Today we’d like to introduce you to Gina M. Joyce.
Gina, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
As a young gal, I loved to constantly rearrange furniture in my bedroom, all for the purpose of space planning the furniture different ways and creating places within the space. I grew to love color as I opened the door to fine arts classes in High School where my teacher expressed an appreciation of my drawing skills.
I approached university to study fine arts because it was all I knew, until I responded to an ad in a newspaper getting a job at a residential design firm in Southern California (I am a SoCal gal), managing the design library. Back then, drawing sets were hand drafted, I would find myself “stalking” the designers as they drew with pen/pencil on vellum and a light went off in my head – the collision of my skills, technical & art – all in one. I immediately wanted to learn how do this job!
After drafting for a residential architect for 3 ½ years, I then took a leap of faith and chased my dream, as a 25-year-old at the University of Cincinnati. The world of Interior Design changed my life! A place where I could be both creative and technical – I live in the middle of the brain, on the fence both analytical and creative.
Integrated into the BS Design program I completed an additional 1 1/2 years of internships with Federated Department Stores – store planning, Hirsch Bedner’s Atlanta and London Offices and Wilson Associates Dallas office, both for hospitality design. I loved hospitality design and so I landed in Dallas, Texas with Wilson Associates, where I learned the art of project management for almost a decade.
When the market crashed in 2009, I decided to go out on my own when contacted to continue my relationship with GM at the Hotel Del Coronado, to renovate the Beach Village. As I like to say, “the rest is History!”
Has it been a smooth road?
Since 2010, the path was definitely the one less traveled, the journey has been both a blessing and a challenge and for the betterment of growing me as a leader, mentor and business owner.
In 2013, I was selected to assist The William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital, with their $4M art package. This was one of the largest single art package I had ever done. Working with both the art consultants and artists to create innovation giving diversion, optimistic hope and enhancing the patients experience.
Joyce DESIGN Group grew from 2 designers in 2013 to 6 designers this year. As we all know, creating a team is a delicate balance between personalities, skills and talent. An all-female team has had its ups and down but happy to say so far, my first hire has remained on staff and our team has been working together for over 4 years together. That is a feat within itself.
The market has provided for us as we design hotels for all brands and boutique clients; several of us spent most of our career designing luxury hotels and miss those days, would we call it a challenge, not really but the fact we would love to do another has required us to wait patiently for the right client as we build our portfolio….no one ever likes to wait but it continues to grow our perseverance and fortitude.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Joyce DESIGN Group is a full-service interior architectural design firm focused on hotels, resorts, restaurants and country clubs. Our collaborative team, which includes registered architects, registered interior designers, lighting design and graphics. We guide our clients, with principal level devotion, from conception to installation for each property venture. We are big firm talent with small firm benefits; focused on trending styles, colors, and latest technology for your property. Our goal is to creatively solve inefficiencies in the aesthetic and functioning details with design and appeal for your guest enjoyment. Together, we create each project to reflect design essentials, simply stated with the budget in mind.
Our diverse team brings over 50+ years of combined experience to each project. Our extensive attention to detail, over the course of each project, has been rewarded by our clients’ testaments and repeat work.
Our portfolio celebrates experience, ingenuity and innovation. We have had the pleasure of collaborating on a myriad of projects over the years: four & five star hotels, resorts, boutique and lifestyle properties, as well as, perfecting the prototypical brand design process listed below.
The Hotel Del Coronado; Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa; Hilton Orlando Convention Hotel, Hilton Doubletree DFW South Arlington; Sheraton Arlington; Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort; Four Season’s Scottsdale Troon North; Rosewood’s Olympia, Greece Resort; Hyatt Place National Roll-out; and Hyatt Hill Country Resort & Spa; TownePlace Suites; Aloft; Holiday Inn; Staybridge and Country Inn & Suites.
We love what we do and it shows.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Dallas happens to be one of the largest design hubs in the United States, not to mention hospitality design. We belong to an industry networking group; NEWH which stands for Networking Executive Women in Hospitality. Dallas is one of the largest chapters so combined with southern hospitality, design and NEWH’s heart for the student, leadership development and business networking we are blessed with a community almost as close as family.
For the student, look into NEWH.org to get involved!!! This big city will become small very fast!
Contact Info:
- Address: Joyce DESIGN Group
5646 Milton Street, Suite 211
Dallas, TX 75206 - Website: www.joyce-design.com
- Phone: 214.484.3431
- Email: gina@joyce-design.com
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