Boutique Design - October 2018 - 74

room and we got rid of the valance. In the lobby, I
insisted on an objectively inefficient layout for the
coffee shop. We decided on a large cypress slab in the
center of the space, which feels like a residential
kitchen table. But, it created a communal reference
that people from every culture get. Ideas like that
allowed us to deliver a warm and inclusive space that
make you want to pull up a chair and stay a while.
Good design isn't earth-shattering. It's more like,
"Aw, man, this doesn't feel good. How do we make it
feel better?" Design shouldn't be obvious; it should
work in the background.
SG: WhAt WAS thE bIGGESt INItIAL chALLENGE
fOr yOu?

6

7

Db: The infrastructure is absolutely tiny. My past life
was in much larger companies where I had a big team.
There was a support structure for everything. A start-up
can't afford that. Every single person who joins our team
is personally chosen to make sure they get it. I refuse
to hire a "yes" person. I think it makes my life 100 times
harder because I end up with this really passionate,
engaged, dynamic team. Everybody wants to challenge
everything all of the time. It's hard to manage that
environment, but I really get some incredible results
from it. We all push and fight, but we also learn to
collaborate. That's how you make sure things get better
and better. Being on your own means you get to throw
away the rule book and do what you believe in.
SG: For me, too, MADE Hotels is a very personal project.

I hired people who share my vision, but also have their
own thoughts. MADE looks nice and feels nice as a
result of tons of conflict. Our process is like smacking
two rocks together until they eventually begin to polish
one another. I agree that this kind of non-traditional
approach takes a lot more effort, and I also think that it's
completely worth it.
Db: SO, WhAt'S AhEAD fOr thE hOSpItALIty
INDuStry?
SG: A lot of the big brands are developing their own

74

boutiquedesign.com october 2018

7 The 110 bungalow-inspired
rooms at The Asbury have
open concepts that cater
to a wide variety of guests,
including rooms with bunk
beds and mini-tepees. Interiors designed by Anda Andrei Design LLC; Bonetti/
Kozerski Architecture DPC;
Stonehill Taylor.

Db: For Salt, we're developing a hotel in NYC and

one in London. That's very exciting. Salt School and
our whole education piece is also near and dear to
my heart. It's my true passion in life. This program

N I KO L A S KO E N I G

6 The Pit, the sunken
seating area in The
Asbury lobby, is a
hangout for tourists and
locals alike thanks to its
conversation-stimulating seating layout, warm
lighting and linger-here
touches such as the
small library.

versions of boutique hotels. They all want to be in this
space. I see that trend continuing and the whole idea
of "boutique" getting diluted.
That means being truly innovative will be more
important than ever. Personally, my most immediate
direction is bringing together the right partners for my
next projects.
http://www.boutiquedesign.com
Boutique Design - October 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Boutique Design - October 2018
