Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 45
FLYING HIGH
E L D ER & AS H ' S UN I QUE AP P ROACH DE F I ES EX P E C TAT I ON S
By Katie Kervin
OCCUPY I NG TWO HI S TOR IC HOMES, THE BL I ND TI GER IN PORTL AND, MA I NE
SHOWCASES ELDER & ASH ' S KNACK FOR MELD I NG PAT TERN , COLOR, AND TE X TURE
Intent on delivering experiences rather than
simply design, Elder & Ash principals Robert Blood
and Megan Kennedy point to their background
as the owners and operators at the helm of Lark
Hotels as a unique advantage for their Amesbury,
Massachusetts-based design fi rm. While the married
pair seemingly have their hands in all aspects of
their properties, Kennedy explains that they also
" know what they don't know. " It's part of the reason
(along with the dynamic growth of their Lark Hotels
and Bluebird by Lark portfolios) they have recently
expanded their team-bringing on interiors associate
Tory Carbajal, senior designer Alejandro Huertas
Rivera, and project manager John Beninghof.
Several of the fi rm's projects-including Lark
Hotels' emerging Blind Tiger brand with its newest
location in Asheville, North Carolina-were honored
at the 2023 Gold Key Awards, striking the judges
with their layered design approach and embrace of
their locations. Here, Kennedy and Blood detail their
creative approach and plans for the future.
Tell us about the origins of Elder & Ash.
ROB BLOOD: I founded Lark in 2012. We used to
work with this wonderful designer (and still do for
some projects) named Rachel Reider. She's out of
Boston, and she designed the fi rst 13 or so Lark
hotels. We started to grow more quickly and design
became a bottleneck for Lark and Megan. I had been
somewhat on the sidelines doing everything else-
giving her input, working on the brand, working on
story-and at that point [in 2017] we decided to jump
into it. Elder & Ash was born from necessity, but also
because we felt like we had a different perspective
to bring to the table having been operators, owners,
and developers.
MEGAN KENNEDY: We were up for a hotel
management contract at that time, too. [And
because] Lark was very pretty but not sexy, they
were nervous that we weren't able to do anything
other than the New England-style bed and breakfast
These particular people wanted something a little
more edgy. That got us going. We don't want all
of our hotels look identical. It's important that
HO S P ITA L IT YD E S I GN . COM
45
http://www.hospitalitydesign.com
Boutique Design - Winter 2023
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Boutique Design - Winter 2023
From the Editor
Front of House: BDNY Recap
Gold Key 2023 Winners and Finalists
2023 Designer of the Year: Elder & Ash
The Source: Best of BDNY Product Design Competition
Products to Know Now
Checking In
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - Cover1
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - Cover2
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 1
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - From the Editor
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 3
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - Front of House: BDNY Recap
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 5
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 6
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 7
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 8
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 9
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - Gold Key 2023 Winners and Finalists
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 11
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 12
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 13
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 14
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 15
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 16
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 17
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 18
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 19
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 20
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 21
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 22
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 23
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 24
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 25
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 26
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 27
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 28
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 29
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 30
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 31
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 32
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 33
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 34
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 35
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 36
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 37
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 38
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 39
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 40
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 41
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 42
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 43
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 2023 Designer of the Year: Elder & Ash
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 45
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 46
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 47
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - The Source: Best of BDNY Product Design Competition
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 49
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 50
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 51
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 52
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 53
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 54
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 55
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 56
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 57
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - Products to Know Now
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 59
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 60
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 61
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 62
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 63
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 64
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 65
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 66
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 67
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 68
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 69
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 70
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 71
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 72
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - 73
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - Cover3
Boutique Design - Winter 2023 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/boutiquedesign/202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/boutiquedesign/202311
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/boutiquedesign/202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/boutiquedesign/202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/boutiquedesign/2021winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/boutiquedesign/2021fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/boutiquedesign/2021spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/boutiquedesign/2020winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/boutiquedesign/2020fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/boutiquedesign/2020spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/boutiquedesign/201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/boutiquedesign/201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/boutiquedesign/201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/boutiquedesign/201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/boutiquedesign/20190708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/boutiquedesign/201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/boutiquedesign/201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/boutiquedesign/201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/boutiquedesign/201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/boutiquedesign/20190102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20180708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20180102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20130102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20121112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20120910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20120708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20120506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20120304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20120102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20111112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20110910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20110708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20110506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20110304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20110102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20101112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20100910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/emerald/boutiquedesign_20100708
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com