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HDG is Pleased to Announce Two Promotions

May 8, 2023 Rockville, MD: Commercial Interior Design firm Hartman Design Group has experienced solid growth in recent years and is proud to announce two leadership promotions.

Anny Falgas has been promoted to Managing Partner of the 36-year-old company that specializes in multifamily, senior living, and hospitality interior architecture. Anny was introduced to the world of design by her father, a furniture designer who owned a bespoke millwork shop in Puerto Rico where she grew up. During her early years as a design professional, she worked in and later served as Head of Interior Design for a commercial interior design firm in Puerto Rico before founded her own award-winning firm there. Her portfolio from those years includes projects for Marriott, Intercontinental, Hilton, Swissotel, Wyndham, and other brands as well as independent boutique hotels. These projects were recognized by Architectural Digest, Conde Nast Traveler, and Lodging.

Upon joining HDG as a Senior Designer in 2012, Anny has focused on the multifamily space where she brings a high-level vision, creativity, and expression to each project she oversees. As Director of Design, her work has been featured in Multifamily Executive Magazine and Interior Design. She has been instrumental in winning numerous national and regional awards for HDG. In 2022, she opened and manages Hartman Design Group’s branch office based in Tampa, Florida.

“Anny has proven her value over the past 10 years with HDG,” said Phyllis Hartman, President and founder of Hartman Design Group. “We are thrilled that she has risen to partner level. Well deserved!”

Daniela Maniezzo has been promoted to the role of Managing Director. Daniela joined HDG in the role of Senior Managing Designer in May 2022.  Before joining HDG, Daniela was a Senior Interior Design Manager with Marriott International and had her own design firm, designing multiple hotel projects, both new construction, and renovation. She has given back to the design community by serving as an adjunct professor at Montgomery College. Daniela holds a Master of Science in Electronic Engineering, a Ph.D. in Information Engineering, and a Masters in Architecture and Interior Design.

“Within a short time, Daniela has demonstrated that she is a natural organizational leader showing skills in mentorship, team building, and collaboration management,” Phyllis said. “Her desire to continually learn, grow and seek to improve the process and practices of design will will take us to new heights. Congratulations, Daniela!”

ABOUT HARTMAN DESIGN GROUP
HDG is an award-winning commercial interior design firm founded in 1987, specializing in multifamily, senior community and hospitality interior architecture. With a distinctive body of work that spans four decades, HDG has partnered with some of the most highly respected developers, architects, contractors, and owners. Learn more: www.hartmandesigngroup.com

Use Books as Interior Design Accessories

It’s #WorldBookDay and we can’t think of a more appropriate day to celebrate the inherent beauty and timeless role played by books as a design accessory. More than just paper, ink and words, books offer a sense of warmth and create a sense of comfort. Books add a certain alchemy if you will, a je ne sais quois and yes, we celebrate them, both for their utility as a design accessory and for the words and messages they hold within their covers.

Hartman Design Group uses books in our commercial interior design schemes for lobbies, co-working areas, reading nooks, models and other amenity spaces within the many multifamily, senior living community and other projects we design for. Whether hardcover or paperback, books can be a great way to add color, visual interest and texture to an otherwise bland area. Even more, they can serve as a centerpiece and to showcase your interests too. Here are a few our favorite tips when incorporating books in your interior design scheme:

Use books to reinforce a theme

Books can convey a consistent look and overall vision: Use books to reinforce a theme. If you have a room decked out in a nautical style, think sailing, marine animal and coastal living-themed books. If the area you are designing is airy and light with big windows showcasing the gardens, perhaps floral and garden-style books would fit. Books on the motion picture industry, musical instruments, and celebrity biographies would be great additions to any media room. You get the idea.

Interior design using a book in a mint green color referencing a garden and outdoor theme is strategically placed near a breezy window area to bring nature indoors.
Reinforce a theme: A model unit at Haven National Harbor, designed by Hartman Design Group featuring a book in a mint green color referencing a garden and outdoor theme is strategically placed near a breezy window area to bring nature indoors.

 

 

Use books to showcase your interests and personality

Show off your confidence and individuality by strategically placing books about your favorite subjects in an area lacking personality and warmth. A dog lover? A stamp collector? An oenophile? Set up a collection of books featuring your passions to serve not only as a point of interest but a great conversation starter.

