Travel has a way of changing how we see design — pieces of inspiration that stay with you long after the trip ends.
During a recent visit to the Ace Hotel in Brooklyn, I found myself completely taken by the washroom (yes, really). The walls were covered in a mosaic of broken tile pieces, creating an abstract, almost story-like collage of colour and form. It was chaotic and intentional all at once — perfectly imperfect.
Designed by Roman and Williams, the Ace Hotel is known for blending industrial grit with artistic soul, and this bathroom was no exception. It reminded me that great design doesn’t always start with perfection. Sometimes it’s about reimagining what’s already there — turning fragments into something expressive and whole.
As designers, we’re constantly collecting these visual souvenirs — a pattern here, a texture there — that quietly shape the spaces we create. Inspiration doesn’t need to come from luxury showrooms or glossy magazines. Sometimes, it’s found in a Brooklyn bathroom covered in broken tile.
Because creativity often lives in the details we almost overlook — the ones that tell a story worth retelling.
Fresh. Elevated. Editorial. Always.
