My name is Jessica Payne. I am the Interior Design Manager at Windstar Cruises and today I will be selecting my personal top ten must-see exhibitors at CSI. At Windstar Cruises I am responsible for ongoing interior design projects for our fleet of 3 sailing ships, three motor yacht ships, and our two new ships to launch in 2025 and 2026. This includes in-service maintenance upkeep and larger upgrade dry dock projects. I manage everything from concept to material selection to installation to strategic upgrade planning for our interiors.
Like most Interior Design Managers, I am spinning a lot of plates at once! This means I need to have a strong knowledge of a wide variety of suppliers and products. I always make time for my existing partners but I also like to take the chance at CSI to discover new things. We are always looking to what’s next and how we can bring something different and elevated to our guest experience.
Narrowing down my list of exhibitors was one of the hardest things I have done in a while. I started with a list of 22 suppliers, all worthy of a shout out. If you see me at CSI, ask me who else I have tipped as a must-see – and let me know who you are making a beeline for. I’ve divided my list into two parts. First up are the suppliers that I have a relationship with. I like to check in and see what new products they have in store for me. Then, my second list is all about the suppliers who I’ve never met in person, but who have sparked my interest. Now, after lots of whittling and much consideration, here are my top ten must-see exhibitors at CSI 2024.
My four familiar favourites
Chelsom, Booth 333
Chelsom is one of the leading designers, manufacturers and suppliers of decorative contract lighting to the international marine sector.
Chelsom is my go-to for lighting. Not only are they a wonderful team to work with but they have a large catalog that works for a variety of spaces and adapts to many design concepts. I loved seeing their new products and launches last year and look forward to this year.
Dauerflora, Booth 637
Dauerflora specialize in interior landscaping design, including delivery and implementation, holiday decorations of different kinds, fresh cut flowers delivery and much more…
We have worked with Dauerflora for many years now and love creating new arrangements to style our projects with. Greenery is always the perfect finishing touch!
Ege Carpets, Booth 637
Weaving together timeless Danish design, long-lasting quality, natural comfort and progressive sustainable thinking, Ege Carpets craft wall-to-wall carpets, rugs, carpet tiles and planks.
I recently partnered with Ege on our Setting Sails initiative as the first cruise line to install their IMO certified 100% wool carpets, taking us a step closer to a circular environmental system. I loved their monochrome approach last year and look forward to their exhibit this time around.
Kvadrat, Booth 1100
Kvadrat produces high-quality contemporary textiles and textile-related products for architects, designers and private consumers across the world.
Kvadrat has such great textural fabrics that I have grown to love. You can always find something timeless and comfortable in their collections and I find myself gravitating toward their textile style often for our recent projects. I can’t wait to make a textile flower at their booth!
My six new-to-me suppliers
Tuffskin, Booth 1104
TuffSkin protects marble and delivers beautiful marble tops to guest after guest, year after year.
One of my personal goals since joining Windstar has been to find ways to keep our designs timeless (aesthetically and functionally.) This means making sure selections are not only beautiful but can hold up to heavy use, saving maintenance and replacement costs. This is why I am looking forward to seeing Tuffskin and learning more about their natural stone protection.
Adriana Hoyos, Booth 400
ADRIANA HOYOS Furnishings stands as a distinguished, family-owned brand celebrated for its glamorous design rooted in Latin American style.
Adriana Hoyos is another brand that I feel fits our goal of timeless design, they have fresh and modern designed furniture that still feels classy.
Local Language, Booth 1021
Local Language is a San Francisco Bay creative studio that curates, designs, and creates unique custom artworks, large scale installations, and architectural interiors.
In my past life as a multi-family interior designer, I worked with Local Language and loved the collaborative relationship. They find a way to bring their conceptual ideas to life through practical engineering, which is exciting to see in the cruise industry.
Marine Leather, Booth 223
Marine Leather is one of the most well-known businesses on the market mostly thanks to its expertise in the leather-processing techniques.
There hasn’t been a need for embossed leather on one of our projects yet, but I am excited to start specifying some of their beautiful, embossed leathers very soon!
Palecek, Booth 513
Palecek are inspired by natural materials and traditional artisan techniques, this is evident in the furniture, lighting, and accessories that they create.
I was very excited to see Palecek within the CSI community. Their furniture aesthetic and approach feel very yacht and cruise like.
Game-Volt, Booth 847
Competitive socializing specialist Game-Volt brings the benefits of this lucrative F&B model to the cruise industry by reimagining classic games with a technology twist.
There are some new exhibitors I see that I am excited to approach and expand my knowledge of other sectors with, one being Game-Volt. We don’t currently have a need for technology in this capacity but are always looking for new and different approaches.
Find me on the show floor
When I’m not visiting the exhibitors on my list, you’ll find me around the hall attending some of this year’s conferences. I am really looking forward to “Next-Gen hospitality: Trends reshaping guests lifestyles” as I think this will be a good dive into solo travel and what we predict Gen Z’s travel expectations will be like. As always, I can’t wait to reconnect with my friends and mentors in the rest of the cruise community, which are too many to name here! So, I’ll see you soon, at the Miami Beach Convention Center, 6-7 June. Come and say hello, and let me know which exhibitor has really impressed you this year.
Want more of this?
Check out the Cruise Ship Interiors (CSI) Design Expo Americas blog for more design insights and the latest industry updates. CSI Design Expo Americas is the world’s only exhibition and conference exclusively dedicated to connecting the buyers and suppliers of the cruise design industry. The next event will be taking place on 3 – 4 June 2025 alongside Hotel & Resort Design South and Cruise Xperience Innovation Summit at the Miami Beach Convention Center.