No Show

The Grand Designs of Tonya Almallah Schmitt

• Jeff Borman and Matt Brown

Share episode

As founder and creative director of the boutique interior design firm AIDT Designs, Tonya is changing the way we think about boutique hotel, resort, and lifestyle design. Whether design property in the Keys or reimagining a resort brand from the ground up, her work is layered, luxe, and never, ever forgettable.

We talk about her early career working under Las Vegas visionaries Steve Wynn & Roger Thomas, what most designers get wrong about hotel rooms, collaborating on Margaritaville, sourcing one-of-a-kind local finds, and elevating design on a tight budget.

For more on Tonya and AIDT visit https://www.aidtdesignsinc.com/

Matt Brown:

Welcome everyone to no Show. With Matt Brown and Jeff Borman. Tonya Almallah Schmitt, founder and creative director of the boutique interior design firm AIDT Designs, is our guest today. Now based in South Florida after years of calling New York City and New Jersey home, tanya is on the move with new projects, a new website, new everything, and she is changing the way we think about boutique hotel, resort and lifestyle design. Early in her career, tanya had the rare opportunity to work under Steve Wynn and Roger Thomas Vegas legends, which shaped her understanding of how design can elevate not just aesthetics but the entire guest experience.

Matt Brown:

As a minority woman-owned business, aidt brings a distinct and much-needed perspective to the hospitality industry. Whether designing property in the Keys or reimagining a resort brand from the ground up, her work is layered luxe and never, ever forgettable. Ground up, her work is layered luxe and never, ever forgettable. Industry veteran fashion icon, bon vivant entrepreneur, hotel owner, slash investor, palm Beach socialite, daughter of Turkey and New Jersey, the undisputed queen of sourcing one-of-a-kind local finds. And I have to say this Tanya, your team at AIDT is the most attractive group of people I have ever seen in my life. It straight up looks like a casting announcement for White Lotus. So congratulations on surrounding yourself with beauty and welcome to no Show.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

Wow, I am speechless. Ever looking for an additional gig, I might hire you for sales because you are sensational. I'm blown away by myself and the way you announced and introduced me.

Matt Brown:

And the next, the next conference you go to, I should be your hype. It's like boxing. I'll be like your hype guy who gets the crowd going.

Jeff Borman:

Look out, michael Buffer.

Matt Brown:

I'll have a tux. I'll have the mic.

Jeff Borman:

Actually, you know, Tanya, our goal here is to actually make our guests speechless. That's how you do a perfect podcast.

Matt Brown:

Totally.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

This is it. That's it.

Matt Brown:

Okay, tanya, let's begin at the beginning. How did you get into this business?

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

I've always really just been drawn to environments that sort of evoke an emotion, that kind of space you know, you walk into and you feel something, even if you can't necessarily articulate why. Hospitality design really just pulled me right on in, because it's where beauty sort of meets strategy. You design for guests that you may never meet, whose experience you shape in the most intimate and maybe everyday way. So that is sort of how I really became attracted to the business. However, I started off in fashion, and fashion is all about the look, the feel, the mood, what's coming next, trend forecasting, fabrics, finishes and then assembling that and basically selling it in a way that mass society or production will want to purchase. You know these high-end couture runway looks that can be distributed to big box retailers and essentially purchase.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

So I saw that that was not going to be the path for me. It was basically like a devil wears product experience and it was not creative, it wasn't fueling those creative juices inside of me and I had zero desire to really design clothing. And so all the same time, while I was in fashion, I was going home and redesigning, reorganizing my apartment or my friend's apartment or you know, organizing things over and over again with, you know, the pillow arrangements on my bed or just little things that were already telling the story of what I was, you know, going to eventually become in life, which was an interior designer. So yeah, so fashion started it off and you know, it led me to interiors.

