by Ryan | Aug 5, 2015 | Design News
What’s on the wall matters, and it better represent your brand!
Talcott Franklin Law Firm
Recently on a road trip with my family, we stopped at a pancake house and I was delighted to see images on the wall of children with their faces covered in whipped cream, fruit bits and syrup and laughing. The photos were artistically shot and artfully mounted. They replaced the tired landscapes that typically decorate the walls of these establishments. Most of them were close-ups of just the face, but it wasn’t hard to imagine the rest of the child, drowning in happiness.
Spin Dance, Holland, MI
Why spend money on wall art that doesn’t promote your brand when it is so easy and cost effective to do so? The team at r.o.i. Design has been in the business of custom wall art programs since 1995. But it is easier than ever with the help of print technology advancements. The current infatuation of infographics, illustration and graphic design can be linked to tech savvy generation who loves type fonts, Instagram and Pinterest. It seems pretty natural for wall art today to mimic those interests and educate the viewer on the values and brand of the property.
r.o.i. Design has used the following techniques to add interest to walls:
- Stripes and blocks as décor: Sometimes paint, sometimes vinyl, sometimes acoustical panels.
- Logos as art: Oversized, repeated, or just all by itself.
- Fonts and Words as banners, wallcovering or murals: Word clouds, message murals.
- Symbols and brand color as part of details: Custom tiles, custom art.
- Regional photos and historic landmarks: Custom art, wallcovering.
Here are more pictures of ways we added interest to walls:
Branns Muskegon
GVSU Marketplace
Fifth Third Sky Box
Jordan C. Hoyer Law Firm
GVSU Marketplace
GVSU Marketplace
r.o.i. Design Studio
St. George Tower
Stuyvesant Apartments
by Ryan | Aug 4, 2015 | Design News
Cycle
We have been to the 2015 trade shows, our sales representatives have come in to show us their new items, and there is a lot of great introductions. Here are just a few items to tempt you.
The perfectly diffused direct/indirect illumination of Cycle creates a luminous halo that fills large spaces with presence and simplicity. Seamlessly finished with rolled concentric aluminum extrusions it features high performance discreet LEDs. Eureka Lighting
Fashion Stacked Wood
Bring in the warmth of wood combined with modern good looks and environmental sensitivity with Fashion Stacked Wood solid hardwood panels. These pre-finished panels will give attention-grabbing textural interest. Fashion Architectural Products
Colorfield by Hella Jongerius – Image Copyright Maharam
Colorfield by Hella Jongerius combines multiple weave structures in a highly tactile surface. Various textures alternate in blocks: a two-toned grid dissolves into a patch of diagonal twill that then transitions to an expanse of solid basket weave. Stacked bands of color are counterposed, with broad columns of neutral texture offsetting their various rhythms. 100% wool. Maharam
Swagr Lounge
Swagr brings levity to any space and situation. Inspired by the tendency of people to retreat to more casual sitting areas for everyday tasks, Swagr offers a happy medium between office chairs and more informal seats like ottomans or bean bag chairs. The result is a whimsical family of seating made to fit everywhere from group spaces and lounge areas to private offices, conference rooms, classrooms, and more. EKO Contract
Wheels
Wheels is entirely mobile and designed to support an idea lab, where the spontaneous exchange of ideas fosters creativity. Equipped with large casters and built with light wire structures for movement in an instant the design is minimal, deceptively raw, with only essential elements included. Keilhauer
by Ryan | Jul 27, 2015 | Design News
r.o.i. Design continues its commitment to product knowledge excellence for their hospitality, multi-family and senior care customers.
We attended the BITAC Purchasing & Design EAST conference this July at Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN and made contacts that will create value for our customers as well as expand our customer base.
The Buyer Interactive Trade Alliance & Conference brings buyers and suppliers together to learn more about each other’s needs and offerings in an environment conducive to building long-lasting and strong relationships in a short amount of time. Attendees meet face-to-face with industry professionals of their choosing for an exchange of information and ideas in a highly productive two days. Stimulating educational forums and exciting activities are planned to enlighten and get people communicating on a more personable level.
While there were over 125 vendor attendees, we were able to sit down with maybe 50 of them who represented more than 20 companies. We were happy to see some of current vendors there, Mity-Lite (banquet and restaurant furniture), Wolf Gordon (fabrics and wall covering), Klem (casegoods), Kimball Hospitality (casegoods and upholstery). But we were also pleased to meet key people from other companies.
We would like to highlight just a few:
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by Ryan | Jul 14, 2015 | Design News
This past June 15, r.o.i. Design made our annual voyage to Chicago to attend NeoCon at the Merchandise Mart. As always, we saw a lot of the new products presented by commercial interiors manufacturers. We visited the showrooms of the major office furniture corporations, such as Haworth, Steelcase, Herman Miller and more. We saw what was new in flooring, wallcoverings, textiles and other materials. We got to meet with our sales representatives to learn more about these new products. And, of course, we sought out who was giving away the best freebies, whether it be tote bags, water bottles, or tasty treats!
Some retro color combinations at the Haworth showroom. Click for larger image.
This year, attendance seemed to be way up, which is a good indication for the industry, but also made for large crowds and long lines. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits, though, and there seemed to be an excitement in the air about this year’s new trends.
Bright accent colors are still popular, although they tended to be slightly more muted than in the last couple years. Many of the showrooms kept to a basic, stark white theme with pops of color. Some retro color combinations (think 60’s, Mad Men) also made their appearance.
Small Collaboration Areas – Openest by Haworth. Click for larger image.
A fairly new term in the workplace environment is “nomad”, referring to the preference of many to work from various locations in and out of the office throughout the work day. Newer technology and wireless connectivity have made it possible to not be stationed at a desk all day and still be productive. Furniture manufacturers are responding with new solutions to accommodate this new style of working. Shared workstations that can be reserved, small privacy pods, collaborative groupings, or a quiet place to get away are just some of the new trends in office spaces.
Small private workstations. Click for larger image.
The material felt is very popular this year. Whether it was natural wool felt or industrial felt made from recycled plastic bottles, the material was shown in upholstery, dividers, sound panels, desk accessories, rugs and even lighting!
Felt light fixtures at Buzzi Space. Click for larger image.
These are just a few of the trends, styles and new products we saw at this year’s NeoCon. While there was a lot more we saw, it’s hard to fit it all in one blog post (or remember it all). Of course, we always want to stay ahead of the curve on design and keeping you informed on what we learn.
Some More Images
by Ryan | Jun 1, 2015 | Design News
Continuing our conversation about flooring (see our blog article on luxury vinyl tile), we introduce you to two different companies. One is totally design driven and one is responding to a unique challenge.
Mirth Studio, Charleston, South Carolina, has entered the flooring industry with colorful, patterned hardwood floor tiles. They are promoted as easy to install, fully customizable, made in the US and environmentally responsible. The cool thing is their use of new technology to print and seal the surface of an engineered wood tile or plank. Visit their website here.
Kinetex, J&J Flooring Group, has developed an advanced textile composite flooring that combines key attributes of soft-surface floor covering with the long-wearing performance characteristics of hard surface flooring. Promoting a reduced environmental footprint compared to other hard-surface options is because it is easier to maintain, Kinetix offers an acoustical advantage, a health advantage and a comfort advantage that hard tiles cannot. It also offers a unique time savings as it can be laid on curing concrete floor before all the moisture of the concrete is released. For the complete story on Kinetex, visit jj-kinetex.com.
