August 5, 2025 • 27 mins
As founder and creative director of the boutique interior design firm AIDT Designs, Tonya is changing the way we think about boutique hotel, resort, and lifestyle design. Whether design property in the Keys or reimagining a resort brand from the ground up, her work is layered, luxe, and never, ever forgettable.
We talk about her early career working under Las Vegas visionaries Steve Wynn & Roger Thomas, what most designers get wrong about hotel rooms, collaborating on Margaritaville, sourcing one-of-a-kind local finds, and elevating design on a tight budget.
For more on Tonya and AIDT visit https://www.aidtdesignsinc.com/
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Episode Transcript
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Matt Brown (00:07):
Welcome everyone to no Show.
With Matt Brown and Jeff Borman.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt, founderand creative director of the
boutique interior design firmAIDT Designs, is our guest today
.
Now based in South Floridaafter years of calling New York
City and New Jersey home, tanyais on the move with new projects
, a new website, new everything,and she is changing the way we
(00:31):
think about boutique hotel,resort and lifestyle design.
Early in her career, tanya hadthe rare opportunity to work
under Steve Wynn and RogerThomas Vegas legends, which
shaped her understanding of howdesign can elevate not just
aesthetics but the entire guestexperience.
As a minority woman-ownedbusiness, aidt brings a distinct
(00:52):
and much-needed perspective tothe hospitality industry.
Whether designing property inthe Keys or reimagining a resort
brand from the ground up, herwork is layered luxe and never,
ever forgettable.
Ground up, her work is layeredluxe and never, ever forgettable
.
Industry veteran fashion icon,bon vivant entrepreneur, hotel
(01:14):
owner, slash investor, palmBeach socialite, daughter of
Turkey and New Jersey, theundisputed queen of sourcing
one-of-a-kind local finds.
And I have to say this Tanya,your team at AIDT is the most
attractive group of people Ihave ever seen in my life.
It straight up looks like acasting announcement for White
Lotus.
So congratulations onsurrounding yourself with beauty
and welcome to no Show.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (01:34):
Wow, I am speechless.
Ever looking for an additionalgig, I might hire you for sales
because you are sensational.
I'm blown away by myself andthe way you announced and
introduced me.
Matt Brown (01:49):
And the next, the next conference you go to, I
should be your hype.
It's like boxing.
I'll be like your hype guy whogets the crowd going.
Jeff Borman (01:56):
Look out, michael Buffer.
Matt Brown (01:59):
I'll have a tux.
I'll have the mic.
Jeff Borman (02:03):
Actually, you know, Tanya, our goal here is to
actually make our guestsspeechless.
That's how you do a perfectpodcast.
Matt Brown (02:09):
Totally.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (02:12):
This is it.
That's it.
Matt Brown (02:15):
Okay, tanya, let's begin at the beginning.
How did you get into thisbusiness?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (02:20):
I've always really just been drawn to
environments that sort of evokean emotion, that kind of space
you know, you walk into and youfeel something, even if you
can't necessarily articulate why.
Hospitality design really justpulled me right on in, because
it's where beauty sort of meetsstrategy.
You design for guests that youmay never meet, whose experience
(02:44):
you shape in the most intimateand maybe everyday way.
So that is sort of how I reallybecame attracted to the
business.
However, I started off infashion, and fashion is all
about the look, the feel, themood, what's coming next, trend
(03:06):
forecasting, fabrics, finishesand then assembling that and
basically selling it in a waythat mass society or production
will want to purchase.
You know these high-end couturerunway looks that can be
distributed to big box retailersand essentially purchase.
So I saw that that was not goingto be the path for me.
(03:29):
It was basically like a devilwears product experience and it
was not creative, it wasn'tfueling those creative juices
inside of me and I had zerodesire to really design clothing
.
And so all the same time, whileI was in fashion, I was going
home and redesigning,reorganizing my apartment or my
(03:51):
friend's apartment or you know,organizing things over and over
again with, you know, the pillowarrangements on my bed or just
little things that were alreadytelling the story of what I was,
you know, going to eventuallybecome in life, which was an
interior designer.
So yeah, so fashion started itoff and you know, it led me to
interiors.
Jeff Borman (04:11):
What's changed about luxury design over the
last?
Call it five years, 10 years.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (04:16):
Well, I mean, luxury has gone from look
at me to, in my opinion, feelwith me.
Today's luxury is quieter, it'smore intentional, it's about
texture, it's about experience,comfort, privacy and meaning.
People want this sort ofemotional connection, not just
(04:39):
the shiny things that say lookat me, you know I can afford,
you know the finer things inlife.
It's about having you knowexclusivity, or I'm on an island
and you can't get here unlessyou take 15 different private
jets.
Guests are going to continue toexpect more, more than maybe we
(04:59):
could even potentially provideto them at this time, but it
will allow for us, as designers,to really push the luxury
expectations in the future.
Jeff Borman (05:12):
How has hotel design changed generationally If
we look back 20 years, in theend people still check in a
hotel they sleep, they shower,they leave.
And has the guest room changedfunctionally or just in its
layer of aesthetic?
Tonya Almallah Schmi (05:30):
Technology has changed, you know that has
really laid a groundwork for usto really layer upon more
interesting design features.
You know it's not just aboutchecking in necessarily anymore
having the best sleep ever.
It's about having a sensorybalance.
(05:51):
Can the materials supportwhatever level of emotion you're
trying to evoke from that guest?
We're integrating things likeair purification systems and
sound and mood and lighting andspatial flow and promoting
well-being.
