HD Talks

Events

Dress it up

Posted by on March 19, 2013 in Events, Products, Trends

I often wonder, what do designers do when they can’t find that perfect piece to complete their work? That essential piece of art, the wallcovering with just the right sheen and texture; the sofa with a back that curves just so. Sure, we live in a world where we have access to much more, and it seems like everything can be customized, but sometimes it just can’t come together, perhaps due to budget, or timing, or geographic location. And sometimes you just have such a specific, complete image of what you want in your mind, nothing you find in the real world can quite match it. Do you compromise? Do you settle for something that’s almost as good? Do you change your idea entirely?

I’m looking for a dress for my mother to wear to my wedding. My mother is a very fashionable woman, this will be her first time participating in the wedding of one of her children, and her dress has to reflect her vibrant personality and confidence. Continue reading →

And the winner is?

Posted by on March 13, 2013 in Events

I am surrounded by paper. Now that the deadline has passed for the 9th Annual HD Awards, my desk is cluttered with entry forms for the over 400 projects submitted. While making my way through the enormous pile is a daunting task—especially when articles need to be written and edited in between downloads— I also find it rewarding.

As I sit here, unraveling spectacular image after spectacular image for the eager judges, I am once again humbled by our industry’s talent. Whether it’s a luxurious restaurant, zen spa, or mythical hotel dreamed up by a college student bound for one of the country’s best architectural firms, the range of vision is impressive and inspiring.

Like every year, our 2013 judges come from different hospitality realms, bringing a sharp eye and invaluable expertise: Andrew Cohen, principal, Parts and Labor Design; Tag Galyean, founder, TAG Studio; Susan Jaques, designer, Highgate Hotels; Margaret McMahon, VP/managing director, Wimberly Interiors (a design studio of WATG); and Tara Oxley, design director, B.R. Continue reading →

Lessons Learned

Posted by on March 6, 2013 in Events

I am back—inspired and rejuvenated—from our annual HD Summit event at La Costa resort in Carlsbad, California. Our thought camp (our version of Ted) is one of my favorite events of the year. Where else can you get insight and ideas from a composer (who didn’t leave a dry eye in the audience), futurist, behavioral change consultant, business strategist, and a graffiti artist, with sunny Southern California as your backdrop?

I thought a great way to recap the event would be to get feedback from a few of the attendees. (Plus that way we aren’t just tooting our own horn.) Here are a few responses from an email blast I sent out last night asking for their favorite part of the two-day event and any lessons learned from the various speakers:

“I had no idea how informative and helpful each speaker would be with respect to myself and my personal business development. Continue reading →

What Happens in Vegas

Posted by on February 20, 2013 in Events

I was looking at my calendar and realized that this year’s Hospitality Design Exposition & Conference (HD Expo) is less than three months away! We have been working hard to offer a stellar roundup of speakers and panels (some 27 to choose from), so I wanted to pinpoint a few of the highlights.

  • Vote live for the $10,000 top prize at the 7th Annual HD/JHG Radical Innovation in Hospitality Competition after the finalists battle it out Shark Tank style. Have a bold, innovative concept? You can still apply (deadline is March 1st). Click here for more info.
  • Get face time with more than 30 owners, developers, and brand executives for a free-flowing discussion of industry issues, forecasts, ideas, updates, trends, and topics that you bring to the table during the annual HD/ISHP Owners’ Roundtable.
  • Hear MGM Resorts International’s vice president of design and development, Joyen Vakil, discuss incorporating both the right and left brain in guestroom redesigns
  • Innovative chef/restaurateur Michael Cordúa and celebrated designer Jordan Mozer discuss the Houston restaurants they have created—among them Churrascos and Americas—drawing upon their long personal friendship, as well as their mutual love of history, literature, and Latin American culture
  • Listen to a series of Green Talks and conversations with chefs and mixologists at our new Social Hub
  • Get a behind the scenes look at Marquee, one of the most successful nightclubs of all time, with founder Jason Strauss

Hope to see you in Vegas! Continue reading →

Awards Season

Posted by on January 30, 2013 in Events

Now that everyone is back in the swing of things after the new year (I can’t believe it’s almost February!), I wanted to send out a friendly reminder that the new year means awards season here at Hospitality Design.

Have a project that opened/is opening between December of 2011 and March 1st of this year? Don’t miss the March 4th deadline to submit it for the 9th Annual HD Awards. Categories range from hotel and restaurant to resort and hospitality debut. Winners and finalists will be honored at a gala on June 5th at the Grand Hyatt New York, and will be featured in the June issue of HD. For an entry form and rules, click here.

And for those of you always thinking of the next big idea, we are looking for entries for this year’s JHG/HD Radical Innovation in Hospitality competition. Finalists, selected by an esteemed jury, battle it out for top honors and a $10,000 cash prize live (a la Shark Tank) during a session at the 2013 Hospitality Design Exposition & Conference (HD Expo), May 15-17th at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Continue reading →