Boutique Design - September 2013 - 4

EDITORIAL
Executive Editor
Mary Scoviak
mary.scoviak@stmediagroup.com

DESIGNERS CREATING
NEW WAYS TO GROW
LARISSA BURDEN MADE HER DEBUT

in the pages of Boutique Design in May
2011. At that time, she was named to the
Boutique 18, our annual class of up-andcoming creators of hospitality spaces. In her
printed profile, Burden—who was then with
WCI Inc.—offered up this great bit of advice:
“Several times a year, I make it a point to go
to online reviews for properties I’ve designed.
This is a great tool that I think every designer
can benefit from. Seeing first-hand what
today’s design-savvy travelers have to say
about the aesthetics and functionality of a
space can be quite valuable.”
I liked her idea so much that I singled
it out for attention in my “From the Editor”
column in that issue. And now, Burden is
back in our pages, this time as a co-founder
of Portland, Ore.-based ELK Collective, which
is profiled in our story on entrepreneurial
small- and medium-sized design firms
(see “Pathways to the Future,” page 36).
Once again, Burden has expressed a
couple of ideas that I think are worth noting
here. When asked about their long-term
goals for ELK, Burden and co-founders Erin
Cry and Kelly Ogden pointed to two ambitious undertakings: the firm plans to get into
product design, by creating its own furniture

Editor
Matthew Hall
matthew.hall@stmediagroup.com
Interim Art Director
Kelly Kofron
kelly.kofron@stmediagroup.com

and lighting lines; and they're also looking
to embark on what they describe as “selfpropelled projects”—that is, the creation of
spaces that the collective would fund, design
and operate. Talk about vertical integration!
The other three firms participating in that
story offered up equally interesting thoughts
for surviving and thriving in today’s highly
competitive market. There’s U.K. designer
Tim Mutton’s heartfelt belief that being
somewhat of a black sheep is a good thing
for designers; Carl Ross’ view that designers'
real job is to turn hallucinations into reality;
and Jenn Radlinski’s practical advice on the
benefits of donating design services to get
a foot in the door. I found these designers’
insights to be both provocative and
inspiring—and I hope you do, too.

Assistant Editor
Natalie Knoth
natalie.knoth@stmediagroup.com

SALES
Publisher,
Hospitality Products
Michael Schneider
michael.schneider@stmediagroup.com
(513) 263-9379
Business Development Manager,
Southeast
Scott Rickles
scott.rickles@stmediagroup.com
(770) 664-4567
Business Development Manager,
Midwest/West
Melani Beattie
melani.beattie@stmediagroup.com
(312) 218-5691

CORPORATE
President
Tedd Swormstedt
Senior VP Hospitality
Michelle Finn
Audience Development Director
Christine Baloga
Book Division Director
Mark Kissling
Production Coordinator
Linda Volz
Reprint Information
(800) 925-1110, ext. 399

SUBSCRIPTION
SERVICES
EDITOR

P.O. Box 1060
Skokie, IL 60076
(847) 763-4938
fax: (847) 763-9030
BD@halldata.com

CORPORATE
11262 Cornell Park Dr.
Cincinnati, OH 45242
(513) 421-2050
fax: (513) 421-5144

STAY CONNECTED WITH
BOUTIQUE DESIGN

4

boutiquedesign.com SEPTEMBER 2013
http://www.boutiquedesign.com
Boutique Design - September 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Boutique Design - September 2013
