My two passions growing up were skiing and Art. I went on to join the US Skiing Association Development team and started traveling the world. Eventually, my passion for travel and Art merged when I discovered hospitality design.

I began my formal design education at Cranbrook Academy of Art where I received an MFA. While there, I was studio-trained in painting, sculpture, textiles, metalsmithing, and ceramics. Influenced by the campus design, I knew I wanted a formal grounding in architecture.  The Master of Architecture from the University of Illinois at Chicago and 1 year in Rome, was perfect for providing the professional foundation that would enable me to weave together my passion for travel, sports and fine hotels. I was now prepared to make my mark in hospitality design.

I spent 2 years with the award-winning design consultancy , Anderson Miller ltd, in Chicago. I was interested in creating large-scale, whimsical, luxurious spaces, so I moved to Las Vegas where I did a 14-year stint at the luxury resort giant, Wynn Resorts, as Director of Interior Design. It was a phenomenal immersion in hospitality design. Wynn hotels have a residential feel, but they need to function seamlessly at the micro and macro levels to make a profit. The Wynn aesthetic was about drama, humor, mystery and surprise that makes a guest want to come back again and again.  Almost everything was custom made and I became an expert at carpet, millwork, lighting, and furniture design. I accumulated a contact list of the best craftspeople in the world.

My Design Philosophy

My work is inspired by the feeling of joy in movement. The weighting and unweighting of skis. The tension in a sail is caused by air traveling faster over the topside than along the underside. The push and pull of muscles. Opposite forces are complementary, balancing, and provide emotional connection in a design.  These words are the building blocks of my work.

I compose every space to contain complementary tensions, whether it be a five-star luxury resort, a custom home or even finish selections for a production home. There are no restrictions on the project scale.

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