Hospitality Design: What I've Learned

Growing up in a small town in central Minnesota, Chantell Walsh’s creativity took the form of graph paper floorplans and endless hours outdoors inventing adventures. A pivotal job shadow at local architecture firm KKE Architects during high school solidified her path. After earning her degree in architecture, Walsh landed in Chicago, working under a mentor who taught her to embrace process over pe...

For more than two decades, AvroKO has pushed the boundaries of what it means to be a design firm. Founded by longtime friends Greg Bradshaw, Adam Farmerie, Kristina O’Neal, and William Harris, the multidisciplinary studio has earned a reputation for its richly layered interiors, holistic approach, and narrative-driven process. From launching self-propelled projects like Ghost Donkey and Host on Ho...

Raised in Sault Ste. Marie, a small industrial town in Northern Ontario, Craig Stanghetta grew up surrounded by hospitality—his family owned the city’s oldest hotel. Though initially drawn to theater, he worked as a professional actor until he found the same sense of connection in the world of design. His first project, the Chinese brasserie Bao Bei in Vancouver’s Chinatown, solidified the career...

As senior leaders shaping the future of Hyatt's wellness-focused brand Miraval, Sarah Klymson and Simon Marxer bring complementary expertise to the table: Klymson is a trained architect and global design strategist, while Marxer is a veteran spa and wellbeing innovator with roots at Canyon Ranch and Red Flower. Since Hyatt’s acquisition of Miraval in 2017, the duo has worked together to evolv...

Growing up in a small town outside Providence, Rhode Island, Dr. Jonathan Leary always had big dreams. At a young age, he had plotted to move to Los Angeles and pursue a career in medicine, despite never having visited the city. Those dreams evolved as he explored ways of helping people on a deeper level—not just improving their physical health but enhancing their lifestyle. After completing his u...

Caroline and Sabri Farouki, partners behind New Orleans-based studio Farouki Farouki , bring a personal and global perspective to their practice.  Caroline grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana in a home designed by Louisiana architect A. Hays Town, known for pioneering reusing materials. Surrounded by antiques and architectural details, her passion for design started early. She studied architecture in...

Suchi Reddy’s creative journey began in Chennai, India, where she grew up in a vibrant home curated by her mother—think scenic wallpaper, terrazzo floors embedded with marble fragments, and a rich mix of textures. Surrounded by gardens and books, Reddy developed an early sensitivity to how environments shape our sense of self. That awareness grew into a passion for architecture, which she pursued...

Born in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa, Jacu Strauss’ early years were marked by his imagination—crafting dollhouses from wine boxes and drawing urban streetscapes in the dirt. With limited access to TV or the internet, he turned to encyclopedias and magazines to fuel an inner world that laid the foundation for his future. At 18, he left for London on what was meant to be a brief gap year. It...

As founder of his eponymous New York firm , visionary architect Morris Adjmi's work is deeply rooted in a respect for heritage while embracing innovation. With a career shaped by early experiences working alongside Pritzker Prize-winning architect Aldo Rossi, Adjmi developed a distinct approach that balances modern aesthetics anchored in a deep understanding of architectural and cultural hist...

From her childhood in Larchmont, New York to leading a renowned wellness company, Cathy O'Brien’s wide-ranging career spans the music industry as well as the beauty and wellness sectors, where she helped rethink brand strategies at luxury companies like Jo Malone. Driven by her vision for holistic wellness and inspired by her own health challenges, O'Brien came to  Naturopathica  in 2022...

When Jason Brown and Brad Guidi joined forces to create hospitality real estate private equity firm Blue Flag Capital , they weren’t just building hotels—they were crafting experiences rooted in storytelling, design, and a sense of place. Their journey began with a bold vision on Nantucket and has since expanded to destinations from Martha’s Vineyard to Jackson Hole. With a philosophy of hospitali...

Growing up  in Brooklyn, lifelong friends Matthew Sears and Darius Davie started their entrepreneurial journey thanks to a shared passion for design, grooming, and community. Enter Groom Guy , their take on a luxury salon concept that blends wellness with hospitality. Davie, a former hairstylist, envisioned Groom Guy as a resource hub for men’s self care, while Sears—who has a background in financ...

