Hospitality Design & Visitor Experiences

couple toasting with wine glasses at table line drawing

Hospitality Design Services

Designing the Perfect Wine Tasting Room

Because alfresco wine tasting can be enjoyed practically year-round in wine country, outdoor tastings spaces are central to the winery visitor experience. This idea held high value before the pandemic, and its stock has only skyrocketed since. Tourists and day-trippers no longer come to Wine Country to be standing indoors, staring at the wall behind a tasting bar. Today’s consumer craves visual distraction—food presentation, interior design and nature. It’s not just about the wine. The totality of the experience determines what they buy, if the will return and what they will share. That’s why branding, hospitality design and landscape design must go hand-in-hand. I’m the creative consultant who can pair these disciplines in ways that are authentic to your winery’s story and your brand while resonating with wine consumers.

An enchanting setting and a memorable experience are the two things your guests will share most with friends, and referrals/peer recommendations are still a top driver in consumer purchasing and winery tourism decisions. You want people to love your wine and your space so much that they join the wine club—and they can’t wait to tell their friends all about their visit.

I specialize in tasting room experience designs and revamps, furniture selection, tasting room build and remodel project management, decorative object selection, guest bathroom remodels, artwork shopping and more. I’m part interior designer, part storyteller and part winery stylist—and marry those skills to align all elements of a wine tasting room space or outdoor parklet design. If you want to create a tasting space that captures the brand authenticity that is so important to today’s consumer—whether it’s a full remodel, a new tasting space build or a creative refresh—contact me to request a consultation.

Stylist & Decorator

Creating a tasting space doesn’t end with hospitality design. Styling the space is the final step of any interior design project. I have experience in both of these important winery hospitality design disciplines. Whether you’re remodeling or just need a refresh, every winery has furniture and decorative objects that your visitors see and sometimes touch. These design elements are part of the experience, help shape the opinion the consumer develops about your brand, and should be in line with your brand positioning and price point. If you’re charging $75-$100 for a bottle of wine, every detail of your tasting space should reinforce your price—or over-deliver on it—all the way down to the trash cans and the flower pots. Little details matter, and consumers are more discerning than ever. If you have a flower from Safeway on your tasting bar, trust me. That savvy sipper from San Jose will notice and judge you for it. As a winery stylist, I help wineries shop for customer-facing hospitality supplies and decor, from furniture and tablecloths to bud vases and staff uniforms. I also creative low-maintenance succulent centerpieces and petite plant arrangements for tasting tables. When it comes to tasting room merchandising, I can identify the best products to sell in tasting rooms to reinforce brand authenticity and drive sales. If your spokesperson or winery owner needs a wardrobe refresh for events and photo shoots, I have experience as a personal stylist and shopper for winery owners. My expertise as a winery stylist also includes being a stylist and creative director for photo and video shoots, which dovetails with my creative marketing services.

Outdoor Tasting Space Landscape Design

In addition to designing drought-tolerant succulent gardens for residences at Sonoma Succulents Xeriscape Gardens Landscape Design, I also provide landscape design services to wineries where outdoor hospitality design and the winery visitor experience intersect. From decorative planters and in-ground garden designs to outdoor sculptures and decorative design accents, I integrate plants into outdoor tasting spaces in ways that are brand appropriate, inviting and memorable. I work with a full-service landscape design and installation crew to realize each project’s vision.

wine and food party line drawing

Visitor Experience & Special Event Design Services

Creating the Idea Visitor Experience

Want to create a new visitor experience that captures the spirit of your winery and attracts your target audience? Or perhaps you simply want an expert to evaluate your existing wine tasting experience and provide recommendations on tweaks. I can help you with either or both. I’ve conceptualized award-winning wine tastings over a decade and have enjoyed many of best wine tasting experiences as a travel blog editor.

Creating Buzzworthy Special Events

The competition for customer attention is fierce. For wineries hosting events, you’re competing with hundreds of other beautiful places using events to drive consumer traffic and generate sales—from tasting rooms to tap rooms, dispensaries and restaurants. It’s essential to create an event concept that is enchanting and buzzworthy—and promote it in ways that move the consumer emotionally into the “must do” mindset.

Winery Anniversary Campaigns

Proven track record developing media-generating events, experiences and story angles surrounding major business milestones.

Not sure which Services you need? Hire me as a Strategic Consultant for a Day.