x2VOL Office Space ~ Part I

 

"Finished!" ~ that's what I texted Michele, CEO of  intelliVOL, this past week when I put the final touches on the office her company was moving into.  A priority for this space was to provide ample seating for large brainstorming sessions in order to "Get the job done."  At the same time, it was important to provide a space that would encourage creativity and thinking "outside of the box." The beauty of this project was Michele's willingness to take risks and dare to be somewhat unconventional.  It was such a pleasure to collaborate with her.  Over the next few weeks,  I'll be periodically highlighting various aspects of the project.

The inspiration piece ~ St. Francis of Assisi

 This work of art that Michele had recently purchased was the starting point for the design.  The piece had earthiness and warmth, with a bit of eclecticism.  It told me Michele didn't mind taking risks ~ and that she was going to be fun to work with. 

This is the main meeting room ~ "Before"

 

Here it is "After" ~ with a little detail to follow.

One of my favorite installations ~ Michele wanted to have a wall of paper for brainstorming ~ originally she thought she might like rolls of butcher paper.  I ended up designing these cornice boards out of salvaged lumber and mounted numerous giant 3M sticky pads underneath the boards (this would be a fun element to have in a kid's room or a playroom).  The ledge on the bottom is perfect for holding markers and other misc. office items. 

I found this 12 foot long chunky board at a salvage yard and converted it into a computer bar.  I used plumber's pipe and flanges as the legs for the bar.  It's perfect for plopping a computer on for quick access and is the ideal height to belly-up to.  It also serves as a great work surface.  Additionally, the team often uses PowerPoint during brainstorming sessions.  So, I installed a large projector screen on the wall for viewing.

 

Another fun element in the general meeting area is this wall of galvanized sheet metal.  It will serve as a magnetic board ~ yet another surface to post ideas on ~ the perfect landing spot for photos, memorabilia, notes, etc.

This project was like a breath of fresh air to me.  Michele is a gifted and energetic CEO and was willing to take risks and infuse creativity into her work environment.  Be watching next week as more of the office design unfolds.