For over 11 years, I’ve worked with clients from coast to coast in market sectors ranging from hospitality to commericial, curating spaces that are inspiring yet functional.
Kelly is a Northwest based designer, whose love of hospitality was strengthened through extensive travel. She has a background that captures over 10 years of hospitality connections and portfolio experience. She provides local expertise while also applying gained global design understanding to provide an unforgettable stay for your clients. She brings her passion for managing projects from concept through documentation with an attention to detail and coordination. Seeing spaces designed to reflect culture and individuality, while simultaneously accommodating the guest or resident, has inspired her approach to design. Hospitality is a way of life. From daily interactions to design aesthetics, it’s a way of making a person feel welcome. Kelly excels at concept visualization, 3D modeling, and millwork detailing, FF&E specification and furniture detailing.
‘I am a curious designer, traveler, coworker, and volunteer. I lean on my support system to aide me in my creativity and love for the unique northwest design community.’
My Design DNA — Resourceful Perseverance
From exploration of my values and goals to that of the guest, creating a compelling destination experience requires vision, enterprise, and holistic thinking.
Consumer expectations are rapidly changing and I’m tuned in. Through industry networking, project concept research and analysis, and my personal daily diy home renovations - I can now build what I detail! - I’m constantly exploring, discovering, and innovating to deliver a desirable experience for guests and users across multiple market sectors that will make them feel right at home.
Consumers will certainly associate their curated experience with a particular brand. Every destination has a unique story to tell, and today’s leading hospitality brands convey these stories through physical spaces that consider everything from big-picture vision to the finest details. Brand stories are brought to life through careful listening, interpretation, and shared expertise. Through collaboration, partnership, deep research, and an understanding of current and future trends, specialized hospitality design inspires people to explore the world beyond their daily lives.
• SPACE PLANNING MEETING THE USERS FUNCTIONAL NEEDS
• CREATING COHESIVE STORY
• EXPERIMENTATION AND VISUALIZATION
• DEVELOPMENT OF MILLWORK / FLUSH OUT THE DETAILS
• COORDINATION OF MATERIALITY
• ENSURE CLIENT AND USER’S VISION AND EXPECTATIONS ARE NOT ONLY MET BUT EXCEEDED
Documentation
• ROBUST CONSTRUCTION PLANS
• CROSS-DISCIPLINARY
• MEETING CLIENT STANDARDS
• IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS
• RESOLVE DESIGN ISSUES
Coordination Design Refinement Focus
• OVERSEEING DESIGN INTENT THROUGH TO THE FINISHING TOUCHES
• CORRESPONDENCE WITH CONTRACTOR, ARCHITECT AND CONSULTANTS
• REVIEW OF RFI’S, SUBMITTALS, SHOP DRAWINGS, AND SITE VISITS
Kelly Knowles
With over a decade of experience and leadership in hospitality and multifamily design, interior designer Kelly Knowles possesses a unique ability to curate spaces through 3D modeling and rendering. Her exceptional organizational and technical skills enable her to cultivate a cohesive design narrative as a forwardthinking, detail-oriented collaborator with interdisciplinary teams on new builds and renovation projects. Kelly has practiced design nationwide, from the East Coast to the West.
Before taking a career break to focus on health and family, in 2023, she was involved in the development of a 285-key Hilton Hotel in Tempe, AZ, as well as an international JW Marriott project featuring 500 combined guestrooms and residences, where she was focusing on the Fitness & Spa space planning. Committed to community engagement, Kelly has dedicated nearly ten years to volunteering with the local chapter of NEWH, ascending through various leadership roles, including Director of Marketing and President, and currently serving as Executive Advisor.
Having navigated two significant personal losses in recent years, Kelly has developed a profound outlook on life, embracing vulnerability and practicing unapologetic honesty. Her passion for exploring nature, seeking adventure, and discovering diverse cultures fuels her extensive travel, both locally and internationally. Recently, she has developed a keen interest in DIY projects as she and her husband undertake substantial renovations on their first home. This journey has allowed her to enhance her design expertise in 3D modeling and millwork detailing, culminating in the creation of her own custom dream closet, where she learned that no wall is perfectly straight and that pocket hole connections can be invaluable.
INTERIOR DESIGNER NCIDQ CERTIFIED LEED AP + ID C, NEWH
WHAT’S TRENDING IN HOSPITALITY
What is the traveler looking for?
AFTER PRIORITIZING POST-PANDEMIC VACATIONS TO SEE FRIENDS AND FAMILY, 2023 WILL SEE A SHIFT IN TRAVELERS CHOOSING A DIFFERENT PRIORITY - THEMSELVES!
Co-working Back-to-Basics Wellness
&
The hybrid approach to work trips and leisure vacation, dubbed the name “mullet travel” by the Wall Street Journal can be described as “business in the front, party in the back.” Traditional properties are offering discounts or extending stays, other perks include having pools, bars and fitness centers on-site so you can make the most of your work-cation.
