Design Goes Boutique

BDNY, the industry’s only trade show directed towards the design of smaller-scale, boutique hotels, was held in New York this week.  Among the record number of attendees (over 7,000) were hospitality designers from around the country in search of the latest and greatest in fabrics, furnishings, materials and lighting.  Iconic American furniture company McGuire launched the Nomad chair, New York-based fabric studio Pollack showcased an innovative wall tile hewn of abaca, and Italian makers Rubelli introduced a fabric woven with fiber optic thread that lights up when mounted to a Lutron light panel.

But what truly set the show apart this year was the importance placed on procurement and art. The conference portion of BDNY hosted talks such as “mastering spec writing,” and “telling the local story through art.” Furthermore, art consultants and purveyors of interesting, bespoke accessories held a strong presence at the show. One such example was California-based Pendulux, crafters of vintage naval memorabilia. Attendees and exhibitors alike were floored with the stunning live art installation of spray paint artist Chor Boogie and the massive installation from Steampunk artist Bruce Rosenbaum of ModVic.

BDNY also awarded distinctions to the finest exhibitors.  Among the winners were Smith & Fong Co. Plyboo for their resin tiles; Hamilton Sinkler for their triangular door pulls and Shaw Hospitality for their stunning Canvas product.

The week culminated with the glitzy Platinum Circle awards ceremony which honored innovative hotel designers Anda Andrei and Bill Bensley.