Interior design - Shelves with books flat against the wall displayed as artwork but ready to pick up and read.
Designed by Hartman Design Group, The Easton’s co-working lounge window seating is accented by books as art.

Add depth to a room by choosing books covered in patterns or textures. There are a range of textural choices in covers, ranging from glossy, to intentionally textured, to matte. Printed covers can feature repeated geometric patterns, organic patterns or abstracts. Choose books featuring these characteristics to strategically complement or serve as a foil for a room lacking in texture or patterns.

Use books to add a pop of color

Infuse your space with color: Books come in all colors of the rainbow and provide a great way to reinforce your existing color scheme or add contrast and interest. Group like-colored books together for emphasis.

Use books in a bookshelf display

Create a bookshelf display with carefully selected bookends to stand books upright, or stack several on their sides, spine facing the room, pages to the wall, with a decorative item perched on top, such as a candle, small plant or small figurine as a vignette. On another area of the bookshelf, add framed photos, perched on easels, other plants, or vases to add more interest and variety. Repeat as necessary to create your own personal work of art.

bookshelves with a grouping of green books, white books and other accessories, along with a black bar
A grouping of lime green books near another grouping of white books to break up the expanse of wood from the bookshelves at The Signature Co-working space.

 

Use books as a centerpiece

Finally, there’s always the use of a single book or book grouping as a coffee table centerpiece. The size of the table will dictate your choice here. This can enhance any room.

So remember, if you are looking for a way to add contemporary yet timeless depth and interest, take a look at books.  And if you are looking for an experienced, award-winning commercial interior design firm for your next multifamily or senior living community project, contact Hartman Design Group.

The Future of Amenity Spaces

Reese Towers Lobby

As our world expands and evolves, the amenities in multi-family spaces must also advance to keep residents entertained, productive, and healthy. The way we live, and work has forever changed since the pandemic, and we must keep up with the new standard of multi-family living in conjunction with societal needs. Studies show that a whopping one in eight people in the United States are living in multi-family communities and the demand for these buildings has reached an all-time high.

According to projections from a study commissioned by the National Apartment Association (NAA) and National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), many cities, including our very own Washington, DC, will need over a half million new units built within the next 13 years. The team at Hartman Design Group is ready and eager to be part of the evolution of multi-family living.

Our Founder and CEO, Phyllis Hartman, is weighing in on what to expect from the future of amenities and what we are doing as a business to rise above the competition.

What changes are currently being implemented into multi-family amenity spaces that differ from those pre-pandemic, and how does this affect the interior and architectural design?

The lifestyle shift to remote work began prior to COVID and is now a solid sociological change.  Residents expect that developers will provide convenient, comfortable, functional, beautiful, and healthy work area in the common spaces of apartment buildings. Some of the features include podcast and “Zoom” rooms, work lounges, conference rooms and communal tables-all with accessible power.

We are also designing outdoor spaces for remote working with covered pavilions and power.  Work from anywhere and the blur of work and play is the way people live today.

A building that feels and is healthy is critical to residents, especially since COVID.  Indoor air quality and a strong connection to nature has been proven to reduce stress and lower blood pressure.  We achieve this through thoughtful material selections, views of nature, and open fenestration that allows the interior to fully connect to the exterior.

Come join our award-winning, highly respected, boutique commercial design firm with a 35-plus-year history and reputation for professionalism and quality!prepared food delivery and pick up locations; cold storage for grocery delivery; pet spas; bike storage.  Residents value time over money and want every amenity that allows them to have more time for the things they love to do.

Nooks and Balconies: Rethinking Multifamily Design Post-Pandemic

In partnership with Newmark, HDG was proud to produce this report exploring considerations around the future of remote work along with a sampling of the multifamily industry’s response to this fluid environment.

COVID-19 has wreaked economic and humanitarian havoc in 2020, yet the multifamily industry has remained resilient due to a fundamental need for shelter.

Find out how local and national developers are planning to address both challenges and opportunities while avoiding the trap of overcorrection. This white paper examines a mix of formal surveys, interviews, and research, as well as engaging in a wide-ranging conversation with industry participants on what may – or may not – change in multifamily design and development.

Download White Paper Here

 

Multifamily Design in the Post-COVID Era

HDG was proud to collaborate with Newmark Knight Frank in crafting this white paper examining design trends for US office and Multifamily properties.

