r.o.i. Design has worked with contractors and realtors to transform some not-so-great spaces into spaces that create a WOW factor for occupants and visitors. Here are some before and after stories that we hope inspire our readers to imagine how their spaces could look.
Creston Heights 1960’s Office Building
United Commercial Services had a vision for a forgotten building that, many years ago, was a funeral home. The demo revealed layers of wall covering, antique utilities, and a hint of a ghost. But the transformation from a variety of cavernous rooms to a spacious office paid off for UCS. Thanks, Pinnacle Construction for making this happen!
Before Photos (click on thumbnail to enlarge)
After Photos (click on thumbnail to enlarge)
Downtown Dental Office Building
Complete Health Dentistry was already in an urban setting but moved even closer to the downtown area in Grand Rapids on a highly visible corner on the Medical Mile. They trusted r.o.i. Design and First Companies to come up with an interior that would transform this 1980’s space into something that their patients would find appealing. The change was amazing, and the result feels like it is how the space should have always looked.
After Photos (click on thumbnail to enlarge)
South East Grand Rapids Office Building
This property was seeing major transitions in their tenant population and was looking to find an anchor tenant to occupy most of the building. Originally the building was a single-user and the entryway was a reception desk. As more businesses moved into the building, it became obsolete.
N.A.I. Wisinski organized a design competition to show the owners what their entry could look like, and r.o.i. Design was selected to design the reimagined space. Removing walls and adding a floating ceiling, along with new finishes, lighting, and furnishings transformed the space. Within nine months, the building gained a major new tenant.
Before Photos (click on thumbnail to enlarge)
After Photos (click on thumbnail to enlarge)
Downtown Grand Rapids Office Building
This historic property has been a desired address for many years, but it had been more than 20 years since the lobby and public restroom were addressed. Tours by potential new tenants were resulting in some negative comments about how the spaces looked. By addressing lighting, flooring, finishes, and furnishings, the natural beauty of the spaces began to shine again.
Over the past few weeks, our team has been learning how to make our spaces safe for the return to work, visits to doctors, and trips to our favorite retailers. We acknowledge solutions presented by suppliers and manufacturers that impact our work in interior design; their products influence our spaces from the air we breathe to the chairs we sit on. Read on to see some of what we’ve learned regarding COVID-19 protection measures and visit our Facebook page throughout the week to get our full take on these solutions.
AIR QUALITY
A building’s filtration in its heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) can be a part of an overall mitigation approach to protect occupants from COVID-19. To reap the full benefits of an HVAC system, cleaning and disinfecting HVAC components, including ductwork, installing high-efficiency (HEPA) filters, and increasing outdoor air ventilation are critical.
WALL COVERINGS AND OTHER SURFACES
We also pulled research on the longevity of the COVID-19 virus on commonly used wall covering materials, and how to effectively eliminate the virus on these surfaces. Today’s manufacturers are integrating antimicrobial technology into interior design elements to keep them cleaner from multiplying bacteria – window shades, paint, door hardware, and faucets. Additionally, the addition of UV lights for more deeply disinfecting the office at night could help to keep walls and other surfaces cleaner.
Wall Coverings
TEMPORARY WALL PARTITIONS
In addition to pre-existing wall surfaces, temporary wall partitions find relevancy, especially in open offices, to help ease the spreading of viruses. While plexiglass, laminate, or another hard surface has been preferred, those surfaces must be frequently cleaned. Not all fabrics are a good option for the surface of partition, those that are coated or are made specifically to repel moisture would be best. And, while not as attractive, cardboard has been tested and it may be that the virus lives less on cardboard than on plexiglass.
Temporary Wall Partitions
UPHOLSTERY
Presented with the problem of maintaining upholstered surfaces in high-traffic and shared spaces, our fabric manufacturers have risen to the challenge and provided, and continue to seek, solutions for safe fabrics. Referencing the EPA’s recommended products for disinfecting, our fabric manufacturers quickly pulled together their resources to help educate us on which materials perform best in an environment that will not require excessive cleaning. Coated fabrics, vinyl, and Crypton meet these standards for cleanability.
Crypton Upholstery
PERSONAL PROTECTION
Beyond innovations for public and private spaces, the design community is contributing to the solution for your personal space – personal protection equipment. We’ve seen manufacturers and design firms shift their resources and brainpower in response to COVID-19. Fabric manufacturers and independent designers are using their resources to create face masks, and many donate face coverings for each mask purchased.
No one solution protects us completely and it will be a combination of behaviors and tools that gets us through this time. We look forward to more virus testing, and then, of course, the vaccine.
We met Mike and Lisa Mervenne through an introduction by West Michigan Office Interiors. They are the owners of Burco, Inc., an amazing company that supplies automotive mirrors for new and after-market. This multi-generation business is an entrepreneurial inspiration. It’s reflective of the business creativity in West Michigan, but more specifically of their corporation.
Our year-long relationship of designing and budgeting resulted in a great remodel thanks to Erhardt Construction and Joe Kuhn. The project was completed early this year.
