Where it all began
Michael Guilfoil grew up in Cincinnati Ohio, surrounded by historic architecture and competitive sports. A talented diver, he visited cities around the world at an early age for competitions, developing an appreciation for travel and design. His free time was spent skateboarding and playing music.
Christy Wulfson grew up in Burlington, Vermont, surrounded by The Green Mountains. She loved to draw, played varsity soccer, and spent summers working on the passenger train for her family’s railroad. Winters were spent dreaming about moving to a city with warm weather.
Coincidentally, Christy and Michael both left their hometowns to attend the University of Arizona. Michael studied Media Arts and trained for the Olympics as a young recruit on the diving team. Christy majored in Communication and Marketing, auditing art and photography classes along the way, studying abroad as often as possible.
Though they never met in Arizona, Christy and Michael both loved Tucson for its desert landscapes and vibrant Mexican culture.
New Wave
MICHAEL | 2006
Michael followed his interests in design and music to Los Angeles, where he found a job working for a recording equipment supplier who was closing up shop. The equipment warehouse was located next door to Paramount Studios, where Michael imagined one day working in music production. After weeks of casual run-ins with the executives next door, Michael landed the opportunity that would launch his career in the music industry.
New York
CHRISTY | 2009
After graduation, Christy took a job in advertising with a boutique agency in New York called Black Twig Communications. She worked on national accounts, helping design packaging, web campaigns, and printed content for clients such as Domino Sugar and Cablevision. Though she didn’t stay in New York long, Christy continued to freelance with Black Twig as a designer and marketing consultant for many years.
Studio Life
MICHAEL | 2009
In his time at Paramount, Michael quickly outgrew his initial runner position and became a sound engineer for prominent artists such as Teddy Riley, Busta Rhymes, and Dr. Dre. From there, he met Rich Avrach, with whom he began designing and building recording studios for a private company. Projects ranged from the Jim Hensen Studios for Daft Punk to Kanye West’s private studio in Paris.
Design School
CHRISTY | 2010
Christy’s experience in advertising strengthened her professional skills and love of storytelling but left her yearning for more technical design skills. Ready for a change of scenery, she moved to Los Angeles to attend the Art Institute of California, where she studied interior design. While in school, she worked in several restaurants in positions ranging from barista to bartender to management. She loved learning the ins and outs of the service industry while simultaneously developing her design skills.
Zalmak
MICHAEL | 2010
Michael teamed up with longtime friend John Oliver to launch Zalmak, a creative company intended to provide design, branding and event-planning services to clients in the music industry. What started out as just that, quickly grew to include clients in the fashion, film, automotive, and tech industries. Michael designed campaigns for Sonos, MiniCooper, Interscope Records, Bold Films, Dell Computers, Pitchfork and more.
Commercial Interiors
CHRISTY | 2012
In the years following design school, Christy worked for Wolcott, HOK, and DLR Group, all commercial architecture firms with offices in the LA area. She focused on large scale creative office spaces, attracted to the overlap between marketing and interior design when working with brands as well as the use of design strategy to increase productivity and improve company culture. Her respective teams designed spaces for clients such as Live Nation, Dreamworks, Union Bank, UCLA, and The Walt Disney Company.
Supplyframe, Inc.
MICHAEL | 2015
In 2015 Michael was approached by Supplyframe, Inc., a global tech company growing rapidly in the hardware design industry but lacking in design direction and community presence at the time. Michael was brought on with his team from Zalmak to become Creative Director, and tasked with launching their internal creative design agency. Under Michael’s creative direction, Supplyframe quickly advanced to a new level of brand recognition and community leadership, working with tech industry giants such as NASA, Google, SpaceX, and BMW.
CG+A
CHRISTY | 2016
Christy met renowned product designer, Cory Grosser, in 2016. Looking for an opportunity to work in a non-corporate environment, she was fascinated by the idea of a multidisciplinary, boutique studio that prioritized design above all else. Over the course of her time with Cory Grosser + Associates, Christy eventually became Studio Director, leading the small team of talented designers and supporting Cory while completing architecture, interior design, product design, and brand strategy projects. Clients included Hyundai Genesis, Disney Yellow Shoes, Universal Studios, Bernhardt Design, Carl Hansen & Sons, Supplyframe, and more.