Jeff Borman:

What's changed about luxury design over the last? Call it five years, 10 years.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

Well, I mean, luxury has gone from look at me to, in my opinion, feel with me. Today's luxury is quieter, it's more intentional, it's about texture, it's about experience, comfort, privacy and meaning. People want this sort of emotional connection, not just the shiny things that say look at me, you know I can afford, you know the finer things in life. It's about having you know exclusivity, or I'm on an island and you can't get here unless you take 15 different private jets. Guests are going to continue to expect more, more than maybe we could even potentially provide to them at this time, but it will allow for us, as designers, to really push the luxury expectations in the future.

Jeff Borman:

How has hotel design changed generationally If we look back 20 years, in the end people still check in a hotel they sleep, they shower, they leave. And has the guest room changed functionally or just in its layer of aesthetic?

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

Technology has changed, you know that has really laid a groundwork for us to really layer upon more interesting design features. You know it's not just about checking in necessarily anymore having the best sleep ever. It's about having a sensory balance. Can the materials support whatever level of emotion you're trying to evoke from that guest? We're integrating things like air purification systems and sound and mood and lighting and spatial flow and promoting well-being. Sometimes you can check into a hotel guest room and you have a little workout zone right there in your guest room. It's not necessarily the same walk in sleep, have a nice shower and leave experience. Of course I think the brand and the hotel flag can sort of dictate maybe what that experience is sort of going to look like. But I mean, I definitely think that hotels are changing just because of the different layers of technology that we have at our fingertips.

Jeff Borman:

A few years ago I was in a hotel in Southern California and, with all the California regulation and signage right, there was low flow shower heads and be kind to the environment yes, nods all over the place. My question here is what do most designers get wrong about hotel rooms? And I, because I think of that hotel, with all the conservation and good intent, in order to turn on the shower, the and this is an open bathroom concept you had to step into the shower, reach across to turn it on and then guarantee yourself to get wet from the rain shower. Just to turn on the shower, it then sprayed everywhere. So if you're over at the vanity, you have soaked the entire bathroom and I'm having this experience at a quasi-luxury more of a lifestyle, I think hotel Nonetheless a very expensive place and I'm thinking I don't think designers ever stay in their own product. What do you think designers ever stay in their own product? What do you?

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

think designers get wrong about guest rooms. Well, I have a whole wealth of experience designing guest rooms over the last 20 years of doing this as a designer and I can say that story you just told me. I can give you a million experiences where that exact sort of thing in some way, shape or form has happened to me personally and it just irks me, like what were you thinking? I actually visited a very nice hotel in New York, over a thousand dollars a night to stay in, and they had a hole cut through the glass which you could see it was an afterthought Someone was complaining of that exact situation and a hole that you would stick your hand through and manipulate the diverter and the wand and so on and so forth to not go through that. So I think, absolutely, the shower experience is probably top three for sure A designer getting it wrong.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

I also think the draperies are. I mean for me, how many times have you stayed in a property and that one little light seepage comes through and you are up at the crack I mean the crack of dawn because one little quarter inch reveal in the drapery or the side return of the drapery that the designer didn't think about that. Or hey, you have a PTAC unit and the air conditioning is going to be blowing that fabulous drapery you selected as the designer how about weight the bottom of it? Because that's going to be flowing effortlessly through the wind and that's going to show light in the middle of the morning or three hours in the morning. So I think drapery is probably second for me, my biggest pet peeve.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

And then, lastly, I mean I would think about acoustics. I think to some degree we have the ability as interior designers certainly you don't always have the ability to knock down the wall and re-insulate and such but there are ways, I think, you can get around sound acoustics. I think you can get around sound acoustics, whether it's items that could be used as decorative art pieces that carry acoustical properties, that look good and that the guests will have no idea what they're there for truly, which is to provide, maybe, a sound barrier. How many times have you slept in the guest room and you feel like you're almost on that vacation or business trip with the person next to you? It's actually somewhat awkward when you know who's staying next to you. If you are on a business trip and you hear some of the things through that wall. You can really never look at that person. Ever the same actually.