While many of the office and multifamily design trends that were prevalent before the pandemic will continue, new trends that focus on mitigating the spread of disease will become standard. This white paper examines design trends for U.S. office and multifamily properties both pre- and post-pandemic, and what developers, owners, and occupants of these buildings can expect going forward.

Download

5 Multifamily Interior Design Trends of 2020

The Healing Power of Nature 

There is a new-found appreciation for the therapeutic properties that plants and botanicals bring to the built environment. Spaces come alive with the introduction of floral patterns and greenery. Whether real or through imagery, a connection with nature supports our physical and emotional well-being. In Emma McGowan’s article in Bustle, Emma attests that plants, a green palette, images of foliage and views of nature enhance creative thinking, reduce anxiety, clear your head and make you more productive.

1800 Oak in Arlington, VA – Preserved Moss Wall at the renovated fitness center

Parc Meridian in Alexandria, VA – Connecting the interior to the natural grasslands on site

More than a trend, this lifestyle shift exemplifies our desire to embrace wellness where we work and live. In the design world, this movement is showing up in homes, restaurants, the common areas of multi-family apartments, and condominiums, and in the materials that we use to design interior spaces. The wall-covering, tile, and floor-covering industries are introducing natural scenes and botanical images in new and inventive ways, all supporting our desire to bring the outdoors in.

Personal Spaces

“Creating a sense of security is one of the underlying roots of all of my designs…In fact, the notion of feeling cocooned, protected, and pampered underlies my whole design ethos. And it is no crime to design with comfort in mind.” Timothy Corrigan, The New Elegance.

1800 Oak in Arlington, VA – Acoustically sound booths create intimacy within a social environment

The Signature in Reston, VA – A room within a room provides an intimate personal space for work or socializing

The desire for intimacy and personal comfort, especially in common and large-volume spaces, is well established. Rather than a trend, we see it as a lifestyle shift. Living and working in an urban environment can be lonely. By nature, we want to feel included, to be a part of a group. Finding your personal space in a coffee shop, a multi-family building, or at work fulfills the need to be with others and, at the same time, embraces our individual need to feel protected and secure. Whether co-working or relaxing, providing guests and residents with a place they can call their own creates comfort.

Mixed-Use Spaces

The demand to do more with less space is increasing. As land gets more expensive and the cost of construction continues to rise, multi-functional amenity spaces become increasingly important. Rather than compete in the amenities race, another road to success is to shrink the square footage dedicated to amenities and make every inch fully functional as well as visually stunning.

1800 Oak in Arlington, VA – Repositioning is the perfect opportunity to add functionality to every space. Featured are the ride-share lounges where a previously oversized vestibule dominated this lobby.

The Bartlett in Arlington, VA – The private residential connection between Commonwealth Joe Coffee Shop and The Bartlett lobby creates an energized vibe

Studies show that social interaction contributes to happiness. Active social spaces emanate a sense of community, create resident engagement, and positively affect resident retention. The “no one is home” lobbies of the past are a waste of space and create a negative first impression. Every nook and cranny can be programmed to provide an opportunity for residents and guests to find their personal space to work, play, and socialize. featuring a wrapping station for gifts and Amazon returns, the required mail and package rooms can be “experience centers.” If the building allows for a combined amenity/retail experience, a lobby that connects with a boutique grocery, wine bar, or coffee shop creates lots of energy and a great vibe.

Hand Crafted Materials

With our desire to connect to the natural environment, comes an exalted appreciation of authentic materials-especially those that have been handcrafted by artisans or by the “maker” within each of us.

When the textures, colors, and materials of nature are married to interior spaces, we are reminded of the gifts found in nature and the importance of sustaining these gifts for future generations. As interior designers, we have the unique opportunity and the obligation to use materials wisely, and creatively and to embrace talented artisans that contribute so much beauty to our built environment.

Cultural Elements

Photo by Kalen Emsley on Unsplash

Today, people are more traveled than any generation in our past. The desire to see and experience other cultures is top of our bucket list. This is especially true of millennials, who are highly motivated to seek out new cultural experiences.  Their technological skills make it easy to find that special place in the world that offers a true authentic encounter centered on local art, music, and ethos.

Travel expands our design aesthetic.  Connecting with other cultures broadens our vision and view of the world. As our customers become more travel-savvy, the design profession is positioned to embrace the wanderlust trend by designing environments that recognize artists and artisans throughout the world. Furnishings, textiles, architectural materials, and lighting are just some of the ways that we can introduce multiculturalism into interiors.