Sometimes you can check into ahotel guest room and you have a
little workout zone right therein your guest room.
(06:12):
It's not necessarily the samewalk in sleep, have a nice
shower and leave experience.
Of course I think the brand andthe hotel flag can sort of
dictate maybe what thatexperience is sort of going to
look like.
But I mean, I definitely thinkthat hotels are changing just
(06:33):
because of the different layersof technology that we have at
our fingertips.
Jeff Borman (06:38):
A few years ago I was in a hotel in Southern
California and, with all theCalifornia regulation and
signage right, there was lowflow shower heads and be kind to
the environment yes, nods allover the place.
My question here is what domost designers get wrong about
hotel rooms?
And I, because I think of thathotel, with all the conservation
(07:03):
and good intent, in order toturn on the shower, the and this
is an open bathroom concept youhad to step into the shower,
reach across to turn it on andthen guarantee yourself to get
wet from the rain shower.
Just to turn on the shower, itthen sprayed everywhere.
So if you're over at the vanity, you have soaked the entire
(07:25):
bathroom and I'm having thisexperience at a quasi-luxury
more of a lifestyle, I thinkhotel Nonetheless a very
expensive place and I'm thinkingI don't think designers ever
stay in their own product.
What do you think designersever stay in their own product?
What do you?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (07:42):
think designers get wrong about guest
rooms.
Well, I have a whole wealth ofexperience designing guest rooms
over the last 20 years of doingthis as a designer and I can
say that story you just told me.
I can give you a millionexperiences where that exact
sort of thing in some way, shapeor form has happened to me
personally and it just irks me,like what were you thinking?
(08:05):
I actually visited a very nicehotel in New York, over a
thousand dollars a night to stayin, and they had a hole cut
through the glass which youcould see it was an afterthought
Someone was complaining of thatexact situation and a hole that
you would stick your handthrough and manipulate the
diverter and the wand and so onand so forth to not go through
(08:26):
that.
So I think, absolutely, theshower experience is probably
top three for sure A designergetting it wrong.
I also think the draperies are.
I mean for me, how many timeshave you stayed in a property
and that one little lightseepage comes through and you
are up at the crack I mean thecrack of dawn because one little
(08:50):
quarter inch reveal in thedrapery or the side return of
the drapery that the designerdidn't think about that.
Or hey, you have a PTAC unitand the air conditioning is
going to be blowing thatfabulous drapery you selected as
the designer how about weightthe bottom of it?
Because that's going to beflowing effortlessly through the
wind and that's going to showlight in the middle of the
(09:12):
morning or three hours in themorning.
So I think drapery is probablysecond for me, my biggest pet
peeve.
And then, lastly, I mean I wouldthink about acoustics.
I think to some degree we havethe ability as interior
designers certainly you don'talways have the ability to knock
down the wall and re-insulateand such but there are ways, I
(09:33):
think, you can get around soundacoustics.
I think you can get aroundsound acoustics, whether it's
items that could be used asdecorative art pieces that carry
acoustical properties, thatlook good and that the guests
will have no idea what they'rethere for truly, which is to
provide, maybe, a sound barrier.
How many times have you sleptin the guest room and you feel
(09:54):
like you're almost on thatvacation or business trip with
the person next to you?
It's actually somewhat awkwardwhen you know who's staying next
to you.
If you are on a business tripand you hear some of the things
through that wall.
You can really never look atthat person.
Ever the same actually.
Matt Brown (10:09):
Tanya what are you?
Please share some of yourexperiences and what you've
heard.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (10:15):
I want to share those, but that'll be a
different podcast.
But I mean in general, I thinkit's the shower experience, the
drapery and, for sure, acoustics.
Those are my top three.
Jeff Borman (10:25):
So you do work for branded hotels as well as
independent boutiques.
What are you instructed to doin hotel design that you most
resist?
Tonya Almallah Schmi (10:42):
instructed to do in hotel design that you
most resist, oh dear Well, Imean, that's a complicated
question because there's a lotto unpack right there.
Branded properties we are atthe mercy of the brand.
They provide to us a sort ofhit list that we have to
accomplish from a PIP propertyimprovement plan potentially,
and then we have a accomplishfrom a PIP property improvement
plan potentially, and then wehave a set of brand standards
and we have to design againstthat.
(11:04):
And I can't say that everybrand knows exactly the best
approach from a brand standards.
But generally speaking we arekind of responsible to we have
to match those standards.
I would say the most challengingthat we resist is sometimes the
(11:26):
clients want to skirt aroundthe brand requirements and sub
out that spec or find a way tovalue, engineer that spec down
where it jeopardizes maybe theintegrity of the spec, or switch
it out during the purchasingphases and hope and pray the
brand never catches wind of that.
So I'd say that's probably themost resistant point for me as a
(11:50):
designer is basically pullingthe bait and switch on the brand
from the owner's perspective orin some way just trying to
dilute and water down something,whether it's a design concept
or anything really.
Concept in general,specification to a point where
it's almost unrecognizable.
(12:10):
It's like you going to a LouisVuitton store and buying the
most beautiful bag on the shelfand then asking someone to
recreate that bag in a factory.
That is not the same level ofquality, not the same type of
material, not the same level ofdetail, and then hoping and
(12:32):
praying.
It looks just like thatbeautiful handbag you spotted in
the window when you walked by.
Jeff Borman (12:38):
You talk about value engineering.
One of the pieces that I wouldfirst remove from hotel design
today to save money is thetelephone.
Does anybody need a phone intheir room anymore?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (12:53):
I mean, actually I did have that
experience recently where I didneed to contact the front desk
and there was no phone in theroom.