Matt Brown:

Tanya what are you? Please share some of your experiences and what you've heard.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

I want to share those, but that'll be a different podcast. But I mean in general, I think it's the shower experience, the drapery and, for sure, acoustics. Those are my top three.

Jeff Borman:

So you do work for branded hotels as well as independent boutiques. What are you instructed to do in hotel design that you most resist?

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

instructed to do in hotel design that you most resist, oh dear Well, I mean, that's a complicated question because there's a lot to unpack right there. Branded properties we are at the mercy of the brand. They provide to us a sort of hit list that we have to accomplish from a PIP property improvement plan potentially, and then we have a accomplish from a PIP property improvement plan potentially, and then we have a set of brand standards and we have to design against that. And I can't say that every brand knows exactly the best approach from a brand standards. But generally speaking we are kind of responsible to we have to match those standards.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

I would say the most challenging that we resist is sometimes the clients want to skirt around the brand requirements and sub out that spec or find a way to value, engineer that spec down where it jeopardizes maybe the integrity of the spec, or switch it out during the purchasing phases and hope and pray the brand never catches wind of that. So I'd say that's probably the most resistant point for me as a designer is basically pulling the bait and switch on the brand from the owner's perspective or in some way just trying to dilute and water down something, whether it's a design concept or anything really. Concept in general, specification to a point where it's almost unrecognizable. It's like you going to a Louis Vuitton store and buying the most beautiful bag on the shelf and then asking someone to recreate that bag in a factory. That is not the same level of quality, not the same type of material, not the same level of detail, and then hoping and praying. It looks just like that beautiful handbag you spotted in the window when you walked by.

Jeff Borman:

You talk about value engineering. One of the pieces that I would first remove from hotel design today to save money is the telephone. Does anybody need a phone in their room anymore?

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

I mean, actually I did have that experience recently where I did need to contact the front desk and there was no phone in the room. I did have to call via my cell and then I had to go through the regular. That was not a good experience. I ended up going down there, I think, in my borderline pajamas and no makeup and hair done and just taking care of what I needed to.

Jeff Borman:

I can sense the trauma you're still feeling.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

Well, I mean, you know, lucky for me, I look kind of similar without my hair makeup done. So you know.

Matt Brown:

What she's saying, Jeff, is that she looked fantastic when she went down.

Jeff Borman:

She looks beautiful.

Matt Brown:

Got it yeah, just woke up and okay.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

I hear you, I think that I think that there's a better way to do it. Yeah, I just woke up and, okay, I hear you. I think that there's a better way to do it. And I do agree, I don't think you always need that cell phone or, I'm sorry, that room phone, and I think there's ways. Maybe with AI, you can tie your cell phone technology to the hotel. They're doing text messaging now, which helps in many cases, but, yes, I think we're moving that way quickly.

Matt Brown:

I want to talk about some of your experience in Vegas, because Vegas is a favorite topic on this show.

Matt Brown:

But before we get into that, I did want to talk about a few of your recent projects, and the reason I tie those two things together is that I think Jeff and I have had kind of a longstanding theory that the world has become Vegas in many ways, particularly for hotels, there is a desire for the experiential. You have worked on some very distinctive projects over the last couple of years, including the big $200 million Margaritaville in Fort Myers Beach. When you look at your designs, I think you did an amazing job kind of bringing a level of sophistication to the space, and I think Vegas is, I think, the capital of the world of that kind of thing, of having something just incredibly high and a little low too, kind of mixed together to create a distinctive experience. What was it like when you first got into that project? Did they know exactly what they wanted or did you have the freedom to kind of come in with some ideas of how you want the space to look?

