Boutique Design New York (BDNY) is an annual trade fair that covers what's happening now in hospitality and leisure design. Taking place at the Javits Center in New York City during mid-November, the latest of what's new and now in boutique design is exhibited on the show floor that features over 750 curated displays from manufacturers or supplier representatives covering 132,000 square feet. Attendance is estimated to be around 8,000 and includes architects, interior designers, hospitality business owners, hotel operators, and executives with purchasing power. Exhibitor products range from fabrics, furnishings, and floorings, to carpeting, lighting, and wall coverings. Bath and spa, accessories, and artwork are also on display. Together, everything culminates into items the industry hopes will impress guests worldwide at clubs, on cruise ships, and in hotels, restaurants, and spas.
There are several seminars that focus on the latest industry trends. What's great about the experience for the average employee – especially now – is that with so many of us working remotely and on the road, BDNY offers a good preview of what you can expect from several well-known hospitality properties and venues that span the globe. Yet, providing insights into how they aim to make your stay more seamless is no longer the only goal on their to-do list. Many of these companies are also aiming to increase employee retention for themselves. This revelation, much to our delight, is that while they aspire to create the ideal guest experience, many organizations are also committed to making these workplaces enjoyable for staff as well.
During a quick stroll of the massive show floor, numerous design trends became apparent. Manufacturers of all forms continue to pursue vivid color palettes and contemporary looks to create warmth in the spaces they inhabit. The design goal of providing a welcoming, residential, and even local feel remains top of mind. An increase in innovative rooftop bar concepts and outdoor spaces was also more prevalent than years past. Coupled with the use of more greenery/natural-themed products, there continues to be push toward making the most of these nurturing elements both outdoors and inside.
We dropped by two sessions during the conference that focused on spaces designed with engagement in mind, highlighting food and beverage. The first one, “The Recipe for Success,” featured a panelist discussion on how to create beautiful and engaging spaces. Moderated by Michelle Finn, president of HMG LLC, speakers included Architect Andre Kikoski; Designer Clodagh; Kavita Iver, Senior Manager Design, Globaldesign, Marriott International; and Joyce Romanoff, CEO, Maya Romanoff.
Insights from the panel ran the gamut in terms how to design the ultimate guest experience. For Romanoff, luxury is key. Her company actually started out focused on residential properties then moved on to hospitality after the industry came calling for its handcrafted wall coverings. “They realized people want a better experience than their own home,” she explains. “Guests want it to be a luxury, they want to be pampered. So you're going to put your luxe finishes where you need to have the most impact, and you're going to put the value engineer product (that's still amazing) in the areas where you have the budget.”
Clodagh concurred, adding that perceived value is very important when you have a low budget. “Keep higher-priced items where people actually touch and sit,” she says, “but also, think about acoustics. I love to go out to dinner not just to eat but to have a conversation too. Yet I find that most restaurant designers are ignoring this, so you go out to listen and babble and you can't have a conversation.” It's not about value engineering, she asserts, it's about thinking. “Because acoustic materials aren't necessarily very expensive at all.”
Kikoski thinks that in general a hospitality space doesn't have to be made from beautiful, expensive material. “It just has to be thoughtful and put together in a beautiful way. There's really something about the soul of it all,” he explains. “That comes from designers knowing the materials they are specifying and also what our clients want.” He credits his education for showing him that design is possibilities and limitless, but he also emphasized how important imagination is in almost everything.