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  • Hyatt Regency
    Old Greenwich, CT
    Hospitality
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  • 400 Florida Ave
    Washington, DC
    multifamily residential
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  • Bellagio
    Las Vegas, NV
    Hospitality
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  • The Lanes
    Long Island City, NY
    multifamily residential
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  • Renaissance New York Harlem Hotel
    New York, New York
    Hospitality
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  • Private Residence
    Connecticut
    Residential
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  • Westin Riverwalk
    San Antonio, TX
    Hospitality
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  • Sheraton Mahwah
    Mahwah, NJ
    Hospitality
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  • Sky Terrace
    New York, NY
    Hospitality
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  • Hilton Garden Inn
    Long Island City, NY
    Hospitality
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  • Affinia Gardens
    New York, NY
    Hospitality
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  • Private Residence
    New York, NY
    Residential
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  • Private Residence
    Brooklyn, NY
    Residential
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  • Westport Inn
    Westport, CT
    Hospitality
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  • Private Residence
    Brooklyn, NY
    Residential
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  • Hotel Indigo
    Brooklyn, NY
    Hospitality
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  • Ritz Carlton
    San Francisco, CA
    Hospitality
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  • St. Regis
    Deer Valley, UT
    Hospitality
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  • Private Residence
    New York, NY
    Residential
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  • Private Residence
    New York, NY
    Residential
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  • Essex’s House 2911
    New York, NY
    Hospitality
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  • Essex’s House 2907
    New York, NY
    Hospitality
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  • Private Residence
    New York, NY
    Residential
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  • The Tuscany
    New York, NY
    Hospitality
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  • Private Residence
    New York, NY
    Residential
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AJC Design specializes in hospitality design, residential and multi-family design projects for clients anywhere in the world. Creativity is Everything!™ is the mantra that has fueled AJC Design’s work since its inception in 2007. A vivid, unhindered imagination is at the core of every one of our compelling projects, no two which are the same. That’s why our company logo depicts a hardy walnut shell. While one half references our own passion for dreaming up one-of-a-kind designs and our dedication to making them a reality, the other is an ode to our clients, whose ideas and visions are just as integral to the design process. Built on communication, this mutual, respectful relationship is the foundation for all of AJC Design’s intricate, timeless interiors. We are energetic and honest and keep our clients well informed, involved, and comfortable, learning and laughing along the way.

Creativity is Everything!™ is integrated into all of our studio capabilities and embedded in our signature design process. Our work is customized for each project and client’s needs, so that no two projects are the same, and every project reflects creativity, imagination and original thinking.

Each client relationship starts with generating a creative vision for the project through concept design, which builds the foundation for the rest of the project. We continue our creative journey through schematic design, design development, construction documentation, and construction administration, where the project is actualized.

Creativity is Everything!™ means being able to see possibilities no one else can see, to create what nobody else has created, at a budget that works for your needs first. We infuse Creativity is Everything!™ to transform empirical knowledge into sketches, renderings, construction documents, and custom FF&E designs that reflect our client’s vision, goals, and brand, as well as the social / historical context of the project’s physical location.

Alicia Cannon, founder and principal of New York-based AJC Design, flaunts a signature style that melds dramatic, pop-inspired pieces with tailored, classic settings, fostered by her collaborations with the likes of luxury brands and urban artists.

Cannon’s vast expertise spans full-service and luxury hotels, inviting private residences, and vibrant workplaces. Consider the Hyatt Regency Greenwich, awash in coastal Connecticut charm; the Lanes, a multi-use, ground-up Long Island City residential building capped with a rooftop terrace; or the Long Island headquarters of the brand-new Opal Wealth Advisors

In 2015 Cannon was named one of Hospitality Design’s Wave of the Future honourees, the same year that she won a Stevie Award Bronze, attesting to how she infuses each of her projects with both professionalism and ingenuity, her top priority always capturing and nurturing a client’s vision. That’s why the Woman Business Enterprise-certified designer loves spending ample time getting to know every single one of them personally and embarks on a true partnership to unite functionality and rich, aesthetic details.

Recent AJC Design work includes the Sheraton Mahwah in New Jersey, which draws on the hotel’s past as the former Ford Motor headquarters; the Sheraton Wilmington South hotel, complete with soaring atrium; the lobby at the Westin Riverwalk in San Antonio that calls to mind the Spanish Colonial era; and a design competition culminating in two guestroom schemes for the Bellagio in Las Vegas that telegraph the Italian village of Bellagio in Lake Como. AJC Design has also completed the Thayer Hotel in West Point, New York, Hotel Indigo in downtown Brooklyn, and the Westport Inn in Connecticut, and is currently working on the Renaissance New York Harlem Hotel, slated to open in 2020, as well as the Thayer Resort and Spa scheduled for 2022.