A driving force behind the evolution of Las Vegas dining scene and beyond, Elizabeth Blau began her F&B journey under the legendary Sirio Maccioni at Le Cirque in New York.  That foundation propelled her to Las Vegas in the late ‘90s, where she played a crucial role in transforming the city into a culinary powerhouse. Today, as founder and CEO of Blau Associates , she continues to shape the fu...

Icelandic hotelier Sigurlaug Sverrisdóttir has built a reputation for her innovative approach to creating immersive guest experiences. Growing up in a small town near Reykjavik, she developed a deep connection to Iceland’s rugged natural beauty, a bond that would later shape her career. After nearly two decades with Icelandic Airline, Sigurlaug returned to Iceland in 2013, where she transformed a...

From working in a butcher shop as a child to immersing himself in the world of art and architecture, Vincent Celano’s upbringing in Brooklyn, New York instilled in him a love of storytelling and a deep appreciation for the power of design. After graduating from Pratt Institute, he cut his teeth at design giants like Rockwell Group, Jeffrey Beers International, and ICRAVE, where he honed his craft...

Matt Goodrich, principal of his New York-based design studio Goodrich , has cultivated an approach that is rooted in collaboration, curiosity, and pursuing the unexpected. With a career that spans more than two decades, including stints at Rockwell Group and AvroKO, Goodrich’s perspective champions the art of storytelling. Since founding his eponymous firm in 2017, Goodrich, who was recently named...

Revisit our conversation with prolific designer Tara Bernerd, founder of  her eponymous London-based firm Tara Bernerd & Partners. Back in 2020, as the world was facing an unprecedented pandemic, Tara shared how her team was navigating Covid, as well as detailed her work on projects including the Hari Hong Kong. This year, Tara was guest editor of our November 2024 issue, where she and her tea...

Having lived across continents—from Hong Kong to Houston and Singapore to Pakistan—Aliya Khan’s upbringing instilled a appreciation for culture, architecture, and art. After studying architecture at Pratt Institute in New York, Khan began her career in residential design before transitioning to the hospitality industry, working for Starwood Hotels & Resorts (now Marriott), helping launch brand...

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Tom Ito, a third-generation Japanese-American, was destined to be in the hospitality industry. He worked at his grandparents’ restaurant when he was young, and he was also inspired by his parents—his father was a bartender-turned-restaurant GM and his mother worked as a hostess. He joined Gensler nearly 40 years ago, launching the firm’s hospitality practice in the...

Born in Chicago and raised in Arizona, Sam Fox’ s early experiences working in his parents’ diners, Mexican restaurants, and delis shaped his understanding of the industry. He dropped out of the University of Arizona, where he was studying real estate finance, to pursue his passion, using his tuition money to open his first restaurant—all before he turned 21. Now, with a vast portfolio of successf...

Raised for much of his childhood in Connecticut before moving to New York as a teenager, John Meadow developed a love for hospitality at a young age. He got his start as a dishwasher and sandwich maker at Au Bon Pain before attending Cornell’s hotel school. By 24, he opened his first restaurant, and in 2008, launched Scarpetta, which won accolades for its refined yet unpretentious take on Italian...

Settling in Seattle as a Vietnamese refugee, My Nguyen began her 22-year design career as an intern for Holland America Line followed by nearly nine years at NB Design Group. Now, Nguyen leads the interior design and interior asset management teams for Holland America Line and Seabourn fleets. Through her commitment to sustainability, Nguyen has pushed boundaries in the cruise industry, transformi...

Juan Bremer has a deep connection to nature that has shaped his journey into the world of luxury hospitality. Growing up as the son of an ambassador, Bremer’s early years were a whirlwind of cultures, spanning Moscow, Germany, and Mexico. (Today, he splits his time between Mexico and Italy.) This multicultural upbringing instilled in him an appreciation for diverse environments and languages, a fo...

Born in Florence and raised between Switzerland and Northern California, David Montalba, founder of Montalba Architects , was exposed to many different cultures growing up, which is evident in his work today from the rustic yet refined Whitepod eco-chalets in Monthey Switzerland to the bespoke Nobu Palo Alto in California. Today—with offices in Santa Monica, California; New York; and Lausanne, Swi...

Eric Papachristos, who lived in Greece before returning to the U.S. at age 10, spent his life in restaurants, working at his father's diner as a dishwasher. It made sense, then, that his path would lead him back to hospitality after earning a degree in finance. With a keen eye for collaboration, Papachristos joined forces with celebrated chef Jody Adams to open Greek restaurant Trade Boston i...