Less is more.
–Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Unless it’s not.
–IOH
It’s amazing what a little paint, some tasteful decorations, and some large-scale graphics will do to a space lacking any or all of the above. Having one’s living, workspace, or even trade show real estate truly reflect one’s vision, values, and voice is a powerful panacea to the doldrums that can settle in and stick around in a lifeless environment, which can and will stifle both creativity and productivity. The office, studio, event space, etc., should elicit excitement and foster creative thinking.
As designers, it’s truly a thrill for us to be able to give that spark back to a client who is unhappy with their current physical environment. Whether it’s freshening up an existing look, or fabricating a bold, new, lively working space, we’ve achieved success when the environment becomes an experience that triggers the joy and excitement of the early days when anything seemed possible and no idea seemed too small or insignificant, because anything is possible and the only limit to ideation should be imagination, not a soul-sucking office in off white or “environmental gray”.
White walls, they’re everywhere.
The Packaged Deal, an inspiring team of life and softball coaches who put on clinics all across the U.S., approached us with a request to do something, anything, with their 1,100 SF clinically sparse office space. There was no sense of joy or wonder at the office and they wanted to want to come into the office. We gladly accepted the challenge.
Day 1
After kicking the crew out of their office for the duration of the refresh, we began by putting the old, off-brand furniture and any unnecessary miscellaneous items into the storage unit in the back. Once things were tidied up a bit, we gleefully splashed some brand purple paint onto a public-facing wall separating the lobby from the main work area. The entire space immediately roared to life.
Day 2
We got to relax a bit as the installers from Coastal Creative brought physical life to our digitally rendered plans (Just kidding. We totally hovered). As large-scale prints went up around the walls, the story of The Packaged Deal began to emerge.
Day 3
From Sparse to Spectacular.
Once the really big changes were completed, it was time to stage the area with the details that would tie everything together and make the space a place where the coaches could convene and see the difference they were making. A place that was exciting, but also inviting. And a place that reminded them of why they do what they do.
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Industry Collaborators:
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THE BEFORES
AND THE AFTERS