Cannon is a graduate of the Pratt Institute, where she cultivated her childhood passion for transforming humdrum interior spaces into enduring, matchless designs.

Calgon, Take Me Away! 5 Tips for a Well Designed Spa
May 25th, 2022 | by Alicia Cannon

Although, I can’t recall my first spa experience,  a spa has been part of my bimonthly routine of R&R for years. However, I do recall my mom taking her, “Calgon Take Me Away,” self-care routine very seriously when I was a child! That is, she made weekly trips to the hair salon, nail salon, waxing salon, and even to an overnight at the spa.  There is truth to looking good, feeling good. When it comes to spas, I believe that a spa should have the same 5 sense approach: look, feel, touch, hear and smell!
To me, a spa is not just an institution that offers two or more skin care or body services. As an interior designer, a spa is a sacred space that can take a person to another level of consciousness and wellness. To achieve such effects, here are 5 Design Elements I pay attention to.
  1. Layout: Before I can go into the finer details of a quality spa, I pay attention to the layout of the facility in general. Are there long dark hallways? Are there pre and post treatment spaces? Are the rooms small enough to create security but not too small to create claustrophobia? For me, the layout should provide a level of privacy but not a feeling of being alone or forgotten about.  A common mistake I see is a post treatment room big enough for 20 chaise lounges but only containing three.

  2. Smells: Spas may have locker rooms but a locker room smell is never welcome in a spa. I believe the right aromatic scents are everything. Eucalyptus, lavender, and sage or citrus scents are typically my turn-off scents. And by turn-off” I mean, help me turn-off all the lists, to-do’s, shoulds, and other things running around in my head.

  3. Towels & Linens: Because of the intimate nature of services, a spa should provide its guests with utterly clean and soft towels and linens.  Like a luxury hotel guest room,  the softness of towels and linens reinforce the quality and value of the service provider. Offering robes that feel like a towel you use to dry your dishes may save some dollars but is not going to win over your customers.

  4. Amenities:  When I talk about amenities, I’m really referring to the locker room experience. It is one of my absolute favorite pleasures to know that after a spa treatment, I can shower and take my time to get dressed, without having to bring anything with me (no hairdryer, no shampoo or conditioner, lotion, deodorant, Q-Tips or anything else). It also says a lot when the quality of the amenities is on par with the brand. For example, Molton Brown is way more luxurious than Neutrogena.

  5. Colors: There is no one perfect color palette for a spa. I’ve seen some get away with an austere, all shades of white approach, and I’ve seen others that used different earthy shades or bright primary colors for every area of the space. The thing to remember about color is how much light it will reflect. Are there lots of windows or more lamps, or overhead lighting? In general, avoid bright bold colors like red, yellow, and orange, unless they are used sparingly to accessorize a space.

While I focused on five core design elements of spas, I have to say that service goes a very long way in creating a memorable spa experience. You can have the most elegant and opulent spa but if the people in the spa keep you waiting too long unattended, can’t look you in the eye, or pester you for add-on services, it can ruin the experience. I personally like to encounter staff who are personable, positive, but not pushy. Once you find a great spa that makes you want to linger for hours, you will be back!  Self-care is one investment that your life depends on.

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  • Mid-level Interior Designer
    AJC Design is looking for a passionate, Interior Designer in our New York office to work on hospitality projects from the definition and delivery of the design, conceptualization through development, coordination, documentation and execution. Under the direction and oversight of the Principal Designer and Design Director, this role will also create architectural construction drawings using AutoCAD and Revit, and perform construction administration services including responding to RFI’s and interpreting contract and construction documents, to ensure the design intent is met. (Note: This is a full-time, contract position based at AJC Design's New York office.)

    Is This You?

    • You have the skills - Interior Design Degree from an accredited institution;
    • You must be proficient in AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, and all MS Office applications
    • You know the industry and have a few years of years of interior design experience, particularly in the hospitality industry, under your belt
    • You are a time track start with a reputation of never missing deadlines and planning ahead
    • You are extremely client-focused and realize even the tiniest details matter
    • You can plan and follow-through from start to finish and all stages in between
    • You’re a motivated, self-starter and have no problem taking initiative
    • You excel at communications, are comfortable presenting to clients, and open to feedback
    • You’re a natural collaborator who works well as part of a team and is not afraid to ask questions
    • You want to learn from one of the best and grow your career!
    • You are able to commute to our NY office 5 days a week
    To apply, please send cover letter, resume, and portfolio to info@ajcinteriordesign.com
    • Cover letter, Resume, Portfolio (Maximum of 10MB)
Email the following documentation to info@ajcinteriordesign.com
Portfolio in PDF format Resume

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    149 East 23rd St Suite 1440
    New York, NY 10010
    C. 917.842.9564
    O. 646.429.8793
    info@ajcinteriordesign.com