In this episode of Hospitality Design Talks, host Rachel Larraine Crawford sits down with abstract artist Lindsey Lyons to explore how art can become a living part of a hospitality experience—not an afterthought.

Lindsey shares her path from early “perfect” art-making to process-driven abstraction shaped by California’s rugged coastlines, volcanic landscapes, and a fascination with deep time. Her work is tactile and intentional—often built with sand, found materials, and embedded remnants that carry subtle histories—inviting guests into a sensory pause in a world dominated by screens.

Together, Rachel and Lindsey discuss how thoughtfully selected art supports flow, strengthens brand story, and creates emotional touchpoints guests remember (and return for). They also unpack common misconceptions around cost and accessibility, and what it can look like to commission original work through a clear, collaborative process—especially when art is considered early alongside lighting and spatial planning.

About Lindsey:

Lindsey Lyons is a Southern California–based artist who divides her time between Los Angeles and the mountains of the Los Padres National Forest. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from California College of the Arts and a Bachelor of Arts from Mount Holyoke College, where she designed a major, Art and Social Change. In addition to her studio practice, Lyons has been deeply engaged in the arts community as an independent curator, educator, and advisory board member for the nonprofit Root Division. She spent many years working in alumni relations and events at California College of the Arts and the San Francisco Art Institute before relocating to Los Angeles in 2016, where she co-founded the Binder of Women art collective with fellow artists and worked in communications at the contemporary international gallery Regen Projects. Lyons has exhibited throughout California, including at Guerrero Gallery, The Pit, Southern Exposure, and the Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, among others. Her work has also been shown internationally in Copenhagen, Denmark, and she has completed artist residencies in Iceland, San Francisco, and the Mount Hood backcountry. Originally from Sarasota, Florida, she has a lifelong interest in coastal environments, and her abstract paintings and sculptures are deeply informed by geology, memory, and the varied landscapes of California. Lyons often incorporates sand and found materials into the layers of her work, creating tactile complexity. These textured surfaces respond to shifting light, revealing changes in shadow and depth throughout the day, offering an evolving presence within a space.

Connect with Lindsey:

lindseylyons.com

lindsey@lindseylyons.com

instagram.com/lindseynlyons

instagram.com/lindseylyonsstudio

Connect with Rachel Larraine

Website

Instagram

Interior Design Services

Want more guidance from me? Sign up to appear on the Holistic Hospitality Design Podcast for a design audit. You can book your design audit here.

Today on Hospitality Design Talks, host Rachel Larraine Crawford sits down with Amy Morris of The Morris Project to talk about the real reason most hospitality brands struggle: it’s not a marketing problem — it’s a clarity problem. Amy shares how she helps founders define who they are in one to two sentences (and why every decision — interiors, hiring, menus, and guest touch points — should flow from that).

You’ll hear Amy’s approach to building a brand with the whole team (not just the owner), why consistency is what makes something feel elevated (not price), and the small, often-forgotten details that create big guest “chemistry”—from the host stand to the bathroom to the menu design. Plus, she offers an easy brand clarity audit you can do this week to see if your team is aligned or accidentally creating confusion.

Connect with Amy Morris / The Morris Project:

1. Find Amy on Instagram (The Morris Project)
2. Email: hello@themorrisproject.com
3. Grab Amy’s Brand Guideline Here

Connect with Rachel Larraine

Website

Instagram

Interior Design Services

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Want more guidance from me? Sign up to appear on the Holistic Hospitality Design Podcast for a design audit. You can book your design audit here.

Lighting is doing far more than helping guests see — it’s shaping how long they stay, how comfortable they feel, and how much they spend. In this episode of Hospitality Design Talks, host Rachel Larraine Crawford sits down with Martin Epstein, founder of Tazz Lighting, to unpack how intentional, layered lighting quietly drives guest behavior, brand perception, and business performance.

With decades of hands-on experience — from electrical contracting to large-scale hospitality projects — Martin shares why lighting should be treated as a strategic system, not an afterthought. Together, they explore how hospitality lighting has evolved from purely aesthetic to deeply experiential, operational, and human-centered.

Whether you’re opening a new restaurant, renovating a hotel, or refining an existing guest experience, this episode offers practical insights into how lighting can become your most powerful (and invisible) team member.

1. Why lighting acts as a “silent host” that influences guest mood, dwell time, and spending
2. The biggest lighting mistakes Martin sees in hospitality spaces — and how to avoid them
3. What “layered lighting” really means, and why even light levels kill atmosphere
4. How warm color temperatures (like 2700K) support comfort, intimacy, and lingering
5. Why lighting controls and scene programming are non-negotiable for hospitality spaces
6. How lighting transitions throughout the day without guests consciously noticing
7. What tunable white and circadian lighting are — and where they truly make sense
8. Why you should never leave lighting decisions solely to an electrician
9. How early collaboration between designers, lighting experts, and contractors saves money and stress
10. Trends shaping hospitality lighting today — from tunable systems to intelligent controls
11. Martin’s advice for owner-operators planning lighting in 2026 and beyond

Thoughtful lighting isn’t about adding more fixtures — it’s about designing comfort, flow, and emotion. When lighting is planned early, layered intentionally, and controlled intelligently, it enhances guest experience, reinforces brand identity, and quietly supports revenue without ever demanding attention.

Martin Epstein ,President & Co-Founder, Tazz Lighting, Inc.

Martin Epstein is the President and co-founder of Tazz Lighting, Inc., a premier San Diego-based lighting

design, distribution, and consultation firm known for delivering innovative and high-quality lighting solutions

for residential, commercial, and architectural projects. With over three decades of experience in the lighting

industry, Martin has built a reputation for excellence rooted in deep technical expertise, thoughtful design

sensibility, and a client-centered approach.

Tazz Lighting has guided projects from concept through completion, partnering with architects, designers,

builders, and homeowners to elevate spaces through carefully curated lighting, advanced control systems, and

energy...