The remodel included more open office areas, an expanded break room, more efficient office layouts, and branded décor. Building on their amazing brand, r.o.i. Design developed an interior design scheme that reflects their brand colors, culture, and needs.
In addition to interior design, we were able to provide graphic design for custom branded décor, as well as providing new furnishings for their break room.
These are challenging times, but we know our ability to provide budget-brand-beauty interiors will set us apart. We have many projects in-house that require our attention and look forward to their continuation.
We have several projects through our partner, First Companies Inc. Those projects include dermatology offices, dental offices, and industrial/manufacturing offices in West Michigan. Including, but not limited to: Portland Dentistry by Design, Total Fire Protection, Wilkast, Cedar Springs Dentistry, The Derm Institute of West Michigan, and Wolverine Dermatology.
We are working with the City of Kentwood on a few projects based on previous work with the city. Ten years ago we designed their library.
Our work with new customer FCC Construction and their customer, American Immersion Theater, gave us the opportunity to show our theatrical “chops”.
Concept Rendering for American Immersion Theater
Mars Hill Bible Church asked us to assist them in the redesign of offices and children’s ministry areas, as they have sold half of their facility to Grandville Public Schools. It was just two years ago that we redesigned all of their kids’ ministry areas.
Most recently, we have engaged with the Kent County Office of the Defenders in their exploration of new offices in downtown Grand Rapids. This is in response to a request from the State of Michigan to expand its services. We are engaged with local contractors and furniture suppliers as we build budgets and feasibility for their expansion.
We have added new customers in the senior-living/multi-family category. We are pleased to be working with Darley Village in Spring Lake and continued work with Eagle Point Properties who has engaged us with their project in Virginia.
We have a variety of office projects that we are managing that serve the business community in finance and accounting.
We met Grand River Bank through Dixon Architecture and have been working with them for several months. This project reconnected us to BDR Construction, who hopes to deliver the space at 50 Crahan in Ada, Michigan in August 2020.
Grand River Bank Lobby Rendering
We were referred to Pennell CPA through our work with Stenger and Stenger, and we are providing oversite, design, and architecture. Pinnacle Construction is providing construction management.
Colorboard for Pennell CPA
We were referred to Evolution Wealth by BluHouse Properties. We are providing design and architectural services for their new location on Cascade in Grand Rapids.
In addition to our commercial work, we continue to engage with our clients to support their residential needs. We welcome all requests and interest in our ability to support residential planning. Currently, we have residential projects that range from existing home remodels to future residential construction.
In January, Funky Buddha Yoga Hothouse opened its fourth location
in the exciting new Studio Park development in downtown Grand Rapids. Anna
Baeten, Executive Director, and Michele Bookie, Operations Manager, see this
new location as the opportunity to align the look of their facility with their
updated clean brand that’s on their website and marketing.
“It was time to become clear with our brand; we are intentional
and simple in our approach. We believe in Growth through Practice. We want our
spaces to reflect our values: Respect, Integrity, Intentionality, Caring, Honesty, and Humility,”
says Baeten.
With that
direction in mind, r.o.i. Design assisted in developing an interior that
minimized their previous scheme of tropical fruit colors to a neutral palette
of black, white, gray, cork, and wood. With touches of greenery and a focus on
cleanability, there was still room for some “funk”.
A variety of shapes of wood shade lamps hang in the lobby. The desk and retail area are built from reclaimed pallet wood from Grand Rapids Pallets. Their diamond logo is featured in the tectum acoustical panels applied to the yoga studio’s ceiling. Indirect lighting was added to the waiting area as well as the studio.
We thank our
collaborators Jon Blair from r2Design for architecture, First Companies for
construction, and Ken Kearney for specialty millwork build-out.
For more about Funky Buddha please visit their website.
Doctors Meghan Condit and Christine Vollmar have a heart for kids, and as mothers themselves, they understand the importance of personalized care. That focus and vision was a key ingredient in their decision to establish Grand River Pediatric Dentistry.
Newly opened in February, Meghan and Christine are
celebrating a more-than-two-year journey in planning, and they couldn’t be
happier with their new home in Jenison.
r.o.i. Design was introduced to Grand River Pediatric
Dentistry by Todd Schaal of Estes Group. We worked with them to create a
friendly and calming environment that includes touches of kid-like whimsy while
remaining a total reflection of their brand. Once again, we joined the design
team that included First Companies and Dixon Architecture.
Jenison is close to the Grand River, a symbol of local pride
in the Greater Grand Rapids Area, and drawing from the river imagery, the
interior of the new space is dappled with blues and sandy neutrals. Borrowing
from West Michigan cottages, r.o.i. Design included shiplap and beams in the
space. Additionally, we selected and provided lobby furniture that boasted
patterns and shapes that support the sailboat theme of their logo. Like other
pediatric spaces, we relied on large ottomans as benches to provide a mobile
and kid-friendly seating option.
For more about Grand River Pediatric Dentistry and Drs. Condit and Vollmar, please visit their website.