I did have to call via my celland then I had to go through the
regular.
That was not a good experience.
I ended up going down there, Ithink, in my borderline pajamas
and no makeup and hair done andjust taking care of what I
(13:16):
needed to.
Jeff Borman (13:17):
I can sense the trauma you're still feeling.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (13:21):
Well, I mean, you know, lucky for me, I
look kind of similar without myhair makeup done.
So you know.
Matt Brown (13:27):
What she's saying, Jeff, is that she looked
fantastic when she went down.
Jeff Borman (13:33):
She looks beautiful .
Matt Brown (13:33):
Got it yeah, just woke up and okay.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (13:38):
I hear you, I think that I think that
there's a better way to do it.
Yeah, I just woke up and, okay,I hear you.
I think that there's a betterway to do it.
And I do agree, I don't thinkyou always need that cell phone
or, I'm sorry, that room phone,and I think there's ways.
Maybe with AI, you can tie yourcell phone technology to the
hotel.
They're doing text messagingnow, which helps in many cases,
but, yes, I think we're movingthat way quickly.
Matt Brown (14:02):
I want to talk about some of your experience in
Vegas, because Vegas is afavorite topic on this show.
But before we get into that, Idid want to talk about a few of
your recent projects, and thereason I tie those two things
together is that I think Jeffand I have had kind of a
longstanding theory that theworld has become Vegas in many
ways, particularly for hotels,there is a desire for the
(14:27):
experiential.
You have worked on some verydistinctive projects over the
last couple of years, includingthe big $200 million
Margaritaville in Fort MyersBeach.
When you look at your designs,I think you did an amazing job
kind of bringing a level ofsophistication to the space, and
I think Vegas is, I think, thecapital of the world of that
(14:49):
kind of thing, of havingsomething just incredibly high
and a little low too, kind ofmixed together to create a
distinctive experience.
What was it like when you firstgot into that project?
Did they know exactly what theywanted or did you have the
freedom to kind of come in withsome ideas of how you want the
space to look?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (15:09):
When I took it on I was operating in a
design director role at anotherfirm and that project was
presented to me that it's almostdone.
We have a few spaces and a fewspecs that need some tweaking.
However, once we got into theexecution of the design details
and what the client really trulywanted, we realized pretty
(15:32):
quickly or I realized prettyquickly that there was a lot
more work that needed to be done.
Here we were missing crucialand required brand defining
moments.
Margaritaville has veryspecific requirements with their
artwork packages, almost likethat Walt Disney World, las
Vegas, kumbaya kind of comestogether.
(15:53):
So I quickly see that we weremissing moments.
And as I got into the detailswith the ownership group, you
know we were having to developthese from scratch, like at a
pretty later date than we hadexpected to.
So basically I had to design awarp speed and again, lucky for
me, I worked in hospitality,worked for some of the best
(16:14):
firms in my career.
For some of the best firms inmy career, you know we had to
work together as a team tobasically develop this very
intricate and customizedBestpoke property that was
reflective of Fort Myers Beach.
Now, you know there was a lot ofhistory in Fort Myers.
We also had a major hurricane,ian, go through there and
(16:37):
destroy, you know, everythingexcept our structure.
When Ian bubbled through there,our hotel was the only thing
left standing, pretty much formiles.
Lucky for us we did not startto install the interior finishes
just yet, but I mean ourconstruction trailer floated
away all the control samples, aswe call them.
(16:58):
When we're doing custom work.
We have a bin of controlsamples that the GC keeps on
site and purchasing agent holdsand such you know.
So we had a lot of challenges.
I mean that was a 10 year longproject and I was involved, for
you know, our firm was involvedfor five years and then I saw it
through for the final threeyears.
Matt Brown (17:17):
Eight years is a lot of time in Margaritaville, you
know.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (17:23):
It's actually interesting because you
know, hindsight's always 2020.
The city pushed back on thatproject.
Nobody wanted them there thelocal residents.
We don't want this big, fancyresort.
This is a locals, you know,family owned, chill, very,
whatever type environment.
(17:44):
Little did they know theirentire environment was about to
be washed away literally, andMargaritaville stood as a beacon
of hope when they losteverything in Hurricane Ian.
That was the only place thatwas functioning, with the lights
on the F&B outlets, you know, aplace for a community to grow
and feel like they havesomething like a flagship to
(18:04):
come back to.
It ended up being a beacon ofhope for them.
So it just goes to show you youdon't always know what's coming
.
Matt Brown (18:12):
You're also working on a new music-themed hotel in
Brooklyn, yes, and it's down byIndustry City and it's in a part
of the borough that hastraditionally been underserved
by hotels, right?
Can you tell us a little bitabout the project and how it
came to you and kind of what theoverall vibe of it is?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (18:35):
Yes, so the project is very unique.
The owner developed the designwith me hand in hand and he's
very involved in music.
He's actually a DJ himself andhe's got a lot of experience in
that music sector.
So this project was all about.
(18:56):
You know, moody vibes, rhythmnot the type of rhythm and vibes
that you would think hard rockhotel completely the other
direction.
You know more like variationsin lighting.
You know trying to mimic soundwaves or a DJ set playing with
texture and evoking this sort ofGen Z genre.
(19:20):
You know no guitars on the walland such just very layered,
lived in energy that feels likemusic.
Matt Brown (19:30):
Budget is always going to be something that
people complain about and youknow the budget will be $500
million, but oh, it's reallytight.
We've really got to reel it in.
What are some tricks that youkind of deploy to make dollars
stretch in a room?
