What is Crating?

In 2018, the Russell Hotel reopened as The Principal London after an extensive renovation, for which we produced more than 1600 frames of various sizes and framing styles for guest rooms, corridors, public spaces, and its famous Neptune restaurant, said to be almost identical to the RMS Titanic’s dining room. In same year, the Principal Hotel Company sold 12 hotels in its portfolio (including The Principal London), and the hotel was renamed the Kimpton London, an event that prompted a revision of all guestrooms’ artworks. This involved on-site work, where we were tasked to go inside all guest rooms, remove existing frames, swap the artwork, and put the frames back. The job was completed in less than four weeks, while we maintained highest quality and efficiency, during which the hotel remained open throughout.

We recognise that, sometimes, high volume jobs may require a different approach and to work alongside a wider group of people while representing our clients. We are committed and confident to offer our framing expertise not only confined to our production facilities, but also to whichever place the artistic vision demands it.

For almost a decade, one of the most prestigious and expensive buildings in Manchester was laying empty, until being converted into a hotel in 1996. Twenty-three years later, The Principal hotel was refurbished, and we were tasked by our client to carry out the re-framing project. We were required to work on-site, remove existing frames from each guestroom, swap the artwork, and reinstall the frames. It was a significant undertaking given the fact that the frames, almost 1100 in total, were mostly large but also within a very short timescale.

Not only were we successful, working with the hotel’s management and staff to seamlessly replace all artwork while the hotel was still running, but we also undertook additional unplanned work restoring damaged old frames by cleaning and reinforcing them, which ultimately resulted in the additional scope of over 150 frames for public areas.

A budget-led project of over 800 frames requiring us to print and frame for all of the bathrooms within the hotel.

Another sizeable project consisting of over 1500 frames for all the guest rooms and public areas. This project used the full extent of our production capabilities to include printing and framing of canvas artwork, to the high-end framing of signed Picasso prints.

The project had a crucial deadline of 6 weeks, and as always, we delivered right on time, ready for the installation team in Kazakhstan.

This project had several phases, each with different framing and timescale requirements, and remained active for over a year. During that time, we maintained close cooperation with our client, offering day-to-day framing solutions to ever-evolving décor requirements producing 900 frames for the guestrooms and restaurant spaces. 

Our mission is to remain dedicated until the very last frame, which is why we were committed to produce the last 72 bespoke high-end frames and transport them from UK to France in under four days. Consequently, the hotel’s restaurant went on to be elected as the best designed restaurant in Europe 2019, by AHEAD – the Awards for Hospitality, Experience and Design. 

The 5-star 251 room hotel Guangzhou Rosewood Hotel in China was a major single-phase project, incorporating all the guest rooms with a further seven restaurant and lounge areas. In total, around 1600 pieces were made, including 3x3m feature canvases all of which had to be safely crated ready for shipping, adhering to Chinese import conditions. Artwork was acquired from across the world from Australia to the United States with Ultimat handling the import administration throughout.

As a result, in a single shipment, over 20 crates were delivered on time by air-freight, with every piece of work received in perfect condition and all to the exact specification and it was this precision and accountability to which we worked that secured future work with this client.

A project of 150 individually styled frames. This was a fast-paced production process from the point of quotation to manufacturing and delivery. Each phase lasted less than a week, requiring precision and careful pre-planning. Despite the tight deadlines, everything was delivered on time and installed ready for the launch of the hotel.

We are proud to have been involved in the most extensive renovation of one of the grandest London’s hotels in its 115 years-long history, by producing around 200 frames for majestic public areas and a fully renovated spa centre. We were tasked to frame some of the most intricate antique pieces and works of art from all over the world, all exclusively done in conservation-grade materials, and to the highest quality.

Unfortunately, in June 2018, a fire broke out which was mainly confined to the exterior courtyard area of the hotel with some impact on the interiors, all of which was decorated with our frames. We were tasked again, this time to receive over 50 frames that were damaged by fire, closely inspect and recover the artwork, and re-frame them to the original specification.

One of the most technically challenging projects, that required the bespoke framing of 150 original artworks and objects – from limited prints, canvas paintings, to paper and textile sculptures, designated for decorating public areas in a newly built hotel in Dubai – All exclusively manufactured in conservation-grade materials, and to the highest quality. We were tasked with receiving the artwork and various objects from all over the world, closely inspect each piece upon its arrival for any potential transport-related damage, preparing it, and suggesting the best framing solutions in accordance with the art direction.
Although, the guestroom pieces were done by local framers in Dubai, we were chosen for the public areas, not only because we could deliver the budget, but because we were technically capable of offering solutions for the framing of artworks with values totalling many hundreds of thousands of US Dollars. With decades of experience our mission has always been to maintain the highest level of production and quality control.

As one of the Tribute Portfolio hotels, within the Mariott Group, The Reach in Manchester was all about providing stunning feature pieces to the communal areas of this boutique hotel. The foundations of the Tribute Portfolio hotels are that whilst they part of a wider group, each is treated independently with its own character and history.
The Reach was adorned with a spectacular 2.4 x 3m multi-panel glass artwork. Whilst our client had an overview concept, in order to achieve sign-off, we produced 3D renders with 180-degree walk-around so that the client had a complete understanding of what this unique piece of work would look like. Additional pieces were manufactured including a 5m x 2.4m acrylic map of the area with embedded magnets allowing guests to mark local restaurants and attractions along with hand-written reviews for other guests to enjoy.
With a VIP event imminent and with the building works falling behind, we were given a 48 hour window in which to install these specialist pieces alongside restaurant and bar artworks, all of which was delivered and carried out on time allowing for a very happy group of investors!

One of the most technically challenging projects, that required the bespoke framing of 150 original artworks and objects – from limited prints, canvas paintings, to paper and textile sculptures, designated for decorating public areas in a newly built hotel in Dubai – All exclusively manufactured in conservation-grade materials, and to the highest quality. We were tasked with receiving the artwork and various objects from all over the world, closely inspect each piece upon its arrival for any potential transport-related damage, preparing it, and suggesting the best framing solutions in accordance with the art direction.

Although, the guestroom pieces were done by local framers in Dubai, we were chosen for the public areas, not only because we could deliver the budget, but because we were technically capable of offering solutions for the framing of artworks with values totalling many hundreds of thousands of US Dollars. With decades of experience our mission has always been to maintain the highest level of production and quality control.