Global design firm HKS has announced the launch of ROAM Interior Design, a new independently operated luxury design firm with specialisation in hospitality and residential categories.
Previously known as HKS Hospitality Interiors, ROAM will be driven under the leadership of design veterans Mary Alice Palmer and Olga Acosta and their award-winning team of interior designers and interior architects underscored by a well-established international portfolio, including Auberge Resorts Bishop’s Lodge in New Mexico and Esperanza Los Cabos. As a newly established maverick interior design firm, ROAM may now more freely showcase their work and operate independently with external partners, expanding the firm’s reach within the highly competitive landscape.
“The ability to establish ROAM as an independent practice is a pivotal moment for our team, allowing the opportunity to bring on new, exciting projects with the added flexibility of working with independent brands and architectural partners,” said Mary Alice Palmer, Global Creative Director and Founding Principal at ROAM. “We look forward to continued collaboration with HKS, pushing each other’s project boundaries through innovation and curiosity to achieve extraordinary results for our clients, while allowing ROAM to freely compete and establish its own identity within the highly specialised industry.”
ROAM’s name is conceived from its story of discovery, journeys and place – that a life well-lived is one of insatiable curiosity that finds inspiration and creativity through exploration. With this story, ROAM crafts its narratives through immersive, multifaceted spaces that evoke a sensory-driven experience, eliciting a sense of luxury with the freedom to relax without a timeline in surroundings that exceed expectations. The firm’s distinguished design team does not fear “jumping into the abyss,” according to Founding Partner, Mary Alice Palmer, allowing their instinctual creative direction and innovation to lead them in their projects. With a natural focus on creating spaces that promote a human centric experience rooted in well-being, the ROAM team has already established itself as an organic leader in hospitality, honing in on a collective mindset that allows the creation of something that transcends the individual.
ROAM’s impressive portfolio spans best-in-class names in hospitality, with award-winning properties like the Bishop’s Lodge Auberge Resorts Collection in New Mexico, Esperanza Auberge Resorts Collection in Cabo San Lucas, W Bellevue Hotel in Washington state, and AMAALA Triple Bay Yacht Club in Saudi Arabia under its belt. The firm will continue to push the boundaries of design with the forthcoming debuts of the Ritz-Carlton Portland Hotel & Residences located in Portland, Oregon, and the St. Regis Mardavall Es Fum Restaurant and “Mar” Sea Club in Mallorca.
“We look forward to continuing to lead with our deeply held ideals of empathetic listening and collaboration as we take on exciting new projects,” said Olga Acosta, Global Practice Manager and Principal at ROAM. “I believe the establishment of ROAM will open doors to interesting new clients, opportunities and talent across the globe, and I look forward to leading that charge alongside Mary Alice and our expert team.”
ROAM Interiors will operate in Dallas and London with plans to expand to additional international regions in the future. The firm will continue to collaborate with HKS and directly with hospitality owners, brands, operators, developers and architectural partners globally, offering a menu of services including interior design and architecture, branding, product, creative direction, strategy, art and accessory curation, and F&B concept development.
