Highlighting the human side of design.
As entrepreneurs, we’ve found that staying open to the natural evolution of our business has led us down surprising—and inspiring!—paths. One of the more recent organic shifts in our areas of focus has been an increasing number of collaborations with architecture and design teams. What began as brand support for a handful of other creative service providers in the hotel industry—namely, design studios and developers—has since expanded to include work for architecture, interiors, fabrication, construction and even operations teams in the hospitality, residential and commercial sectors.
As we’ve continued to grow our portfolio in these industries, it has also provided an opportunity to reflect on the intertwined influences of hospitality and design. Ultimately, we find that well-designed spaces are physical embodiments of hospitality, as they seek to make individuals feel welcomed and cared for. The projects we feature in this newsletter all speak to this human-centric ethos—and we have several other like-minded collaborations queued up for the year ahead!
LAYERS & LINES
Denver, Colorado
Visual Branding, Core Messaging, Website Design + Email Marketing
While many interior design studios focus on establishing a signature aesthetic, Layers & Lines founders Kim and Molly have intentionally pursued a broader palette of influences, offering a more customized, personal approach to their exacting clientele. Yet while their stunning portfolio already included a wide range of eye-catching homes, the pair knew that their ability to attact an even more elevated tier of projects would require a comprehensive brand refresh. We immediately felt a sense of synergy with these creative female entrepreneurs, working over several months to help differentiate their thoughtful process and distinct perspective on design. The results of this collaboration are now live on the new Layers & Lines website, which we’ve complemented with a targeted email marketing series that will help these talented designers capture a whole new audience for their business.
JNS
Denver, Colorado
Website Content Refresh + Email Marketing
The team at JNS was one of our first design and architecture clients: a firm whose hospitality-driven work broadly resonates with our background in restaurants and hotels. Over the past several years, we have regularly worked with their team to update their brand website and communications—most recently, in the form of a website content refresh, an introductory email series for newsletter subscribers and quarterly email marketing. With more than 30 years of experience and hundreds of projects under their belt, there are countless angles we could take to define their unique approach and perspective, yet we continue to return to their hospitality ethos as a central concept, blending a sense of place-driven storytelling with a broader awareness of community impact.
POPULUS HOTEL
Denver, Colorado
Lifestyle, Artwork + Interiors Photography
Recently named “Hotel of the Year” by Esquire, Populus is an undeniably iconic addition to Denver’s downtown skyline. Paying homage to nature in both its aesthetic and its remarkable eco-impact, this eye-catching property features endless layers of storytelling and intentional design. We were thrilled to be asked to capture some of the finer details over the course of a two-day photoshoot, with a particular focus on the art curation throughout the hotel, as well as other resonant design “moments” throughout the meeting and event spaces.
CULTURE STUDY ⊹ Maroma, Riviera Maya
As avid travelers who enjoy diving into the cuisine and customs of a new destination, we rarely find ourselves drawn to resort properties. Yet every once in a while, we discover a singular hotel location whose architecture, onsite restaurants and amenities persuade us to “stay put” for the duration of our visit. Such was the case with our trip to Belmond Maroma, whose stunning 2023 renovation has beautifully captured the artisan traditions and natural beauty of the Yucatán Peninsula. From the curation of handcrafted furniture and textiles, to the dedication of a portion of the property to a sanctuary for the region’s sacred wild bees, it was one of the more detail-oriented, thoughtful hotel concepts we’ve personally experienced. This sense of slow living, craftsmanship and ritual also extended into the exceptional restaurant and wellness offerings on the property, weaving a continual thread through every moment of our stay. At a time when many hospitality brands are seeking to engage guests through onsite “activations,” our visit to Maroma confirmed our belief that hospitality design and guest experience offerings are most persuasive when they authentically spring from a foundational, cohesive sense of brand identity and values.
WORK IN PROGRESS | NEW ORLEANS
Elevated, classic, transportive, heritage. These are just a few words that describe a landmark hospitality property we’ve been naming and branding in The Big Easy — a place where there is almost too much inspiration to draw from as storytellers. As we imagine the future of this architectural icon, we drew inspiration from the entrepreneurial, anglophone newcomers to New Orleans that shaped the Garden District’s early history — and the way their worldview contrasted with the city’s broader Francophile / Creole culture. More details to come!
ON THE HOMEFRONT | EDITORIAL
Our Denver List in Yolo Journal
While larger, mainstream travel publications serve their purpose, we tend to put our trust in smaller editorial outlets. YOLO Journal has become one of our go-to reads for any travel recommendations, so we were thrilled to be asked to contribute our “Denver List” as their first Colorado travel feature.