To give it a luxury feel, aquirky feel, a really individual
(19:51):
look?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (19:53):
Sure, I mean, I just did a newsletter
for Mint Pillow on a similartopic.
It was all about tips andtricks and how to sort of
incorporate this high-low.
So you know, designing on abudget and making dollars
stretch are important for everyproject, even the luxury ones.
(20:13):
You cannot spend all your moneyeverywhere.
You have to pick and choosethose moments and where you're
going to make it count, right.
So I always like to say, numberone scale back and scale up.
Bigger impact with fewer pieces.
It doesn't need to be a billionmillion little tchotchkes.
Let's find the moment and let'smake it matter.
(20:36):
So scale back and scale up.
I love high-low mixes.
We do this in fashion.
I do this as a person when Iget dressed.
Maybe my handbag is $2,000 andmy jewelry is vintage, and maybe
I'm pairing it with a pair of$20 jeans and a Gap t-shirt or
something, and it just has thiscool, effortless, luxury look
(20:58):
that's layered to it high-low,right.
So I carry that approach intointeriors.
Think Ikea cabinets with superluxe brass, gold hardware or
something like that.
Finding a way to take somethingthat's not as fancy or high
budget and mixing it withsomething that is.
The other is paint and textureyou can do dramatic things with.
(21:23):
You know, murals, or maybestenciling a floor, or finding a
unique way to apply paint, youknow.
So paint and texture can go along way.
And then, lastly, would be thelocal makers.
I love unique pieces with astory.
I've traveled to over 20countries in my lifetime and
(21:48):
each and every country I alwaysfind something unique.
And when you're designing aspace, if you can tap into the
world not just you know the fiveor 10 vendors you use for your
last few projects or the firmlikes to go to for whatever
reason Think globally and thinkalso locally.
You could find so many uniquethings that tell a story that
(22:10):
could really enhance that space.
Matt Brown (22:13):
It's time for the lightning round.
Oh gosh, no fear, no fear.
It's time for the lightninground.
Oh gosh, no fear, no fear.
Is there a creative project youhaven't done that you'd like to
take on?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (22:29):
I would love to design a historic train
and a historic train station andtie that in with luxury and you
know there are others out therethat do it already a luxury
train experience.
They are not in the US, theyare all over Europe primarily,
and I would love to bring thathere to the States and even just
(22:52):
the whole experience of a trainstation, not just the train
itself, and find a way to, youknow, do that.
I think that for me would bemaybe a very interesting dream
project.
And the fact that it's historicit has to be historic because
then there's just so muchhistory there and you could
really take flight withimagination, tying old with new
(23:13):
and having these sort of oldworld experience meets new world
.
I mean, I think that would be adream project.
Matt Brown (23:20):
You worked for the Wynn's in Vegas.
Yes, what was that like?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (23:27):
Well working for Steve Wynn and Roger
Thomas, who was his main leadfor all of the interiors at Wynn
Design and Development.
At the time I worked for themwas back in 2008, 2009.
And that was one of my firstgigs in hospitality design.
I would say it was amasterclass in detail, scale,
(23:51):
ambition.
The expectation at Wynn wasexcellence always.
It shaped me and how I operateto this day, absolutely.
You made a comment when we firststarted that my team members
look like this sort of I don'tknow sort of lineup of something
you'd see in a magazine.
(24:12):
You know, I felt like SteveWynn taught that to me in a way.
You know, you're telling astory always.
We're all storytellers.
Every day we wake up we'retelling ourselves a story, we're
telling the world a story.
Even the way we speak, our eyecontact, the way we dress we're
always telling a story.
(24:33):
And Wynn, I mean, if you've everhad the opportunity to sit with
Steve, I've never met anindividual that just captivates
you.
Steve's voice has this sort ofway to mesmerize you and just
draw you in, and he took thatabout himself as a person and
everything he's experienced andtranslated that into hospitality
(24:55):
design.
I've never experienced anyplace I've ever worked for
anyone I've ever worked forthat's done it remotely close in
any way, shape or form.
So he helped teach me how to,you know, execute globally but
think intimately.
You know, after I left there, Imean it probably took years for
me to appreciate what thatexperience taught me.
(25:17):
Even to this day, I'm alwaysreferring back to it.
I mean it probably took yearsfor me to appreciate what that
experience taught me.
Even to this day I'm alwaysreferring back to it.
So I personally believe itreally propelled me.
I don't know where I'd be rightnow as a designer had I not had
that experience.
Matt Brown (25:28):
During that time did you have a classic Vegas
experience?
I won't say crazy Vegas story,but did you have a moment either
during the work or just in lifethat was sort of your Wayne
Newton, elvis impersonatormoment out there?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (25:46):
Well, I assume this is a question more
geared towards personal thanmaybe professionally.
Matt Brown (25:53):
However.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (25:54):
I can't really get into the names and
details, but here's what I willsay.
It involved a world famous DJat the time who is unfortunately
no longer with us today.
A private VIP booth, maybe ahotel suite?
Someone else's brief trip tojail, not mine.
I stayed in my heels, stayedcalm and left the room, you know
(26:17):
, with zero legal issues.
And that's when the Tanya whathappened?
Matt Brown (26:26):
Oh my God, are you okay?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (26:30):
I'm fine .
I'm fine, but you know, thethings that you see and do and
experience in Vegas in your 20sis definitely one for the
history books, and that's sortof all I'll say on that.
Matt Brown (26:46):
We're going to have Internet researchers dig into
this now and see what happened.
Oh my gosh.
Thank you so much for being aguest on no Show.
