Project Name: Morongo Casino Resort & Spa 

Location: CA 

Date Completed: May 2020 

Interior Designer: Kenneth Ussenko Design 

Architect: Bergman Walls & Associates 

Hotel Group/Developer: Morongo Casino Resort & Spa 

Construction Company: Yates Moorefield 

Morongo Casino Resort & Spa located in Cabazon, California is a 17,000-metre square project with amazing artisan skills and craftsmanship throughout which helped to facilitate finishes that blanketed the interiors of the resort. The casino was a three-year long project which covered a large area of resort lobby, common/public spaces including casino floor and new expansion.   

Kenneth Ussenko Design also created six new bars and restaurants within the project space. The design team worked closely with architects and engineers to deliver this large-scale project as fast as possible, meanwhile phasing the construction into 18 zones because the facility was still in operation during the two years of the construction buildout. Kenneth Ussenko’s design focus for this project was to create energy with colour and lighting focusing emphasis on lots of movement in the ceilings and floors of the interiors. Kenneth wanted to capture people’s attention throughout all the spaces with undulating patterns that seen to flow onwards forever. 

The team’s favourite design aspect of the project were the ceilings and floors which were great fun to create and see come alive. They were big challenges because of the size and shapes of the environments but truly rewarding when completed. The design works so well as it gave this large interior space great energy making it feel alive always no matter what time of day or night. 

The colours and textures integrate into all the existing and new spaces because the team remodelled all areas of the resort to flow with the new construction creating balance and synergy. Many specialist artisan skills were used throughout the project, there was a key focus on the ceilings and custom fixtures which blanketed all the environments. Also, over 350 custom chandelier and ceiling fixtures were created for this project.