Luxury Hoteliers Magazine 2nd Quarter 2016 | Page 26

reveal themselves to inhabitants as a series of seamless experiences with relevance on many levels that dissolve ordinary perceptions into a symphony of continuous comfort and sensory pleasure .
But allow me to say this : The goals are still simple- the best possible value in the end product for the right amount of investment equals a proper rate of return . Common sense must prevail .
The Antoinette Photo : Patricia Chang
Although design is more critical than ever , I strongly advocate level of service and accessibility a close equal in what makes for a successful end product .
The difference between the mediocre and the magnificent is as simple as thinking about interior concepts in terms of people , not product . loop . Like a boy scout- we like to be prepared .
Presumably the client has given us a program of what they need , voiced their deepest desires , and now it ’ s up to us to exceed their expectations .
Many of my clients so enjoy the process – they want to participate in every step of the journey- but there are still the chosen few that are only interested in the final outcome .
It ’ s about the proper balance . It ’ s vital to remember we are indeed a service industry , and we deliver a product on time , on budget with ideally a very
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happy ending for all .
Caesar ’ s Palace Villa
After all , the greatest measure of success for any design solution is based upon the human response .
How do you believe design in the luxury hotel space has changed over the last ten years and where do you think we are going ?
With the uncontrollable influx of media inserting itself into our daily lives the level of expectation from the consumer is higher than ever .
Also , with the numerous options available the competition is fierce . I still believe that interiors must
What have been a couple of your proudest moments in your 20 years in global hospitality design ?
There are several things that invoke personal pride and it ’ s not always only a spectacular finished product .
Many of the designers I have mentored over the years have gone forward to realize their own successes . That feels good . I want to be their biggest cheerleader .
Restoring an unkempt Paul Williams classic estate in Bel-Air a few years ago was a dream come true . From Grey Gardens to a featured 65 million dollar property was no small feat . 3 years with much blood , sweat and tears .
Over 20 hotels and resorts for one client over the span of 30 years , Disney is easily one of the many reasons I am here . They were truly my first supporters .
The design / build of the Venezia Tower at the Venetian Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas .
No one had any real idea what the finished product was going to be , but the faith and professionalism of the