It's been wonderful.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (26:57):
Thank you for having me for this
opportunity.
It's been lovely and I, youknow, appreciate moments like
this.
It's it doesn't always happen.
Where you know people want toknow the details and the nit and
the grit behind what happens orhow you get to where you are in
your career.
So I I appreciate you taking afew moments to ask me these
important questions.
Welcome everyone to no Show.
With Matt Brown and Jeff Borman.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt, founderand creative director of the
boutique interior design firmAIDT Designs, is our guest today
.
Now based in South Floridaafter years of calling New York
City and New Jersey home, tanyais on the move with new projects
, a new website, new everything,and she is changing the way we
(00:31):
think about boutique hotel,resort and lifestyle design.
Early in her career, tanya hadthe rare opportunity to work
under Steve Wynn and RogerThomas Vegas legends, which
shaped her understanding of howdesign can elevate not just
aesthetics but the entire guestexperience.
As a minority woman-ownedbusiness, aidt brings a distinct
(00:52):
and much-needed perspective tothe hospitality industry.
Whether designing property inthe Keys or reimagining a resort
brand from the ground up, herwork is layered luxe and never,
ever forgettable.
Ground up, her work is layeredluxe and never, ever forgettable
.
Industry veteran fashion icon,bon vivant entrepreneur, hotel
(01:14):
owner, slash investor, palmBeach socialite, daughter of
Turkey and New Jersey, theundisputed queen of sourcing
one-of-a-kind local finds.
And I have to say this Tanya,your team at AIDT is the most
attractive group of people Ihave ever seen in my life.
It straight up looks like acasting announcement for White
Lotus.
So congratulations onsurrounding yourself with beauty
and welcome to no Show.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (01:34):
Wow, I am speechless.
Ever looking for an additionalgig, I might hire you for sales
because you are sensational.
I'm blown away by myself andthe way you announced and
introduced me.
Matt Brown (01:49):
And the next, the next conference you go to, I
should be your hype.
It's like boxing.
I'll be like your hype guy whogets the crowd going.
Jeff Borman (01:56):
Look out, michael Buffer.
Matt Brown (01:59):
I'll have a tux.
I'll have the mic.
Jeff Borman (02:03):
Actually, you know, Tanya, our goal here is to
actually make our guestsspeechless.
That's how you do a perfectpodcast.
Matt Brown (02:09):
Totally.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (02:12):
This is it.
That's it.
Matt Brown (02:15):
Okay, tanya, let's begin at the beginning.
How did you get into thisbusiness?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (02:20):
I've always really just been drawn to
environments that sort of evokean emotion, that kind of space
you know, you walk into and youfeel something, even if you
can't necessarily articulate why.
Hospitality design really justpulled me right on in, because
it's where beauty sort of meetsstrategy.
You design for guests that youmay never meet, whose experience
(02:44):
you shape in the most intimateand maybe everyday way.
So that is sort of how I reallybecame attracted to the
business.
However, I started off infashion, and fashion is all
about the look, the feel, themood, what's coming next, trend
(03:06):
forecasting, fabrics, finishesand then assembling that and
basically selling it in a waythat mass society or production
will want to purchase.
You know these high-end couturerunway looks that can be
distributed to big box retailersand essentially purchase.
So I saw that that was not goingto be the path for me.
(03:29):
It was basically like a devilwears product experience and it
was not creative, it wasn'tfueling those creative juices
inside of me and I had zerodesire to really design clothing
.
And so all the same time, whileI was in fashion, I was going
home and redesigning,reorganizing my apartment or my
(03:51):
friend's apartment or you know,organizing things over and over
again with, you know, the pillowarrangements on my bed or just
little things that were alreadytelling the story of what I was,
you know, going to eventuallybecome in life, which was an
interior designer.
So yeah, so fashion started itoff and you know, it led me to
interiors.
Jeff Borman (04:11):
What's changed about luxury design over the
last?
Call it five years, 10 years.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (04:16):
Well, I mean, luxury has gone from look
at me to, in my opinion, feelwith me.
Today's luxury is quieter, it'smore intentional, it's about
texture, it's about experience,comfort, privacy and meaning.
People want this sort ofemotional connection, not just
(04:39):
the shiny things that say lookat me, you know I can afford,
you know the finer things inlife.
It's about having you knowexclusivity, or I'm on an island
and you can't get here unlessyou take 15 different private
jets.
Guests are going to continue toexpect more, more than maybe we
(04:59):
could even potentially provideto them at this time, but it
will allow for us, as designers,to really push the luxury
expectations in the future.
Jeff Borman (05:12):
How has hotel design changed generationally If
we look back 20 years, in theend people still check in a
hotel they sleep, they shower,they leave.
And has the guest room changedfunctionally or just in its
layer of aesthetic?
Tonya Almallah Schmi (05:30):
Technology has changed, you know that has
really laid a groundwork for usto really layer upon more
interesting design features.
You know it's not just aboutchecking in necessarily anymore
having the best sleep ever.
It's about having a sensorybalance.
(05:51):
Can the materials supportwhatever level of emotion you're
trying to evoke from that guest?
We're integrating things likeair purification systems and
sound and mood and lighting andspatial flow and promoting
well-being.
Sometimes you can check into ahotel guest room and you have a
little workout zone right therein your guest room.
(06:12):
It's not necessarily the samewalk in sleep, have a nice
shower and leave experience.
Of course I think the brand andthe hotel flag can sort of
dictate maybe what thatexperience is sort of going to
look like.
But I mean, I definitely thinkthat hotels are changing just
(06:33):
because of the different layersof technology that we have at
our fingertips.
