Boutique Design - June 2018 - 84

enterprISIng
energy
Parker-Torres cofounder Miriam Torres shares
insider knowledge on how much midnight oil
it took to launch a design studio and how she's
earned her place as one-to-watch in today's
competitive hospitality design industry.
IntervIew by Sar ah ChaplIn

What aRE thE biggEst challEngEs you facE as a dEsign
fiRm managER?

Meeting the needs of my clients while managing my designers' time is
a big concern as our firm continues to grow. I don't want my team to
burn out, especially when we're inundated with projects and working
with very tight timelines. Luckily, Barbara, as well as our associate
principal and design director Ellen Bourque Johnson and I, are all hard
workers and good delegators, so our team is dedicated to getting
everything done on budget and on time.
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hoW do you sEE youR cliEnts' nEEds and pRioRitiEs changing?

I think they don't prioritize in-person interaction as much since email has
become so prevalent. We love building personal connections with clients, and
now sometimes we have to get creative when looking for ways to form them.
hoW do you maintain a WoRk-lifE balancE?

I don't! Owning a firm is a 24/7 job. It's one of my biggest challenges right now.
Whenever I have an opening event I have to travel to, I try to bring my family
along with me and stay for a couple days with them after.
What's thE biggEst dEsign Risk you'vE takEn on a pRojEct?

When renovating The Phoenician, a Luxury Collection Resort in Scottsdale,
Arizona, we took a major risk by suggesting removing an iconic fountain from
the middle of the resort's lobby. The ownership team was hesitant at first, but
once we convinced them, it definitely paid off. The new space is open and
features a combination of a bar, lobby and lounge that allows guests to take in
the property's magnificent surroundings while relaxing or enjoying a drink. It's
an ideal social space that capitalizes on the Phoenician's gorgeous views.
aRE you intEREstEd in opEning othER officEs?

Yes, in Puerto Rico. I want to support the area after the devastating effects of
Hurricane Maria last year by driving tourism towards the island. I'm from
Puerto Rico, and its beautiful environment has always been a source of inspiration for me. 

E m i ly R o s c o E

after makIng a name for herself in the design community
abroad in the early 2000s, Miriam Torres set her sights on the U.S.
luxury hotel market. Following 20 years of working at separate
design firms in Boston, she and Barbara Parker cofounded ParkerTorres Design in 2004, focusing primarily on hotel renovation work
in the early years. "I had to build up my design identity in America,
and I realized breaking into the luxury market here would be more
difficult," says the Puerto Rican native. "Barbara and I worked well
into wee hours many times trying to overcome this hurdle, and
would be back in the office at 4 in the morning. The long hours and
sleepless nights paid off once we got facetime with clients and were
able to present our work to them. Barbara and I have great chemistry, so we shine in meetings."
This drive and commitment to the process bore fruit as the duo
began to build a client base and land more high-profile work. "The
Willard InterContinental [in Washington, D.C.] and The Fairmont
Copley Plaza [in Boston] were major turning points for us in terms of
breaking into the luxury market," says Torres (shown here at the
Boston Park Plaza hotel, which her firm renovated). "Now, we're taking
on the creation of property-wide interiors for upscale and luxury
hotels frequently, such as at the new InterContinental Washington
D.C. at the Wharf, which opened last year."

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Boutique Design - June 2018

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