Travel associated with the pursuit of maintaining or enhancing personal betterment - Healing Holidays. Filled with travelers seeking to identify their life’s mission and discovering what their bodies are physically and mentally capable of. Wellness tourism is expected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2025, up from $720 billion in 2019.
Travelers are more inclined to lighten their luggage, choose trains over planes to reduce their carbon footprint and opt for an “off grid” vacation experience. Almost half of global travelers want their 2023 getaway to have a more “back-to-basics” feel – think eco-friendly cabins, huts and yurts – but 53% still want phone and internet.
Authenticity Digital Devices
ALL ABOUT THE LOCALE
Immersing a guest into the locale via locally sourced produce, craft beverages, a hotel design. Minor details such as stones used in landscaping, or the textural details of interior walls and furnishings can be very reflective of a locality – especially when created by local tradespeople.
“YOU HAD ME AT A (VIRTUAL) HELLO”
More customers are starting to expect smart rooms to control the room temperature, lighting, and even entertainment through a mobile device or voice. Using mobile door keys for added security is another new trend.
Savvy Travel
SAVE VERSUS SPLURGE
With inflation, rising fuel costs and labor shortages the cost of travel will be higher. Travelers will be on the lookout for valuable deals, hacks to save and shortcuts. More than half of respondents to a recent brand survey said they’d change their travel plans to earn or redeem points.
Social Media Envy Inclusivity Sustainability
ENVIRONMENT IS KEY
On average consumers are willing to pay 38% more to make their travels more sustainable. All about wellness and resilience. From focus on farm-fresh ingredients in culinary menus to the global health crisis shedding light on the connection between climate change and public health. Slow travel is a buzzword for sustainable tourism where guests connect with beautiful nature environments and hotels focusing on biophilic design.
THE UNIQUE WOW FACTOR WELCOMING EVERYONE
Gen-Z is establishing an expectation for diversity and equality. Minority owned properties, companies that engage and support their communities, and businesses that align with a travelers personal values are more likely to get their business.
A Facebook study found that 67 percent of travel enthusiasts on Instagram use the platform to look for inspiration for new places to travel to. Authentic photos and videos have more value to travelers than paid and staged visuals influencers create and share
Amenities & Aesthetics
A light and calm color palette, installing the technology, creating a “homey” feeling, adding memorable decor items like plants or unique wall art, and installing noise reduction technology.
A new riverfront resort, just 35 minutes north of Yellowstone, Montana
A hotel and resort built on over a mile of Yellowstone riverfront in the heart of Montana, it embodies the Montana experience; Big Sky expansive views, solid rugged materials and inspired by the landscape and it’s bounty. Just 35 minutes from Yellowstone National Park, the Lodge is the ideal destination for fly fishermen, hikers and adventurers of all levels. The rural resort includes 50 guestrooms, including 34 lodge accommodations, four stand-alone cabins with four guest rooms each. It also features a restaurant and bar, complete with a wood-fired grill and indoor and outdoor vantage points, plus a versatile event barn. Reflecting Sage brand values; handcrafted, thoughtful in detail, customer service and high performance.
CUSTOM MILLWORK
CONCEPT THRU
CONSTRUCTION
DETAILING
CLIENT EQUIPMENT NEEDED -
HIDDEN DESKTOP COMPUTER & 22” MONITOR
KEYBOARD/MOUSE
PRINTER ON SLIDE OUT DRAWER
VOIP PHONE
SMALL WASTE/RECYCLING RECEPTACLE
SMALL AMOUNT OF OFFICE SUPPLIES (HIDDEN)
DRAWERS FOR KEY PACKETS, KEY CARDS, ETC.
SALTO DESKTOP KEY ENCODER (ACCESSIBLE)
ALL NECESSARY CABLE MANAGEMENT & DATA NEEDS
PROGRAMS USED -
INDESIGN
PHOTOSHOP
SKETCHUP
REVIT 2017
Sage Lodge
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
LOCATION — FEATURES —
RENOVATION
LOBBY
LOUNGE
LEASING OFFICES
BRAND —
AVALON
CLIENT —
AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES
PROJECT ROLE —
PROJECT INTERIOR DESIGNER
COMPLETED 2017
Avalon Studio City
A sophistcated renovation
Where do you go to see and be seen when you’ve outgrown the post-college social sc ene? I wanted to create a space that feels grown and sophisticated without seeming unreachable. A place where Hollywood’s latest it-writer mgiht hang out incognito. I worked with my team to curate a palette that was calm and sophisticated with sme eye-catching moments of ‘wow’ including an integrated back-lit ceiling to wall communal table onyx resin panel sytem that functions as a room divider, a work counter and a feature lighting element.
