A new design firm in the industry, Green Velvet collaborates with partners to create special and unique spaces. In conversation with Vicky Lewis, Samantha Lopez explained how the company came to life and where its journey is headed.
Having started out with a focus on residential design, Samantha Lopez found herself wanting to branch out into hospitality projects to allow her to explore different challenges and extend her creativity. After finding herself unemployed post-covid, she began freelancing and Green Velvet began its life in August 2022.
“It was never my hope or dream to be a business owner – I had no interest in those classes in college, I really didn’t pay much attention and I’m kicking myself for it now! My training through different internships and boutique firms has led me to be where I am now to own and operate Green Velvet,” she explained.
Green Velvet
I asked Samantha about how the firm works and where its ethos lies. She said: “I love starting with ethos, because I’m passionate about that. The motto or tagline for Green Velvet is ‘curated objects, tailored experiences’ because that’s really what it’s all about. That’s what I personally have a passion for doing – I love curating a space and tailoring experiences based on the client. It seems so obvious to think one should make specific solutions for a client, but I’ve seen it done where designers think ‘we know this one paint works so we’re just going to use the same colour’ or ‘I know that this sofa will come in quickly and I know how it feels when I sit down, let’s use it for another client’. That’s a very cookie-cutter approach and is the polar opposite of what I believe in.
“I want to feel a little bit nervous as the project is being executed and that it’s going to look the way I imagined it. I don’t want to be certain that it’s going to look fantastic. I want to be pretty certain, but not 100%.”
So what about the team – who is involved in the process? Samantha explained that whilst she is the sole member of ‘team Green Velvet’, she works alongside a wider network of partners: “I have an amazing team around me – designers, renders, drafters, photographers. I really am all about collaboration. I’m always looking for other young entrepreneurs who are out there and the second I can work with a fellow small business or someone who’s also a minority, I will – so that’s really what I’m all about – authenticity and collaboration.”
I was keen to find out from Samantha what she sees as Green Velvet’s USP? As a new firm, what does she do that stands out from the rest? She said: “I think what’s unique about Green Velvet is how concept-driven we are; we treat designing interiors like an art. I always take the time in the beginning of a project to make sure there’s a strong foundation, but it’s also a creative, strong foundation. Something that I always play around with is rendering concepts in AI. Before, it was always Pinterest but now there’s this little inbetween factor where we can find an inspiration image on Pinterest and then see what AI can do if we tell it to remove or add elements. So it’s really about getting creative and being conceptual. We don’t skip out on that part because that’s really where the fun is, and even though it takes extra time in the beginning to set up that foundation, it shows in the end that there’s a strong concept here and there’s a reason why everything is the way that it is.”
Redefining luxury
So with all that said, What does Samantha see as the core concepts and elements that define luxury design?
“I love to say that I grew up in the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City because my family enjoyed spending time there, and it was so crazy – one of my favourite spaces in this hotel was an animal-themed room, where the bar was encrusted with lion heads and the headboards covered in zebra patterns! In the 80s and early 90s, hospitality was obsessed with finding a theme and absolutely executing it, which I find so amusing. I kind of love it! Everything always finds its way back, so who knows, maybe in 20 years, we’ll see that again!
“But for now, it’s muted colours and designs that are really experience-centric. One of the things I’m finding is, as a product of Covid, we’ve all changed a little bit. Whether or not we want to admit it, and the way that reflects in hospitality is that we want to feel especially comfortable. We got really used to being at home, so whatever we have going on it all needs to feel upholstered and plush, and it should tie back to feeling somewhat residential. I’m seeing that spill over a lot into hospitality, for example in lobbies, reception desks are much more residential – it’s not the big bulky hotel reception desk anymore. There are little details in the lounge areas and restrooms, even – it’s very subtle, but I do see it. It’s a distinct contrast to the 80s – if you looked at a corner of a hotel lobby in the 80s or 90s, you’d know exactly where you were, but if you took a snapshot of a corner of a hotel lobby today, it could be someone’s home.”
Green Velvet’s successes
With that in mind, I was keen to find out about some of the projects Samantha has worked on and those that she is particularly proud of. She shared her pride in the creation of a whiskey lounge in Central Park South: “It’s centred around hosting and the essence of everything that hospitality is about, but it’s in a commercial building on the 18th floor. If you were to look at photos of the interior, you wouldn’t have guessed that at all. That speaks a lot to what we’re seeing today – what are all these half empty commercial buildings getting used for? Some are now residential, but some are turning into hybrid hospitality spaces and that’s what I find so interesting.
“It’s a beautiful project- the client was from Scotland so we incorporated a lot of cultural references in there – there’s a tartan wallpaper along with some little nods to the company’s history. In terms of function and programming, I find that project super interesting, since it is a hybrid flex workspace where one is able to sit down on a sofa with their laptop during the day, or at 7pm host a potential investment client with a glass of whiskey – it’s that same space that does both functions. I think it is really important to have these multifunctional spaces in today’s market.”
Challenges
As a new company, I was keen to find out about the challenges Samantha is facing or has had to overcome and the learning points she has taken from these. She explained: “There’s always so many challenges, but it’s always about expecting them to come about. One of the most challenging things with the nature of our industry and the work that we do is the number of moving parts. When you look at the complete finished space as someone who was not involved, you can admire it, but what really went on to get it to this point was so complex. From needing to coordinate with architects and builders to flooring specialists and stylists – there’s just so many things and it’s all about juggling those people and those timelines to smoothly execute a project – it’s organised chaos! It’s like a circus on a roller-coaster!
“As long as you budget for those, in terms of time and money, then it’s ok, it’s just part of the journey.”
I asked if she thought that there are any issues within the hospitality design market that she is concerned about. She said: “I’m sure there are. I love it when I see someone doing something very different and my only issue is that there’s not enough of that. So in terms of actual fundamental issues, I’m sure there’s a million but in terms of a conduct issue across the industry, I would love to see just even more experimentation!”
I asked if she sees AI as something that is impacting the industry significantly. She said: “AI, and technology, is really at the forefront of everything and it makes it so beautiful because now we can see hotel rooms that can be operated from your phone or help you with accessibility design. I think that technology plays a huge role in accessibility and the human experience. I had a recent client who came across my desk who is impaired, but because of AI and technology he’s able to use his phone to open up doorways and operate things and check in and all that kind of thing. That’s life changing.”
Final thoughts
For a young company, Green Velvet, with Samantha at its heart, is beginning to make a noise and make itself heard in this industry. So, what is she hoping comes next? “I have so many hopes and goals,” she said. “I’m collaborating with a paint company soon to curate a capsule collection of colours; I’m really excited about that. I read a quote today that said that as an artist, you’re a tree who stands throughout the seasons and the sap just flows slowly, and it’s really about having the patience to go through each winter in order to see spring. That really resonated with me not only being an artist but also a business owner. I’m only two years into owning the business, but I’m here for the long game, and I am trying my best to be patient, but I’m also very excited! At its core, in my role of being a designer I really want to be able to impact as many people as possible, while also having some fun.”