Guilfoil & Wulfson
Michael and Christy met while Michael was with Supplyframe and Christy was with CG+A. Cory Grosser + Associates had just designed a groundbreaking rapid prototyping lab for Supplyframe in Pasadena and was about to start work on their new headquarters. With offices just around the corner from each other in Old Town Pasadena, the creative teams at Supplyframe and CG+A worked together consistently over the course of several design and construction projects between 2016 and 2019.
And so Michael and Christy’s collaborative friendship began. What started as a client/designer relationship through CG+A and Supplyframe became a partnership in 2018 when they decided to team up and purchase a historic building to renovate in Cincinnati as a side project.
Owning and designing “The Carriage House” gave Christy and Michael a glimpse into the world of development. They loved being in the position of owner, tenant, and designer which allowed them to have total control of the design experience. They created Guilfoil & Wulfson Inc. (GW) with a goal of acquiring more properties to renovate and restore.
In January 2018, GW was approached by a client in Beverly Hills with a rapidly growing real estate portfolio in need of design assistance. What started as the design of a boutique hotel in Washington DC, grew into an ongoing collaboration and host of hospitality projects across the country.
In October 2018, GW closed on their second property, a four-story brick building directly adjacent to The Carriage House. Renovation plans for the former office space are underway as part of a larger development concept to bring a design-forward, European-inspired experience to the quaint corner of Pendleton, OH.
Today, Guilfoil & Wulfson is a small design and development company that balances owning and renovating properties with designing spaces and brands for clients including FOUND Hotels, Netflix, and Space Square, and MUJO. Headquartered in Cincinnati where they can oversee project development, Christy and Michael travel frequently and enjoy working with clients across the globe.
DesignLab
2016
Design Lab is a 5,000 square foot rapid prototyping space designed by CG+A for Supplyframe. From 3D printers, to laser cutters, to a full wood shop and community space, DesignLab is a prime example of interior design influencing the creative process. In 2017, Christy and Michael were both present to celebrate Design Lab winning the prestigious IIDA Calibre Award for Best Project by a Boutique Firm.
Supplyframe HQ
2017
After their collaborative success on Design Lab, CG+A and Supplyframe moved on to the Supplyframe Headquarters in a newly constructed building in Pasadena. Spanning one full floor, the creative office space boasts high tech amenities, comfortable collaborative spaces, a music recording studio, and an expansive outdoor patio.
The Carriage House
2018
The Carriage House was Christy and Michael’s first departure from designing for clients as members of their creative teams to purchasing, designing, and renovating a property on their own. Today, the Carriage House books consistently to short term rental guests, as well as for photoshoots and events. It serves as a perfect example of the aesthetic Guilfoil & Wulfson is founded upon: a celebration of history with a modern sensibility.
Dupont Circle
2019
The Dupont Circle Embassy Inn by Found was the first hotel designed by GW for Hawkins Way Capital, a successful fund management company based in Beverly Hills. The 40 room boutique hotel was renovated at lightening speed, with the first renovated floor opening only 8 weeks after the project began. Since the renovation was completed in May, the property has exceeded expectations in both financial growth and guest satisfaction.
Space Square
2019
Space Square is a new development project in Daytona, Florida. An outdated shopping center is being converted into an industry-leading incubator space for start-ups and universities in the aerospace industry. GW was hired by the investment team spearheading the project to develop the branding package for Space Square, including the design of the logo, website, and various marketing materials.
Boston
2019
The FOUND Hotel Boston Commons is the second oldest hotel in Boston. GW is currently working with Hawkins Way Capital on a lobby renovation to better utilize the space and introduce a design aesthetic that speaks to the historic nature of the building. Phase two of the project will involve converting the basement laundry facilities into a trendy cocktail bar, which is planned to kick off in the summer of 2020.
Miami
2020
Hawkins Way recently acquired The Alden Hotel, a classic Art Deco building in South Beach Miami. GW is working on the renovation design to restore the hotel and bring it back to life with multiple restaurants, a lobby bar, and beautiful pool area.
California
2021
GW has several projects with Hawkins Way in California, including the design of The Plaza Hotel in San Diego. The Plaza has over 150 rooms, and when completed will boast several restaurants, a lobby bar, rooftop, penthouse, and underground speakeasy.