r.o.i. Design celebrates its 25th year in business, and its 20th year at our location at 1451 Front Ave. NW in Grand Rapids. We are thrilled to introduce two new staff members, as well as a plan to upgrade our office.
Rachel Barszcz, Studio Assistant
Rachel was one of over 96 applicants and won us over with her experience in hospitality and administration, her outgoing spirit, and her curiosity for how design changes people’s lives. She will be providing organizational support in all areas. She may be answering the phone, so when you call in, say “Hi”.
Marianne Martz, Design Lead
Marianne was one of over 50 applicants, and we love how her experience in interior design, furnishings, and customer service will not only help her provide leadership on projects but also bring us the opportunity to develop new relationships. Her attention to detail as well as her experience with suppliers is a welcome addition to our team.
We are also pleased that Julie Kleinjans has decided to add to her role and is now our finance and marketing professional.
Existing and outstanding members of the team also include Ryan Bright (Creative Executive and Senior Designer), Ronda Geyer (Product and Procurement Manager), and Megan Hoekzema (Associate Interior Designer), Mary Witte (Design Lead and President). All are stellar members and contribute to helping provide the best possible design services for our customers.
In addition to new staff, we are revamping our offices to reflect current trends and technology. With help from some of our trusted vendors, our space hopes to be complete by Spring!
Doctors Daniel Bolt and Thomas Bouwens had outgrown their existing Holland, Michigan office. With the help of Dixon Architecture and T2 Construction, they agreed to design a new building. r.o.i. Design was invited to the project by Ken Dixon, and we set out to create a space that met the needs of both doctors and patients.
When r.o.i Design learned that, between patients and family members, the practice could see up to 500 people a day, we began to understand their energetic approach to dental care. We also learned that they wanted to remain a “kid and family-friendly” environment yet avoid a theme-park-like feel.
Many pediatric dentists overlook the opportunity to create a calming and comfortable space for busy families. With these factors in mind, our goal was to take their West Michigan caring brand forward, which meant keeping a more “Montessori-approach”. This calming approach intentionally included a plan to create smaller, focused areas of interest for young patients. r.o.i. Design happily developed the interior design, lighting design, and furnishing finishes for the new location.
In addition to the interior finishes, we assisted in introducing the practice to an experienced Lionel train expert, who designed the new miniature train that winds throughout the space on a raised track.
We also designed their new logo and provided many of the key furnishings.
Some of our favorite details include:
Decorative acrylic at the reception and checkout desks
Dark blue board and batten wall treatments
Accent carpet and painted wall “stripes”
Fun light fixtures throughout the space
Acoustic wall panels in the open exam area
Lit ceiling details at the checkout
We are grateful for the opportunity to work on this project and wish West Michigan Pediatric Dentistry the best as they settle into their new space, which opened on February 3, 2020.
For more about this practice, please visit their new website!
r.o.i. Design is busy with nearly 30 projects this December, and three to four projects will be completed soon.
Funky Buddha:
Adding a fourth location in West Michigan, Funky Buddha is planning to open a storefront studio at “Studio Park” in downtown Grand Rapids this winter. Known for their “hot yoga”, this place is “steaming” cool. The team at “FB” engaged architect Jon Blair of r2Design and r.o.i. Design for interior finishes and details. They have refreshed their branding, as is evident by their clean new website. This latest location supports the brand in its simple but bold approach. Our contractor friends at First Companies, Inc. are making it all happen.
Burco:
A family business that produces and distributes car and truck mirrors and related products decided to upgrade its office with new finishes and in-office branding. Their products are creative and solution-driven, so why not make the office match that creativity? That means an expanded lunchroom with all new cabinets and furnishings, punches of the company’s “blaze-orange” accents, painting out the old mahogany trim, and all-new office furniture. It is quite a transformation! Thank you to Erhardt Construction for making us all look good.
West Michigan Pediatric Dentistry
This growing practice in Holland, MI is in the final phase of building their new office. West Michigan Pediatric Dentistry engaged the help of Dixon Architecture, r.o.i. Design, and T2 Construction to make it all happen. The new office includes expanded square footage in most areas from their current offices. Waiting, exam, treatment, and kids’ areas all grew. The much-loved model train and fish tank are being updated and replaced with newer models. In addition to the calm but kid-friendly interior finishes and details, r.o.i. Design was asked to design their new logo. And of course, we incorporated the train into the new brand. Stay tuned to see more of how this project turns out!
Grand Valley State University:
Using all of our skills in exhibit design, graphic design, and interior design, we created a soon-to-be-installed exhibit that will be unveiled at GVSU’s downtown Pew Campus this winter. It is always great to work with GVSU!
Sunshine Community Church in Grand Rapids recently purchased and remodeled a building in the city’s northeast side at 3019 Coit Avenue NE, near Riverside Park and the Grand Rapids Home for the Veterans. The new building is a perfect fit for their congregation after downsizing from their campus on the East Beltline.
With a new building, the leadership realized they needed some wayfinding signs to direct their parishioners where to go. Years ago, when they were still on East Beltine, r.o.i. Design helped them with some wayfinding signage there, so they remembered us and gave us a call.
Since then, they had re-branded themselves, with new logos and graphic standards. We worked within the branding standards to create a family of signage for the building’s needs. We created identity signs, wayfinding, directories, and entrance signs to make it easier for visitors.
We also worked directly with their signage vendor, FastSigns in Grand Rapids, to get the signs fabricated and installed. They did a great job and the signs look great. Sunshine Community Church is very happy with the way everything turned out.
Concept document for some of the furnishings for Arbors at Ironwood
Not all of our projects are located in West Michigan! We recently wrapped up a project in Mishawaka, Indiana, providing clubhouse and office furnishings for a multi-family apartment community. The complex, The Arbors at Ironwood, is one of several communities managed by Eagle Point Properties. Eagle Point, based in Maine, and r.o.i. Design have worked together on several projects previously, some as far away as Virginia! They contracted with Wolverine Building Group to handle the renovations and r.o.i. Design to provide the furniture and wall décor that would make the Clubhouse and Leasing offices an inviting place for the residents to gather.
As residents enter the Clubhouse, they are greeted with a sitting area outside the leasing offices where they can wait comfortably. The main room boasts a sofa and comfy lounge chairs in front of a cozy fireplace, as well as dining tables and chairs to seat 16. The full kitchen has a counter with additional seating. The Ironwood community houses three computer lab stations for residents’ use! The leasing and management offices also received a facelift with new desks, filing, and seating.
The final touch was the addition of new wall decor. The images that were selected were chosen to further highlight the features of the area. This is something we have done at their other locations, and it has been enthusiastically received! It’s a small touch that helps personalize the space and reflects the community it serves.
Some of the furniture and decor installed at Arbors at Ironwood
