Gray Davis of Meyer Davis Studio Talks Hospitality on Hello Cindy!
Today on Hello Cindy! one half of the duo behind Meyer Davis Studio, Gray Davis, logged on to chat with Editor in Chief Cindy Allen. The two, who joked about their curly Q hair textures, spoke about navigating the hospitality sector and the status of Meyer Davis Studio’s projects.
“What’s impressive is how everybody’s jumped in,” Davis says about the current work pace wherein what would usually take a month is now done in a week. The hospitality sector has been deeply affected by the new social norms under a global pandemic, however through working late hours and putting many minds together, clients and designers are creating solutions. “You get to Friday and look back on the week and it’s like,” Davis pauses, “that was a helluva week.” One welcome industry revelation is that some meetings do not require a transatlantic flight and can be accomplished via digital communication, but Davis is still itching to get back to the job site.
The last place Davis was able to visit before going into lockdown was Doha, Qatar—the city where Meyer Davis Studio’s newest hotel is being built. The project was commissioned for the 2022 World Cup in Doha and will feature a lucite pool on the roof, giving guests a cheeky look at swimmers, which then transforms into a club by night. Between the food and mixology program at the hotel restaurant, there is an open kitchen, loads of greenery in the decor, and a stage for performances—talk about dinner and a show! The construction team has not lost their momentum, especially given that there is a set date for opening.
One recently completed project Davis shared with Allen is a grill-focused restaurant in the family dining area at Harrods. Just one of 30 restaurants at the iconic London department store, the Meyer Davis Studio team considered an aesthetic that would appeal to its global crowd of visitors. The idea is to create a reality with pillowed stone work throughout and a lacquered reveal detail on the low ceilings that gives an illusion of added height. Davis excitedly added that the space features chairs Meyer Davis Studio made in collaboration with Stellar Works, originally slated to launch at Salone—news revealed during Hello Cindy!
Meyer Davis Studio recently wrapped up a townhouse in Manhattan rebuilt from two Brownstones. Inspired by the Upper East Side, Davis describes the aesthetic as “white, clean and tailored.” “Every time you turn a corner there’s something else there to take your breath away,” he says. These days, his team members also are taking his breath away: “I’m inspired everyday at our Zoom meetings” Davis said with a laugh.
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