When AvalonBay acquired this property, they needed to transform a confined, dated lobby into a more open and inviting leasing concept that would attract a sophisticated tenant base to compliment the demographic of adjoining AVA property residents.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Overview
LOCATION — FEATURES —
2-STORY NEW BUILD CLUBHOUSEE
8-BUILDING APT COMMUNITY
EXTERIOR PAINT SCHEMES
LEASING LOBBY
CHILL LOUNGE FITNESS CENTER
BRAND —
AVA BY AVALON
CLIENT —
AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES
PROJECT ROLE —
PROJECT INTERIOR DESIGNER
COMPLETED 2017
AVA Studio City
Renovation, re-develop, and re-brand 2017 MFE AwardMerit for Renovation of the Year
Located directly adjacent to Avalon Studio City - this younger and hip property was inspired by a new archetype - Neo-Nostalgic.’’ The ‘Neo-Nostalgic’ is a west coast hybrid - life is edited, filtered through rose colored lens’ of the digital world. They pine for vintage glamour, but stay willingly detached, educated, witty and artiscally moody. The world is a state built for the enlightened youth to improv their own biographies.
Embassy Suites Downtown Seattle
Located in Seattle’s original neighborhood, Pioneer Square, this new hotel stands as an upscale urban hotel with a boutique design. The 282 all-suite property is unmatched in its panoramic views and proximity to Seattle’s most iconic attractions and experiences, such as the King Street Train Station and Pike Place Market, and resides just around the corner from the bustling Stadium District.
Curated for a neighborhood experience, the design remembers the Golden Age of travel when romantics journeyed for the adventure and cache of exploring new places and new cultures. With design cues taken from this era, the interior is modern and chic, capturing the spirit of Seattle and offering guests a glimpse into what makes the city unique with an attitude of speed, style, and grace. Custom suites crafted to embody the various moods and facets of the city are furnished with pieces from local artists, including murals and blown glass. This, accompanied by references to famous cultural and natural icons, give the visitor a sense of place, while
of
and
LOCATION —
KEY WEST, FLORIDA
5 STORIES
2 BUILDINGS
100 GUESTROOMS
FULL-SERVICE RESTAURANT
GUESTROOM REFRESH & RENOVATION
CLIENT — FEATURES —
NOBLE HOUSE HOTELS & RESORTS
PROJECT ROLE —
INTERIOR DESIGNER
COMPLETION 2023
Ocean Key Resort & Spa
A refresh successfully managed without formal construction documentation
All of the guest rooms and suites at Ocean Key Resort are designed with your ultimate relaxation in mind. Featuring local art and eclectic hand-painted furnishings, each room comes with a private balcony and view of the Gulf of Mexico or Key West’s historic Duval Street.
With the goal to brighten and give life to an existing beige base palette, the Ocean Key guestroom is designed to be whimsical and exciting but modernized. The aesthetic is intended to spark interest; providing fun, unexpected twists that set this property apart from the ordinary.
With a limited budget and tight space, an aging resort is refreshed into a bright and whimsical guest experience.
LOCATION —
REDMOND, WASHINGTON Overview
FEATURES —
COFFEE BAR
GRAB & GO MARKET
GRILL
CAFE BRANDING
SIGNAGE & WAYFINDING
CLIENT —
CONFIDENTIAL
INTERNET RETAILER
PROJECT ROLE —
INTERIOR DESIGNER
COMPLETION 2024
Cafe Leo
Spatial abstract inspiration
The existing space is a blank canvas for a brand new food service cafe to an existing workplace campus. The cafe concept falls in line with the work of the building user group - a futuristic, high-tech galactic lab. Abstract geometry and color gradients are found through the graphics and materials inspired by the views from Low Earth Orbit - thus the cafe name LEO - and the cutting edge mathematics and science.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
8,400 SQFT
COFFEE BAR
GRAB & GO MARKET
GRILL REBRANDING
SIGNAGE & WAYFINDING
PROJECT ROLE —
INTERIOR DESIGNER
The Garage Cafe
A refresh and rebrand of a popular lunch hub
This existing cafe, located in South Lake Union, is a popular lunch stop for employees. However, the existing name doesn’t match the aesthetic or need of the space. Working with our ExD team this cafe will be rebranded to match the existing name, with a Moto Club concept. Through materials, functional and mixed seating opportunities, an addition of a new grab & go market and mobile order pick up, the once popular cafe pre-pandemic will be revived into a casual work remote lunch hub – a relaxed and purposeful space. Our client was looking to turn this into a space for workers to linger and meet with their team. The space will now be able to accommodate large work groups and also smaller individual groups needing privacy. Concrete floors, blackened steel, light wood grain, acoustical ceiling tiles, warm metals and an upholstery palette of natural tones are mixed with a touch of industrial nods. Turning this once dark below grade space into a bright yet weathered hang out.