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

When I took it on I was operating in a design director role at another firm and that project was presented to me that it's almost done. We have a few spaces and a few specs that need some tweaking. However, once we got into the execution of the design details and what the client really truly wanted, we realized pretty quickly or I realized pretty quickly that there was a lot more work that needed to be done. Here we were missing crucial and required brand defining moments. Margaritaville has very specific requirements with their artwork packages, almost like that Walt Disney World, las Vegas, kumbaya kind of comes together. So I quickly see that we were missing moments. And as I got into the details with the ownership group, you know we were having to develop these from scratch, like at a pretty later date than we had expected to. So basically I had to design a warp speed and again, lucky for me, I worked in hospitality, worked for some of the best firms in my career. For some of the best firms in my career, you know we had to work together as a team to basically develop this very intricate and customized Bestpoke property that was reflective of Fort Myers Beach.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

Now, you know there was a lot of history in Fort Myers. We also had a major hurricane, ian, go through there and destroy, you know, everything except our structure. When Ian bubbled through there, our hotel was the only thing left standing, pretty much for miles. Lucky for us we did not start to install the interior finishes just yet, but I mean our construction trailer floated away all the control samples, as we call them. When we're doing custom work. We have a bin of control samples that the GC keeps on site and purchasing agent holds and such you know. So we had a lot of challenges. I mean that was a 10 year long project and I was involved, for you know, our firm was involved for five years and then I saw it through for the final three years.

Matt Brown:

Eight years is a lot of time in Margaritaville, you know.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

It's actually interesting because you know, hindsight's always 2020. The city pushed back on that project. Nobody wanted them there the local residents. We don't want this big, fancy resort. This is a locals, you know, family owned, chill, very, whatever type environment. Little did they know their entire environment was about to be washed away literally, and Margaritaville stood as a beacon of hope when they lost everything in Hurricane Ian. That was the only place that was functioning, with the lights on the F&B outlets, you know, a place for a community to grow and feel like they have something like a flagship to come back to. It ended up being a beacon of hope for them. So it just goes to show you you don't always know what's coming.

Matt Brown:

You're also working on a new music-themed hotel in Brooklyn, yes, and it's down by Industry City and it's in a part of the borough that has traditionally been underserved by hotels, right? Can you tell us a little bit about the project and how it came to you and kind of what the overall vibe of it is?

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

Yes, so the project is very unique. The owner developed the design with me hand in hand and he's very involved in music. He's actually a DJ himself and he's got a lot of experience in that music sector. So this project was all about. You know, moody vibes, rhythm not the type of rhythm and vibes that you would think hard rock hotel completely the other direction. You know more like variations in lighting. You know trying to mimic sound waves or a DJ set playing with texture and evoking this sort of Gen Z genre. You know no guitars on the wall and such just very layered, lived in energy that feels like music.

Matt Brown:

Budget is always going to be something that people complain about and you know the budget will be $500 million, but oh, it's really tight. We've really got to reel it in. What are some tricks that you kind of deploy to make dollars stretch in a room? To give it a luxury feel, a quirky feel, a really individual look?

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

Sure, I mean, I just did a newsletter for Mint Pillow on a similar topic. It was all about tips and tricks and how to sort of incorporate this high-low. So you know, designing on a budget and making dollars stretch are important for every project, even the luxury ones. You cannot spend all your money everywhere. You have to pick and choose those moments and where you're going to make it count, right. So I always like to say, number one scale back and scale up. Bigger impact with fewer pieces. It doesn't need to be a billion million little tchotchkes. Let's find the moment and let's make it matter. So scale back and scale up.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

I love high-low mixes. We do this in fashion. I do this as a person when I get dressed. Maybe my handbag is $2,000 and my jewelry is vintage, and maybe I'm pairing it with a pair of $20 jeans and a Gap t-shirt or something, and it just has this cool, effortless, luxury look that's layered to it high-low, right. So I carry that approach into interiors. Think Ikea cabinets with super luxe brass, gold hardware or something like that.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

Finding a way to take something that's not as fancy or high budget and mixing it with something that is. The other is paint and texture you can do dramatic things with. You know, murals, or maybe stenciling a floor, or finding a unique way to apply paint, you know. So paint and texture can go a long way. And then, lastly, would be the local makers. I love unique pieces with a story. I've traveled to over 20 countries in my lifetime and each and every country I always find something unique. And when you're designing a space, if you can tap into the world not just you know the five or 10 vendors you use for your last few projects or the firm likes to go to for whatever reason Think globally and think also locally. You could find so many unique things that tell a story that could really enhance that space.

