Printing on Wood – Natural Material, New Technologies
We at r.o.i. Design like to explore the fabrication of decorative elements for our design customers and their environments.
We were recently inspired by the Starbucks at UNIQLO in Chicago, and wanted to create our own art using wood panels. (Image: Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
This summer we created our own “art on wood”. This is a very popular decorative trend and there are a variety of options to get your design on wood. But after budgeting options, we thought there had to be a cost effective, local way to achieve this. So with some patience, testing and research we were able to deliver two projects.
Campus View Apartments, Allendale, MI
Campus View Apartments had an entry hallway of painted concrete block. They wanted to get rid of the look and thought the only way to do that was drywall the entire corridor. Based on other elements in our redesign of the lobby, welcome center and offices, we introduced the idea of a plaid pattern on birch panels to cover the block. Plaid is popular now in interior design, so by using one color – black – on the birch we aimed to create a classic finish.
Wolverine Power Supply Co-op Custom Service Map Wood Print
Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative completed their new offices using our interior designs. One design criteria was to bring the outdoors in, and another was to foster more inter-company communication. So, as part of the overall art design, we created a custom “map” of the areas they serve, rendered artistically and then executed on wood. The impact met the customer’s expectation for “art”.
We love creating custom elements by using all of our skills. Ryan Bright, our creative executive, can graphically design anything – from playbills, to signage, to original art. Doug Pettinga, our resident “jack of all trades”, is up for most projects that require lumber and fastening. Mary, Mary Jane and Ronda introduce ideas to customers. We have a small shop, a warehouse and a creative-curious culture.
Custom Scrabble Wall Art, Spin Dance, Holland, MI
Custom Painted Mural, Crystal Center, Crystal Mountain Resort, Thompsonville, MI
Custom Wall Mural, Hutchinson, Grand Rapids, MI ©Tiberius Images
Advantage Label says they “label with a purpose”. They work with their customers to create labels and packaging that present a quality product and promote sales. r.o.i. Design’s experience of Advantage Label was just that, they perform with purpose and wanted their office to show them as a place of quality, efficiency and pride.
Wolverine Building Group contacted r.o.i. Design to support their design process and we were asked to review lighting plans, select finishes and lighting, and help make the break room more of a restaurant than a cafeteria.
Using the red of their logo colors (which was also an accent color on the exterior of the building), r.o.i. Design added charcoals, blue gray and orange to the overall scheme to create depth and variety. The use of planked modular carpet tiles allowed accent colors to be introduced within a consistent field of carpet, without added costs.
Those values translated into a desire to make their new work place a space where collaboration, communication and innovation would thrive. That meant their new offices and employee culture would be making landmark changes in how they work. Their directive was to allow the space to be as transparent and as inclusive as possible, but also provide an inspiring environment for their business.
Rick Skendzel of 
This is where we met RMD Architects. The board engaged us to work alongside him and the board, to assist in the selection and coordination of finishes. This is also a Montessori school which had a criteria that all the finishes be calm, orderly and like home. Our favorite detail in this project was the accenting of the carpet in the classrooms to aid in organizing space for “lining up”, or just calling out areas. There were three color schemes, one for kindergarten, one for lower elementary and one for upper elementary.
This community was growing quickly and expanding its program. They were moving into a larger school that needed to be refreshed, remodeled and delivered in less than five months. They moved in August 20, 2016! Our efforts focused on carpet and paint. Northeast wanted all the corridors to be carpeted and because there was little opportunity for other areas of interest, we created three to four modular carpet patterns that we repeated in different color ways. We also created tile patterns for entries and cafeteria. They will be remodeling another floor in the coming year, and hopefully, we will be able to go back and execute some wall accents and graphics as well.