Jeff Borman (06:38):
A few years ago I was in a hotel in Southern
California and, with all theCalifornia regulation and
signage right, there was lowflow shower heads and be kind to
the environment yes, nods allover the place.
My question here is what domost designers get wrong about
hotel rooms?
And I, because I think of thathotel, with all the conservation
(07:03):
and good intent, in order toturn on the shower, the and this
is an open bathroom concept youhad to step into the shower,
reach across to turn it on andthen guarantee yourself to get
wet from the rain shower.
Just to turn on the shower, itthen sprayed everywhere.
So if you're over at the vanity, you have soaked the entire
(07:25):
bathroom and I'm having thisexperience at a quasi-luxury
more of a lifestyle, I thinkhotel Nonetheless a very
expensive place and I'm thinkingI don't think designers ever
stay in their own product.
What do you think designersever stay in their own product?
What do you?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (07:42):
think designers get wrong about guest
rooms.
Well, I have a whole wealth ofexperience designing guest rooms
over the last 20 years of doingthis as a designer and I can
say that story you just told me.
I can give you a millionexperiences where that exact
sort of thing in some way, shapeor form has happened to me
personally and it just irks me,like what were you thinking?
(08:05):
I actually visited a very nicehotel in New York, over a
thousand dollars a night to stayin, and they had a hole cut
through the glass which youcould see it was an afterthought
Someone was complaining of thatexact situation and a hole that
you would stick your handthrough and manipulate the
diverter and the wand and so onand so forth to not go through
(08:26):
that.
So I think, absolutely, theshower experience is probably
top three for sure A designergetting it wrong.
I also think the draperies are.
I mean for me, how many timeshave you stayed in a property
and that one little lightseepage comes through and you
are up at the crack I mean thecrack of dawn because one little
(08:50):
quarter inch reveal in thedrapery or the side return of
the drapery that the designerdidn't think about that.
Or hey, you have a PTAC unitand the air conditioning is
going to be blowing thatfabulous drapery you selected as
the designer how about weightthe bottom of it?
Because that's going to beflowing effortlessly through the
wind and that's going to showlight in the middle of the
(09:12):
morning or three hours in themorning.
So I think drapery is probablysecond for me, my biggest pet
peeve.
And then, lastly, I mean I wouldthink about acoustics.
I think to some degree we havethe ability as interior
designers certainly you don'talways have the ability to knock
down the wall and re-insulateand such but there are ways, I
(09:33):
think, you can get around soundacoustics.
I think you can get aroundsound acoustics, whether it's
items that could be used asdecorative art pieces that carry
acoustical properties, thatlook good and that the guests
will have no idea what they'rethere for truly, which is to
provide, maybe, a sound barrier.
How many times have you sleptin the guest room and you feel
(09:54):
like you're almost on thatvacation or business trip with
the person next to you?
It's actually somewhat awkwardwhen you know who's staying next
to you.
If you are on a business tripand you hear some of the things
through that wall.
You can really never look atthat person.
Ever the same actually.
Matt Brown (10:09):
Tanya what are you?
Please share some of yourexperiences and what you've
heard.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (10:15):
I want to share those, but that'll be a
different podcast.
But I mean in general, I thinkit's the shower experience, the
drapery and, for sure, acoustics.
Those are my top three.
Jeff Borman (10:25):
So you do work for branded hotels as well as
independent boutiques.
What are you instructed to doin hotel design that you most
resist?
Tonya Almallah Schmi (10:42):
instructed to do in hotel design that you
most resist, oh dear Well, Imean, that's a complicated
question because there's a lotto unpack right there.
Branded properties we are atthe mercy of the brand.
They provide to us a sort ofhit list that we have to
accomplish from a PIP propertyimprovement plan potentially,
and then we have a accomplishfrom a PIP property improvement
plan potentially, and then wehave a set of brand standards
and we have to design againstthat.
(11:04):
And I can't say that everybrand knows exactly the best
approach from a brand standards.
But generally speaking we arekind of responsible to we have
to match those standards.
I would say the most challengingthat we resist is sometimes the
(11:26):
clients want to skirt aroundthe brand requirements and sub
out that spec or find a way tovalue, engineer that spec down
where it jeopardizes maybe theintegrity of the spec, or switch
it out during the purchasingphases and hope and pray the
brand never catches wind of that.
So I'd say that's probably themost resistant point for me as a
(11:50):
designer is basically pullingthe bait and switch on the brand
from the owner's perspective orin some way just trying to
dilute and water down something,whether it's a design concept
or anything really.
Concept in general,specification to a point where
it's almost unrecognizable.
(12:10):
It's like you going to a LouisVuitton store and buying the
most beautiful bag on the shelfand then asking someone to
recreate that bag in a factory.
That is not the same level ofquality, not the same type of
material, not the same level ofdetail, and then hoping and
(12:32):
praying.
It looks just like thatbeautiful handbag you spotted in
the window when you walked by.
Jeff Borman (12:38):
You talk about value engineering.
One of the pieces that I wouldfirst remove from hotel design
today to save money is thetelephone.
Does anybody need a phone intheir room anymore?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (12:53):
I mean, actually I did have that
experience recently where I didneed to contact the front desk
and there was no phone in theroom.
I did have to call via my celland then I had to go through the
regular.
That was not a good experience.
I ended up going down there, Ithink, in my borderline pajamas
and no makeup and hair done andjust taking care of what I
(13:16):
needed to.
Jeff Borman (13:17):
I can sense the trauma you're still feeling.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (13:21):
Well, I mean, you know, lucky for me, I
look kind of similar without myhair makeup done.
