Mike Suomi, Principal And Vice President Of Interior Design With Stonehill & Taylor

In this episode of the Hotel Design podcast, we speak to Mike Suomi from Stonehill & Taylor, who discusses his and his team's work on the iconic Eero Saarinen's TWA building at JFK along. For Suomi, it's a matter of getting into what Saarinen wanted to originally create when designing this incredible space. They talk materials and expected experience, how the original terminal was designed without straight lines and how that informed the design approach to arrive on a 1960's aesthetic that works in the 21st century. Mike and Glenn also discuss how HGTV changed design culture in the same way the Food Network helped morph restaurant culture. They discuss how the firm also balances guests' needs and hotel owner requests. They also go through the process of designing the Eliza Jane hotel in New Orleans' French quarter, its in-depth design process, and how he and his team created a modern hotel from a series of abandoned warehouses while honoring the city's history. Finally, they discuss bringing in a feminine design approach that doesn't turn off more masculine personalities while also approaching residential style design in the hotel sphere, color trends and how the major hotel companies are embracing a more design forward approach. Also, send us an email for your chance to receive a free book from Porcelanosa, which was launched in conjunction with the AIA (the American Institute of Architects) whose New York chapter ran a program of architectural dialogues called Cocktails and Conversations. At these events, design world thought leaders present interviews on architecture's place in the built environment, culture, master planning. They're included in this book along with 50 great cocktail recipes, one in honor of each honor of the guest speaker. Interviews include titans such as Steven Holl, Charles Renfro, Daniel Libeskind, Deborah Berke, Todd Schliemann, Morris Adjmi, Michael Sorkin, the skyscrapers created by William Pedersen of KPF that forever changed the skylines of the world's major cities, and more. Send an email now for your chance to receive a complimentary copy:  [email protected]. Offer valid while supplies last. Visit us at www.hoteldesignpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].