Retail Observer

JANUARY 2023 RETAILOBSERVER.COM 31 ending with a packed house at the Gold Key Awards," said Stacy Shoemaker Rauen, editor in chief of Hospitality Design magazine and SVP, Design Group at Emerald. "I think everyone walked away invigorated and inspired – I know I did." "The positive response we received from our exhibitors, attendees and design partners has proved that business is back and better than ever this year. We are looking forward to continuing to expand our exposure and to delivering smart and targeted programming for the hospitality design community in 2023," said Kevin Gaffney, group vice president, Emerald Design Group. Thousands of industry professionals explored new products from nearly 600 exhibitors and learned about the latest trends and issues in hospitality from sessions covering innovation in design, wellness and mindfulness, navigating inclusivity, and the future of hospitality. While sustainability in design has always been important, it became more central in both products and projects at this year's BDNY. At the ReWild by Westin Designed Space, the environment was top- of-mind with abundant greenery and features like The Well, which contained a plastic-free source of water for visitors. At the booths, an emphasis on eco-friendly was pervasive, from the recyclability of iSiMAR's aluminum outdoor furniture, to a line of textiles from Valley Forge Fabrics created from reclaimed and repurposed ocean plastic. Other trends that appeared throughout the exhibitor booths included a focus on 1970s-themed shapes and colors, and curved silhouettes among chairs, sofas and more. Highlights of this year's BDNY included the debut of its four signature Designed Spaces. Created by major interior and architecture teams, and hospitality companies, the spaces rely on products from BDNY exhibitors and sponsors as sources for inspiration, design and concept. This year's Designed Spaces included Revive by Element designed by The Society; ReWild by Westin designed by the EoA; Better-Verse by DLR Group; and Posta by WorldHotels Crafted Collection designed by EDG. In addition to presenting impressive designs, these spaces featured pop-up talks and food and drink throughout the two days. BDNY Meet, a platform for targeted connections between exhibitors and attendees, continued to serve as an important matchmaking tool both prior to and onsite at the trade fair. More than 3,000 attendees and exhibitors engaged with BDNY Meet by visiting matched profiles and sending meeting requests. Spanning 14 categories for hospitality interiors, the Best of BDNY 2022 Product Design Competition and BDNY Best Exhibit Competition celebrate designers and manufacturers of products that demonstrate aesthetic progress, functionality and innovation. This year's Best Exhibit Competition winners were Mexa Diseño (Small), CM Hospitality (Medium) and Opiary (Large). Opiary also won the Best in Show award. Best Product Design Competition winners included Stern Engineering (Architectural Materials), Paradigm Trends (Art & Accessories), Brizo (Bath & Spa), Perennials (Fabric), Durkan (Flooring), TLC Hospitality (Furniture), Vaask (Health & Wellness), Arteriors (Lighting), Vigo (Other), Tuuci (Outdoor), Sandler Seating (Seating), Pioneer Millworks (Sustainability) and Woven Image (Wallcoverings). Preceding BDNY, the 33rd Annual Platinum Circle Awards Gala, hosted by Hospitality Design magazine took place on Friday, November 11 at Gotham Hall in New York, where seven hospitality leaders were honored for their lifetime achievements: Ronnie Bray and Elisa Whaler, Bray Whaler; Ken Fulk, Ken Fulk Inc.; Neil Jacobs, Six Senses; Sheila Johnson, Salamander Hotels & Resorts; and Barbara Parker and Miriam Torres, Parker-Torres Design. Closing out the week of events, BDNY hosted the annual Gold Key Awards celebration on Monday, November 14 at Cipriani 42nd Street, where winners in 24 project categories from fine dining restaurant and resort to suite were announced. The next edition of BDNY will be held at Javits Center, November 12-13, 2023. Please visit www.bdny.com for more information. SPONSORS AlphaTheta Music Americas, Ambius, Architectural Systems Inc., Architessa, Arhaus, Arte USA Inc., Astek Wallcoverings, Bernhardt Hospitality, Bloom Lighting Group, Brand Standard Furnishings, Cambria, Ceramic Technics, LTD, County Draperies, DAC Art Consulting, Daltile Corporation, Daniel Fine Art, Decolav, Encore Hospitality Carpet, Erica Shamrock, Fairmont Designs, Farmboy Fine Arts, Garden on the Wall LLC, Global Lighting, House of Rohl, Innovative Carpets, iWorks, Justin David Textiles, Kimball Hospitality, Kovet Hospitality, La Bastille, Light Annex, Lodging Concepts Manufacturing, Lusive Décor, Milliken, Moen, Montague, Native Trails, Naturalist, Pioneer Professional Audio, P/Kaufmann Contract, Quiltcraft Industries, Ratana, Remington Lighting, Rustbelt Reclamation, Shaw Hospitality, Source Direct, Stone Source, Valley Forge Fabrics, Wilsonart ® Engineered Surfaces ASSOCIATION AND MEDIA PARTNERS AIA NY, The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), Archiproducts, The Architect's Newspaper, Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), Azure, Boutique + Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA), Cruise Ship Interiors Expo America, darc Magazine, Designerpages.com, Floor Daily, Floor Focus, Furniture, Lighting & Décor, Hotel Association of NYC (HANYC), Hotel Business, IFDM, IIDA, International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC), International Society of Hospitality Purchasers (ISHP), Lodging Magazine, NEWH—The Hospitality Industry Network, New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association (NYSHTA), NY Cottages & Gardens, Restaurant Development+Design, The Retail Observer, Sleeper, Today's Hotelier RO

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