So you know.
Matt Brown (13:27):
What she's saying, Jeff, is that she looked
fantastic when she went down.
Jeff Borman (13:33):
She looks beautiful .
Matt Brown (13:33):
Got it yeah, just woke up and okay.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (13:38):
I hear you, I think that I think that
there's a better way to do it.
Yeah, I just woke up and, okay,I hear you.
I think that there's a betterway to do it.
And I do agree, I don't thinkyou always need that cell phone
or, I'm sorry, that room phone,and I think there's ways.
Maybe with AI, you can tie yourcell phone technology to the
hotel.
They're doing text messagingnow, which helps in many cases,
but, yes, I think we're movingthat way quickly.
Matt Brown (14:02):
I want to talk about some of your experience in
Vegas, because Vegas is afavorite topic on this show.
But before we get into that, Idid want to talk about a few of
your recent projects, and thereason I tie those two things
together is that I think Jeffand I have had kind of a
longstanding theory that theworld has become Vegas in many
ways, particularly for hotels,there is a desire for the
(14:27):
experiential.
You have worked on some verydistinctive projects over the
last couple of years, includingthe big $200 million
Margaritaville in Fort MyersBeach.
When you look at your designs,I think you did an amazing job
kind of bringing a level ofsophistication to the space, and
I think Vegas is, I think, thecapital of the world of that
(14:49):
kind of thing, of havingsomething just incredibly high
and a little low too, kind ofmixed together to create a
distinctive experience.
What was it like when you firstgot into that project?
Did they know exactly what theywanted or did you have the
freedom to kind of come in withsome ideas of how you want the
space to look?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (15:09):
When I took it on I was operating in a
design director role at anotherfirm and that project was
presented to me that it's almostdone.
We have a few spaces and a fewspecs that need some tweaking.
However, once we got into theexecution of the design details
and what the client really trulywanted, we realized pretty
(15:32):
quickly or I realized prettyquickly that there was a lot
more work that needed to be done.
Here we were missing crucialand required brand defining
moments.
Margaritaville has veryspecific requirements with their
artwork packages, almost likethat Walt Disney World, las
Vegas, kumbaya kind of comestogether.
(15:53):
So I quickly see that we weremissing moments.
And as I got into the detailswith the ownership group, you
know we were having to developthese from scratch, like at a
pretty later date than we hadexpected to.
So basically I had to design awarp speed and again, lucky for
me, I worked in hospitality,worked for some of the best
(16:14):
firms in my career.
For some of the best firms inmy career, you know we had to
work together as a team tobasically develop this very
intricate and customizedBestpoke property that was
reflective of Fort Myers Beach.
Now, you know there was a lot ofhistory in Fort Myers.
We also had a major hurricane,ian, go through there and
(16:37):
destroy, you know, everythingexcept our structure.
When Ian bubbled through there,our hotel was the only thing
left standing, pretty much formiles.
Lucky for us we did not startto install the interior finishes
just yet, but I mean ourconstruction trailer floated
away all the control samples, aswe call them.
(16:58):
When we're doing custom work.
We have a bin of controlsamples that the GC keeps on
site and purchasing agent holdsand such you know.
So we had a lot of challenges.
I mean that was a 10 year longproject and I was involved, for
you know, our firm was involvedfor five years and then I saw it
through for the final threeyears.
Matt Brown (17:17):
Eight years is a lot of time in Margaritaville, you
know.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (17:23):
It's actually interesting because you
know, hindsight's always 2020.
The city pushed back on thatproject.
Nobody wanted them there thelocal residents.
We don't want this big, fancyresort.
This is a locals, you know,family owned, chill, very,
whatever type environment.
(17:44):
Little did they know theirentire environment was about to
be washed away literally, andMargaritaville stood as a beacon
of hope when they losteverything in Hurricane Ian.
That was the only place thatwas functioning, with the lights
on the F&B outlets, you know, aplace for a community to grow
and feel like they havesomething like a flagship to
(18:04):
come back to.
It ended up being a beacon ofhope for them.
So it just goes to show you youdon't always know what's coming
.
Matt Brown (18:12):
You're also working on a new music-themed hotel in
Brooklyn, yes, and it's down byIndustry City and it's in a part
of the borough that hastraditionally been underserved
by hotels, right?
Can you tell us a little bitabout the project and how it
came to you and kind of what theoverall vibe of it is?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (18:35):
Yes, so the project is very unique.
The owner developed the designwith me hand in hand and he's
very involved in music.
He's actually a DJ himself andhe's got a lot of experience in
that music sector.
So this project was all about.
(18:56):
You know, moody vibes, rhythmnot the type of rhythm and vibes
that you would think hard rockhotel completely the other
direction.
You know more like variationsin lighting.
You know trying to mimic soundwaves or a DJ set playing with
texture and evoking this sort ofGen Z genre.
(19:20):
You know no guitars on the walland such just very layered,
lived in energy that feels likemusic.
Matt Brown (19:30):
Budget is always going to be something that
people complain about and youknow the budget will be $500
million, but oh, it's reallytight.
We've really got to reel it in.
What are some tricks that youkind of deploy to make dollars
stretch in a room?
To give it a luxury feel, aquirky feel, a really individual
(19:51):
look?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (19:53):
Sure, I mean, I just did a newsletter
for Mint Pillow on a similartopic.
It was all about tips andtricks and how to sort of
incorporate this high-low.
So you know, designing on abudget and making dollars
stretch are important for everyproject, even the luxury ones.
