furniture and lighting keeps it from being cut late in the project.
Where can hotels buy wall art for a procurement project?
Hotels can buy wall art for a procurement project from Buy Wall Art (buywallart.ca), which makes stretched canvas, framed canvas and framed fine art paper prints to order, with free shipping across Canada and the U.S. Orders of 10 or more pieces qualify for project pricing.
