ABOUT
Founded in 2017, Islyn Studio is an award winning, woman owned and operated M/WBE design studio headquartered in New York City.
With meticulous consideration to detail and an allegiance to the senses, we create the worlds we want to escape to. A full-service design studio, we make hotels, bars, retail spaces, restaurants, objects and stories that explore contemporary culture and aesthetics through a lens of immersive sensory experience.
At Islyn Studio, every project is a passion project.
Our work is driven by imagination, collaboration, and a deep reverence for the stories behind things. We create sanctuaries for the senses, places you leave longing for. We believe in heart forward experiences that foster joy, presence, and connection, and in the power of place to contribute to a life well lived.
We know what love can look like and what beauty can feel like. We are always learning the joys and heights of human experience. At Islyn, we work with a throng of visionaries to bottle this lightning.
ABOUT
INTERIOR DESIGN
RESEARCH AND STRATEGY
CONCEPT DESIGN
SCHEMATIC DESIGN
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION
SKETCH ILLUSTRATIONS
PHOTOREALISTIC RENDERINGS
CUSTOM FURNITURE AND LIGHTING
ART CURATION
ON SITE STYLING
PHOTOGRAPHY ART DIRECTION
BRANDING
BRAND STRATEGY
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
NAMING
MISSION, VISION, VALUES POSITIONING
COPY WRITING
LOGO DESIGN
ART DIRECTION
COLLATERAL AND PACKAGING
PLAYLIST CURATION
SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING
UNIFORM DESIGN
EXPERTISE
BOUTIQUE HOTEL DESIGN
LIFESTYLE HOTEL DESIGN
LUXURY HOTEL DESIGN
RESTAURANT AND BAR INTERIOR DESIGN
HOSPITALITY BRANDING
HOSPITALITY OPERATIONS
MEMBERS CLUBS
LUXURY RESIDENTIAL DESIGN
LUXURY RESIDENTIAL RETREATS
CLIENTS
Hai Hospitality
Hilton Hotels
Highgate Hotels
Live Nation
Kimpton Hotels
Sage Hospitality
Dovetail + Co
New Circle
Goldman Sachs
Capital One
Heineken
DiamondRock
Chleo Kingston
Sawmill Market
Kindbody
Peachy Studio
Ashley Wilkins
Founder / Creative Director
Ashley Wilkins is the founder and creative director of Islyn Studio, an award-winning, woman-owned-and-operated M/WBE interior design studio based in New York City, with offices in Los Angeles and Mexico City. Her multidisciplinary firm is recognized for creating immersive, emotionally resonant environments that transcend traditional notions of hospitality and space, consistently pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in modern design. Guided by curiosity, collaboration, and cultural storytelling, Wilkins and her team craft deeply human experiences for a diverse range of clients across hospitality design-driven industries. Each project is conceived as a cultural hub—an exploration of emotion, materiality, and story—designed to inspire.
Hailing from the poppied coast of Northern California, Wilkins is inspired by the spiritual power inherent in beautiful, idiosyncratic places. With over 16 years of experience in the design industry, Wilkins holds a BFA in Interior Design from Ringling College of Art and Design, where she was recognized as the 2021 Alumni Honoree.
Prior to founding Islyn Studio, Wilkins cut her teeth at top design firms, including ATELIER ACE/Ace Hotel Group, Rockwell and Avroko. Her extensive background in large-scale hospitality, retail, and commercial projects has made her highly adept at navigating the complexities of creating innovative, high-impact hospitality environments.
Laura Hope
VP of Interior Design
Laura Hope is a guiding force in shaping Islyn Studio’s approach to hospitality design. With an unwavering dedication to craftsmanship, collaboration, and innovation, she leads the team in creating immersive spaces that leave a lasting impact.
Her design philosophy is rooted in a deep sensitivity to context—ensuring that every space she creates reflects and respects its surroundings. Laura believes that meaningful design is a conversation, shaped by history, culture, and the people who inhabit a place. She approaches each project with meticulous research and a curiosity-driven mindset, crafting interiors that feel authentic, timeless, and connected to their communities.