(20:13):
You cannot spend all your moneyeverywhere.
You have to pick and choosethose moments and where you're
going to make it count, right.
So I always like to say, numberone scale back and scale up.
Bigger impact with fewer pieces.
It doesn't need to be a billionmillion little tchotchkes.
Let's find the moment and let'smake it matter.
(20:36):
So scale back and scale up.
I love high-low mixes.
We do this in fashion.
I do this as a person when Iget dressed.
Maybe my handbag is $2,000 andmy jewelry is vintage, and maybe
I'm pairing it with a pair of$20 jeans and a Gap t-shirt or
something, and it just has thiscool, effortless, luxury look
(20:58):
that's layered to it high-low,right.
So I carry that approach intointeriors.
Think Ikea cabinets with superluxe brass, gold hardware or
something like that.
Finding a way to take somethingthat's not as fancy or high
budget and mixing it withsomething that is.
The other is paint and textureyou can do dramatic things with.
(21:23):
You know, murals, or maybestenciling a floor, or finding a
unique way to apply paint, youknow.
So paint and texture can go along way.
And then, lastly, would be thelocal makers.
I love unique pieces with astory.
I've traveled to over 20countries in my lifetime and
(21:48):
each and every country I alwaysfind something unique.
And when you're designing aspace, if you can tap into the
world not just you know the fiveor 10 vendors you use for your
last few projects or the firmlikes to go to for whatever
reason Think globally and thinkalso locally.
You could find so many uniquethings that tell a story that
(22:10):
could really enhance that space.
Matt Brown (22:13):
It's time for the lightning round.
Oh gosh, no fear, no fear.
It's time for the lightninground.
Oh gosh, no fear, no fear.
Is there a creative project youhaven't done that you'd like to
take on?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (22:29):
I would love to design a historic train
and a historic train station andtie that in with luxury and you
know there are others out therethat do it already a luxury
train experience.
They are not in the US, theyare all over Europe primarily,
and I would love to bring thathere to the States and even just
(22:52):
the whole experience of a trainstation, not just the train
itself, and find a way to, youknow, do that.
I think that for me would bemaybe a very interesting dream
project.
And the fact that it's historicit has to be historic because
then there's just so muchhistory there and you could
really take flight withimagination, tying old with new
(23:13):
and having these sort of oldworld experience meets new world
.
I mean, I think that would be adream project.
Matt Brown (23:20):
You worked for the Wynn's in Vegas.
Yes, what was that like?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (23:27):
Well working for Steve Wynn and Roger
Thomas, who was his main leadfor all of the interiors at Wynn
Design and Development.
At the time I worked for themwas back in 2008, 2009.
And that was one of my firstgigs in hospitality design.
I would say it was amasterclass in detail, scale,
(23:51):
ambition.
The expectation at Wynn wasexcellence always.
It shaped me and how I operateto this day, absolutely.
You made a comment when we firststarted that my team members
look like this sort of I don'tknow sort of lineup of something
you'd see in a magazine.
(24:12):
You know, I felt like SteveWynn taught that to me in a way.
You know, you're telling astory always.
We're all storytellers.
Every day we wake up we'retelling ourselves a story, we're
telling the world a story.
Even the way we speak, our eyecontact, the way we dress we're
always telling a story.
(24:33):
And Wynn, I mean, if you've everhad the opportunity to sit with
Steve, I've never met anindividual that just captivates
you.
Steve's voice has this sort ofway to mesmerize you and just
draw you in, and he took thatabout himself as a person and
everything he's experienced andtranslated that into hospitality
(24:55):
design.
I've never experienced anyplace I've ever worked for
anyone I've ever worked forthat's done it remotely close in
any way, shape or form.
So he helped teach me how to,you know, execute globally but
think intimately.
You know, after I left there, Imean it probably took years for
me to appreciate what thatexperience taught me.
(25:17):
Even to this day, I'm alwaysreferring back to it.
I mean it probably took yearsfor me to appreciate what that
experience taught me.
Even to this day I'm alwaysreferring back to it.
So I personally believe itreally propelled me.
I don't know where I'd be rightnow as a designer had I not had
that experience.
Matt Brown (25:28):
During that time did you have a classic Vegas
experience?
I won't say crazy Vegas story,but did you have a moment either
during the work or just in lifethat was sort of your Wayne
Newton, elvis impersonatormoment out there?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (25:46):
Well, I assume this is a question more
geared towards personal thanmaybe professionally.
Matt Brown (25:53):
However.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (25:54):
I can't really get into the names and
details, but here's what I willsay.
It involved a world famous DJat the time who is unfortunately
no longer with us today.
A private VIP booth, maybe ahotel suite?
Someone else's brief trip tojail, not mine.
I stayed in my heels, stayedcalm and left the room, you know
(26:17):
, with zero legal issues.
And that's when the Tanya whathappened?
Matt Brown (26:26):
Oh my God, are you okay?
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (26:30):
I'm fine .
I'm fine, but you know, thethings that you see and do and
experience in Vegas in your 20sis definitely one for the
history books, and that's sortof all I'll say on that.
Matt Brown (26:46):
We're going to have Internet researchers dig into
this now and see what happened.
Oh my gosh.
Thank you so much for being aguest on no Show.
It's been wonderful.
Tonya Almallah Schmitt (26:57):
Thank you for having me for this
opportunity.
It's been lovely and I, youknow, appreciate moments like
this.
It's it doesn't always happen.
Where you know people want toknow the details and the nit and
the grit behind what happens orhow you get to where you are in
your career.
So I I appreciate you taking afew moments to ask me these
important questions.
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