Hospitality Highlights at BDNY
The annual hospitality trade fair and conference will take place November 8 & 9 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City.
Boutique Design New York (BDNY) returns to the Jacob K. Javits Center November 8 & 9 with a two-day program that brings together influential voices across design, development, ownership, operations, food and beverage, procurement, and hospitality culture.
This year’s theme, Designed to Be Remembered, looks beyond what makes a space visually distinctive to examine what makes hospitality relevant, resonant, and successful. Across the Main Stage, BD Hub, Dine & Design, Designed Spaces, and partner activations, conversations will explore the forces reshaping the industry — from accelerated hotel delivery and adaptive reuse to wellness, evolving definitions of luxury, culinary-led concepts, sustainability, and the expanding role of designers in hospitality development.
“The strongest hospitality ideas today sit at the intersection of design, business, culture, and experience,” said Gannon Brousseau, executive vice president/Luxury & Design Group at Forge. “This year’s program brings those perspectives together in a way that feels especially relevant to where the industry is headed, while giving attendees practical ideas they can take back to their own projects.”
Noted Alissa Ponchione, editor-in-chief of Boutique Design and Hospitality Design magazines, “What excites me most about this year’s BDNY programming is the range of perspectives we’re bringing to the stage. From creative visionaries like Marcel Wanders and BIG’s Kai-Uwe Bergmann to leaders shaping the future of F&B, wellness, and hospitality design, these conversations reflect just how interconnected our industry has become. This year, we’re looking beyond aesthetics to explore how design can create meaningful experiences, foster connections, and leave a lasting impression.”
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8
10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | The Hub
Design Demand Ahead: U.S. Hotel Development Through 2027
Lodging Econometrics examines the U.S. hotel development pipeline, renovations, conversions and where new design and procurement opportunities are emerging.
Speakers: Bruce Ford, senior vice president & director/Global Business Development for Lodging Econometrics
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Mainstage
The Fast-Track Hotel: Lessons from Accelerated Model Room and Hotel Delivery
Owners, procurement leaders, designers and manufacturers discuss ways to shorten delivery timelines while protecting design intent, operations and the guest experience.
Speakers: Dane Patunoff, senior vice president/Development at KHP Capital Partners; Anna Peretz, director/Architecture Design & Construction at Sonesta Hotels; Christian Schnyder, principal of Beleco; Bryce Sprecher, CEO of Summa International
Moderator: Dan Ryan, president of Agency 967
12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. | The Hub
ISHP Owners Grill: Strategy Shaping the Industry
Owners and procurement leaders discuss the relationship between ownership, design and sourcing, followed by an open forum.
Speakers: Nicole Dalton, director/Interior Design & Construction at Station Casinos;
Keith Mack, managing principal at Gibraltar Capital Partners; Suzanne Saunders, chief elevation officer & senior vice president/Design & Construction at ELEVATE by HVMG;
Gary Womack, senior director/Design and Development at Noble Investment Group
Moderators: Pamela Villafane, founding market lead at Source Procurement; Laura Herzog, executive vice president & COO at Purchasing Management International
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Mainstage
The Man Behind the Practice: One-on-One with Marcel Wanders
Marcel Wanders reflects on his entrepreneurial journey, creative freedom, career-defining projects and hopes for the next generation of designers.
Speakers: Marcel Wanders, leading product & interior designer, owner & creative director at Moooi
Moderator: Alissa Ponchione, editor-in-chief, Hospitality Design and Boutique Design
1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. | One Night Only by IHG Hotels & Resorts x Crème/Jun Aizaki Architecture & Design, Booth #255
Does Great Design Need a Big Budget?
Design leaders explore material ingenuity, focused investment and creative constraints as tools for memorable hospitality experiences.
Speakers: Stephanie Edwards, renovation manager at IHG Hotels & Resorts; Eyal Einik, principal at Tidal Real Estate Partners, LP; Tammy Miller, founder & president, Alternate Resources; Chris Sommers, partner & co-founder, Harken Interiors
1:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. | The Hub
From Aesthetics to Experience: The New Role of Design
As luxury becomes more personal and experience-driven, designers and operators explore how storytelling, sensory design and operational insight shape the guest journey.
Speakers: Amy Fothergill, director, Interior Design – The Americas for Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts; Huxley Hogeboom, executive vice president/Design & Development at Left Lane Development; Victor Schmick, creative director/Design & Construction at Davidson Hospitality Group
Moderator: Lindsay Keir, Director of Marketing, II By IV Design
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Mainstage
The New Language of Wellness: Designing Hospitality Spaces That Restore, Recharge & Inspire
A cross-disciplinary discussion of how thoughtful design, sensory experience and human connection are redefining wellness and luxury.