Originally from the Midwest, Laura’s journey took her from the University of Cincinnati to global travels that continue to inform her work. Whether exploring architecture, culture, or scuba diving, she thrives on discovery—understanding that the best ideas emerge from curiosity and human connection.
At Islyn, Laura fosters a culture of mentorship and technical excellence, training the next generation of designers with an emphasis on collaboration and an eye for detail. She understands that the most compelling spaces balance beauty and functionality, storytelling and precision.
Laura’s leadership and vision have been recognized across the industry, most notably as a 2023 Boutique 18 honoree—an award celebrating the most promising rising stars in hospitality design. Her work embodies Islyn Studio’s mission: to craft spaces that inspire, connect, and endure.
Emily Febrizio
Studio Design Lead
As Islyn Studio’s first full-time team member, Emily has been instrumental in shaping the studio alongside Founder Ashley Wilkins since joining in 2018. Working in close creative partnership, she has helped define the narrative-driven, soulful approach to hospitality design that has become synonymous with Islyn.
Emily has a gift for uncovering the story behind a place and translating it into immersive, enduring interiors. She approaches every project with curiosity and intention, pushing creative boundaries while maintaining a timeless sensibility. Her thoughtful perspective and meticulous eye for detail elevate every phase of the design process, from early visioning through final styling.
Originally from New York City and now based in Islyn’s Los Angeles studio, Emily brings a bi-coastal perspective that strengthens the firm’s reach and enriches its hospitality work across the country. As Studio Design Lead, she leads the creative vision across projects, mentors the design team, and champions the studio’s design ethos—ensuring every space reflects Islyn’s commitment to meaningful storytelling, exceptional craftsmanship, and unforgettable guest experiences.
Beyond the studio, Emily’s creativity is fueled by a lifelong curiosity for art, travel, and making. Whether exploring new cultures, painting, working with ceramics, or documenting places through photography, she is continually seeking inspiration from the world around her. These creative pursuits deepen her appreciation for craftsmanship, materiality, and storytelling, bringing a richness and authenticity to every space she designs.
Colleen Smith
Senior Interior Designer
Katharina Hubauer
Interior Designer
Emily Cannavina
Junior Interior Designer
Tori Febrizio
Architectural Designer
Our role extends far beyond interiors. We reveal the soul of a place, celebrate the richness of its context, and create destinations with enduring identities—places people travel to discover, remember and return to.
We believe the most memorable hospitality doesn't compete with its surroundings—it belongs to them. Every project begins with curiosity. Through research, travel and immersion, we uncover the history, culture and character that make each place distinct. Collaborating with local artisans, makers and communities, we create authentic experiences deeply rooted in their surroundings rather than imposed upon them.
Balancing thoughtful design with operational intelligence, we partner with owners to shape destinations that are emotionally resonant, commercially enduring and built to foster lasting connections between guests, locals and place.
We don't create places that could exist anywhere. We create places that could only exist there.
Guiding Values 
Create Destinations
We believe hospitality should inspire people to journey. Every project should become a destination in its own right—one worth discovering, returning to and sharing with others.
Celebrate Place
Every location holds a story waiting to be uncovered. We honor the history, culture, landscape and people that make each place unique, creating work that could belong nowhere else.
Strengthen Communities
The most successful hospitality belongs to its community before it belongs to its guests. We create places that invite locals, foster connection and contribute meaningfully to the neighborhoods they inhabit.
Design for Endurance
We resist fleeting trends in favor of timeless ideas. By balancing creativity with thoughtful execution, we create spaces that evolve gracefully and remain relevant for generations.
Think Beyond Interiors
Hospitality is the orchestration of countless disciplines. Brand, operations, guest experience, architecture and interiors work together as one continuous story, each decision strengthening the next.
Empower the People Who Bring It to Life
A great design only succeeds when it can be operated with care. We equip owners, operators and on-the-ground teams with the tools, systems and clarity needed to preserve the vision long after opening day.
Build with Curiosity
Every project begins with listening. We travel, research, observe and immerse ourselves in the places we design, believing the best ideas emerge from genuine understanding rather than assumption.