Matt Brown:

It's time for the lightning round. Oh gosh, no fear, no fear. It's time for the lightning round. Oh gosh, no fear, no fear. Is there a creative project you haven't done that you'd like to take on?

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

I would love to design a historic train and a historic train station and tie that in with luxury and you know there are others out there that do it already a luxury train experience. They are not in the US, they are all over Europe primarily, and I would love to bring that here to the States and even just the whole experience of a train station, not just the train itself, and find a way to, you know, do that. I think that for me would be maybe a very interesting dream project. And the fact that it's historic it has to be historic because then there's just so much history there and you could really take flight with imagination, tying old with new and having these sort of old world experience meets new world. I mean, I think that would be a dream project.

Matt Brown:

You worked for the Wynn's in Vegas. Yes, what was that like?

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

Well working for Steve Wynn and Roger Thomas, who was his main lead for all of the interiors at Wynn Design and Development. At the time I worked for them was back in 2008, 2009. And that was one of my first gigs in hospitality design. I would say it was a masterclass in detail, scale, ambition. The expectation at Wynn was excellence always. It shaped me and how I operate to this day, absolutely.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

You made a comment when we first started that my team members look like this sort of I don't know sort of lineup of something you'd see in a magazine. You know, I felt like Steve Wynn taught that to me in a way. You know, you're telling a story always. We're all storytellers. Every day we wake up we're telling ourselves a story, we're telling the world a story. Even the way we speak, our eye contact, the way we dress we're always telling a story.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

And Wynn, I mean, if you've ever had the opportunity to sit with Steve, I've never met an individual that just captivates you. Steve's voice has this sort of way to mesmerize you and just draw you in, and he took that about himself as a person and everything he's experienced and translated that into hospitality design. I've never experienced any place I've ever worked for anyone I've ever worked for that's done it remotely close in any way, shape or form. So he helped teach me how to, you know, execute globally but think intimately. You know, after I left there, I mean it probably took years for me to appreciate what that experience taught me. Even to this day, I'm always referring back to it. I mean it probably took years for me to appreciate what that experience taught me. Even to this day I'm always referring back to it. So I personally believe it really propelled me. I don't know where I'd be right now as a designer had I not had that experience.

Matt Brown:

During that time did you have a classic Vegas experience? I won't say crazy Vegas story, but did you have a moment either during the work or just in life that was sort of your Wayne Newton, elvis impersonator moment out there?

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

Well, I assume this is a question more geared towards personal than maybe professionally.

Matt Brown:

However.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

I can't really get into the names and details, but here's what I will say. It involved a world famous DJ at the time who is unfortunately no longer with us today. A private VIP booth, maybe a hotel suite? Someone else's brief trip to jail, not mine. I stayed in my heels, stayed calm and left the room, you know, with zero legal issues. And that's when the Tanya what happened?

Matt Brown:

Oh my God, are you okay?

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

I'm fine. I'm fine, but you know, the things that you see and do and experience in Vegas in your 20s is definitely one for the history books, and that's sort of all I'll say on that.

Matt Brown:

We're going to have Internet researchers dig into this now and see what happened. Oh my gosh. Thank you so much for being a guest on no Show. It's been wonderful.

Tonya Almallah Schmitt:

Thank you for having me for this opportunity. It's been lovely and I, you know, appreciate moments like this. It's it doesn't always happen. Where you know people want to know the details and the nit and the grit behind what happens or how you get to where you are in your career. So I I appreciate you taking a few moments to ask me these important questions.