Speakers: Galey Alix, designer, author & host at Galey Alix Design; Dale Moss, entrepreneur & wellness advocate; Kane Sarhan, cofounder & chief creative officer at THE WELL
Moderator: Megan Pierson, executive vice president/Business Development, POLYWOOD
Sponsored by Polywood
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | Mainstage
The Future of Hospitality: A Global Journey from Japan to Bhutan, Paris, Copenhagen & the Arctic Circle
Kai-Uwe Bergmann takes audiences around the world through projects where design, culture, nature, food and innovation converge to create new hospitality experiences.
Speakers: Kai-Uwe Bergmann, partner at BIG
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Mainstage
The Renovation Equation: When Preservation and Profitability Align
A discussion of how adaptive reuse, preservation, brand needs and financial incentives can create value in hospitality development.
Speakers: Mary Gilmore, partner & director/Interior Design at Campo Architecture & Interior Design; Whitney Krieger, director of Design at Rockbridge Hospitality; Ashley Ewing Parrott, founder of AEP Consulting + The Saturday Crowd; Melissa Shelton, founder of Dear Valentine
Moderator: Michael Felsen, CEO, Telos Furniture
Sponsored by Telos Furniture
12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. | The Hub
The New Art of Belonging: How Design, Hospitality & Culture Shape Modern Luxury
Leaders in branding, design and education explore how culture, craft and care create belonging, loyalty and long-term value.
Speakers: Mélanie Murata, principal at KARU; Hiromi Murayama, director/Luxury Design Management at Marriott; Emmanuel Nieves, director/School of Interior Architecture at Boston Architectural College; Thomas Ventura, design director at Gensler
Moderator: Bashar Wali, Founder & CEO, This Assembly
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Mainstage
The Future of F&B: Design, Brand, and Cultural Relevance in Hospitality
Hospitality operators consider destination dining, brand identity, guest expectations and the design decisions that support cultural relevance and profitability.
Speakers: Sara Kim, senior vice president & partner at LDV Hospitality; Will Nazar, chief development officer at Major Food Group; Susan Nugraha, senior vice president/Design & Development at Tao Group Hospitality; Michael Stillman, CEO & founder of Quality Branded
Moderator: Beth Bloom, Owner/Creative Director, Beth Bloom Designs
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Mainstage
From Concept to Culture: Building a Culinary-Driven Hotel Brand
Chef Charlie Palmer and Jennifer Johanson discuss how a culinary point of view can become the foundation of a hotel brand, drawing on the experience of building Appellation.
Speakers: Jennifer Johanson, EDG Hospitality Design; Charlie Palmer, hospitality entrepreneur, chef, hotelier at Appellation Hotels
Moderator: Alison Medina, vice president & brand director/Hospitality Design at Forge
3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. | The Hub
Discover Inside Norway: Legacy, Sustainability, and Modernity Redefined
Norwegian designers and manufacturers explore natural materials, craftsmanship, technology, wellness and sustainable design.
Speakers: Anders Holmedal, founder & creative director and lighting product designer of House of Holmedal; Line Moller Maersk, product marketing manager at Lundhs AS;
Karoline Riis Rigault, chief marketing officer at Heymat; Jorgen Tengesdal, co-founder & chief commercial officer at Eikund
Moderator: Ben Dreith, US editor, Dezeen
Sponsored by Inside Norway
3:30 PM – 4:15 PM | Dine & Design (Booth #781)
Designing Hospitality at the Obama Presidential Center: Creating a Destination Through the Guest Experience
Two designers behind the Obama Presidential Center explore how hospitality principles shaped the arrival experience, public spaces, and gathering places to create a welcoming cultural destination that connects people, place, and purpose.
Speakers: Kimshasa Baldwin, creative director & principal/Deture Culsign Architecture + Interiors; Gordana Jordanovska, founder & creative director of Studio GOGA
Additional show-floor programming and the complete schedule are available here. Programming and speaker lineups are subject to change.
Beyond its educational programming and celebrations, BDNY has also partnered with Humble Design, a national nonprofit that transforms donated furnishings into welcoming, personalized homes for individuals, families, and veterans emerging from homelessness. Through the Design With Purpose activation at Booths 986/987, BDNY will invite exhibitors and attendees to support Humble’s mission, champion furniture reuse and circularity, and explore how the hospitality design community can make a meaningful difference beyond the spaces it creates.
BDNY’s signature social events will also bring the hospitality design community together for networking, recognition, and celebration. The festivities begin Friday, November 6, with the Platinum Circle Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, honoring industry leaders for their lifetime achievements and contributions to hospitality.
On Monday, November 9, the BDNY Power Players: Women Leaders Breakfast at the Javits Center River Pavilion brings together influential voices across design, branding, ownership, and procurement to discuss the industry’s challenges and opportunities. The celebrations conclude that evening with the Gold Key Awards at Cipriani 42nd Street, recognizing excellence in hospitality design across 24 project categories, along with the Design Firm of the Year, the 2026 Ones to Watch rising stars, and BD’s Up-and-Coming Hotelier of the Year.
Registration is now open for BDNY 2026. Industry professionals may register for the two-day conference or trade fair.
For registration options and additional information, click here.
SHOW HOURS
Sunday, November 8 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Monday, November 9 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
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