This week Trisha Poole, President at Design Poole Inc., will be speaking at the inaugural Hotel & Resort Design South (HRDS) conference. In her role, Trisha brings two decades of experience in architecture, interior design, and graphic design to enhance the team’s design vision for every detail of each project, telling a story through thoughtful, interpretive design. With passion for excellence and extraordinary experiences, she inspires the team’s award winning upscale hospitality portfolio of large resorts, hotels, vacation ownership, and multi family projects. Trisha currently holds the position of Executive Advisor on the NEWH Inc. Executive Committee. Her energy goes into creating programs and initiatives that support the industry and students pursuing careers in hospitality.
Thank you for speaking with us today, Trisha. Can you tell us about your current role and what it entails on a day-to-day basis?
I am President and Founder of Design Poole Inc., an international design firm based in Florida that focuses on hospitality design within the upscale and lifestyle resort market. Our work takes us across the United States and into the Caribbean.
My role is Principal where I am the Client liaison on projects, managing the vision and expectations of the design and delivery process. I assist the design team in developing the storyline as it is intentionally woven throughout every element and emotion you experience throughout the property from the interior to the exterior amenities.
What inspired you to venture into the hospitality design industry?
That is easy….I love people! The first hospitality project I worked on as a young interior designer exposed me to so many areas that I knew would impact many people throughout the property. Whether it was comfort or lively entertainment I could delve into my passion for pleasing people by manipulating space, scale, materials, and light. I found the stakeholders in the hospitality projects to be more excited and engaged in the design process than other industries which makes the hard work even more rewarding! There was no turning back. I feel very fortunate to love the work I do and enjoy all those I have worked without through the years of my career.
Could you tell us about a recent interesting project you’ve worked on?
We are currently working on a very interesting project on the west coast of Florida in Madeira Beach. We are in the process of creating the brand strategy which in turn will inform the design narrative for an Autograph resort located beachfront in the centre of town. This is the phase of the project where you explore the history of the area and the people who have influenced the growth and prosperity of the community. It is an immersive process as you throw yourself into the story and develop the character of the spaces and experiences. The interaction with all the consultants is critical to ensure a relevant and rich storyline is created to build a successful brand. It is an organic and fun design process.
You will be able to catch Trisha speaking at HRDS in ‘A Tale of Design – Creating an Emotional Connection’ on day two of HRDS 2023. It’s one you won’t want to miss! See our top 5 reasons to attend HRDS to find out what’s taking place at this unmissable trade show!
A Tale of Design – Creating an Emotional Connection will explore the art of storytelling in hotel and resort design. Storytelling allows designers to create an emotional connection with their audience and is crucial in crafting unforgettable experiences. Get in touch with your creative side in this exciting session.
Want more of this?
Check out the Hotel & Resort Design South blog for more design insights and the latest industry updates. Hotel and Resort Design South is a hotel product-sourcing and networking platform for those involved in the design of hotels and resorts in the South and LATAM regions. Register today to attend the the next event, taking place on 3 – 4 June 2025 alongside Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Americas at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
