Workplace Design - ROIDESIGN

Kraft Business Systems: New Office, New Look.

by Rayanne Rzepka | Jan 29, 2024 | Branding, Design News, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Workplace Design

When First Companies Inc. introduced r.o.i. Design to Jeff Cousins from Kraft Business Systems he said, “I don’t know design, I just want ‘cool’”. Jeff was very interested in every aspect of the new office. Dixon Architecture had been introduced a little earlier, and Ken Dixon had the space laid out and adjusted as needed to meet Jeff’s understanding of changing needs.

Early in the interior design consultancy, we noticed and complimented Kraft Business Systems (KBS) on their logo. Not only is it good-looking, but it has been developed based on business values and images that support those values.

KBS sells printers, but more importantly, printing solutions and technical innovations. The business is built on solving problems for their customers, and r.o.i. Design took that approach as they made interior design decisions.

Each of the four key values were featured in their own areas:

“Honor our company heritage in the print and printer industry.” (Orange)
“Committed to continued innovation and I.T. for the paperless office.” (Green)
“Focused on our clients and committed to interpersonal communication.” (Light Blue)
“Look to the future with continued aspirations for creativity and growth.” (Dark Blue)

The colors of the five values are very bold, but the overall palette is white, grey, and black, creating a neutral background for the reds, oranges, yellows, blues, and greens. Not only did r.o.i. Design color block some of the walls in logo colors, we also created custom graphics for large-scale wall covering whose imagery is very “techy”.

As the design was coming to the finish line, Jeff commented, “This is cool, and I didn’t think I liked black, but I do!” The design was so well received that KBS borrowed finishes and accents for their other Michigan offices. That’s the best kind of compliment!

© Photos Courtesy of First Companies, Inc.

For more of our dental and medical projects click here.

Kent County Office of the Defender Makes an Important Move

by Ryan | Jan 26, 2024 | Design News, Interior Design, Meeting and Conference, Workplace Design

Kent County Office of the Defender (KCOD) has been working with r.o.i. Design for over five years. KCOD was funded and mandated by the State of Michigan to increase its capacity to serve more people. Initially, we were trying to squeeze more people and efficiency into their small office. But the demand for space was growing, and it was clear a new and larger office was needed. The new office had to accommodate an increasing staff, be walkable to the courthouses downtown, and be connected to public transportation. They also needed to maintain as much of the integrity of the space as possible (historical building, loyal realtors, and use type).

When KCOD leased the 8th floor at 850 Monroe, it had previously housed a law firm but was vacant for 10 years.

The entry, lobby, reception, and training room needed minor updates and the office layouts were appropriate but too few. Generous corridors were narrowed so 12 offices and a conference room could be added. At their move-in in 2023, they had every office filled. To expand more, they would look to add space one floor down in the same building.

The suite’s previous design was quite dated and needed major finish updates to the lighting, paint, and flooring. r.o.i. Design added color-coordinated accents in quadrants: navy, green, and teal. The lunchroom, copy room, and client check-in received new case goods, and all received new laminates.

It was decided to keep the original cherry paneling and marble floor in the Lobby.

The base paint color of the suite remained neutral, removing much of the wallcovering, and adding a lighter paint. All carpets were replaced with a mid-toned product which was better at hiding stains. Accent carpet tiles interrupt the pattern to enhance the color of the quadrant.

The lighting was inspected and converted to LED throughout. Very few decorative lights were added or needed.

The restrooms had been updated just before the previous tenants left and worked very well for the group with just a few lighting tweaks.

It is becoming more common for us to work with our clients in searching for new spaces, helping them imagine their operations in a space before they commit to a lease. In the case of KCOD, this search was organized by realtor CWD. We laid out multiple spaces before the group decided. We engaged with many commercial realtors and found CWD to be very accommodating. McGraw Construction took on the challenge of remodeling this old building, where nuances were discovered every day and handled professionally.

Stellar Smiles creates an “Out of this World” Pediatric Dental Office

by Rayanne Rzepka | Dec 5, 2023 | Branding, Design News, Interior Design, Lighting Design, Medical Design, Procurement and Purchasing, Workplace Design

Committed to the finest in dental care, Dr. Chris Powell married that with his passion for outer space to create a family-friendly office with surprising details. The front desk resembles a spaceship, the lobby features Saturn-inspired floating light fixtures, and the exam rooms could be space pods looking out into the galaxy with life-like murals of outer space. The walk to the exam rooms features color-coded carpet accents and entry signs using the symbols of planets.

Dr. Chris worked with First Companies Inc. to lease space from Knapp Orthodontics and found an affordable way to open their doors to a welcoming neighborhood of families without compromising on design. As of November 2023, the second phase of the space is already in planning which will add open an exam bay and more space for staff.

r.o.i. Design is grateful to be the designer for this unique dental office. We appreciate First Companies’ trust in our ability to work with Stellar Smilies and Knapp Orthodontics. Both offices are in the same building with entirely different looks.

© Photos Courtesy of First Companies, Inc.

For more of our dental and medical projects click here.

UFCW 951 Makes a Move.

by Rayanne Rzepka | Oct 26, 2023 | Design News, Interior Design, Workplace Design

Projects are significant for many reasons. For r.o.i. Design the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 951 (UFCW) project is very important to us because it spanned more than three years in a customer relationship that persevered through COVID-19 and ended in great success because of their focus, clarity, and determination. We appreciate being brought along to help.

Our relationship started with UFCW searching Google. Our website portfolio shows a variety of office looks, but more importantly, our client base resonated with them. We are business-focused not just design-focused. When we met with them, they were early in the process of selling their existing building and finding a new building that would meet the current needs of the union. We toured several buildings with them and landed on the former Steelcase Credit Union on 60th SE, which had been vacant for approximately 10 years. The site is prominent and visible, and the spaces could accommodate their staff. They needed to expand the space to allow for members’ space and the site allowed for that.

We invited our friends Dwayne Masselink and Trevor Howard from InterActive Studio to join the team as architects. Along with r.o.i. Design, they developed space plans and layouts for the remodeling of the credit union. Because UFCW needed to use union contractors, we called on partners, KASCO Inc. They were able to check all boxes for union labor but more importantly, could protect UFCW from political issues in West Michigan by managing trades and the site. And while r.o.i. Design had many hands in the project, Marianne Martz, Ryan Bright, and Mary Witte “brought it home”.

UFCW shared with us the “looks” they liked. They researched our project history and gave us clear directions on details from our portfolio. These included wood slat millwork walls, storefront glass offices, private cubicles with tall walls and doors, simple lighting, and non-fussy details. The property brought some challenges, including converting a barrel ceiling to an open office ceiling. Opening the ceiling revealed mechanical ductwork that required bulkheads and some non-traditional acoustic solutions.

The overall design theme is contemporary and architectural but not “over the top”. Color comes through furnishings provided by Interphase Interiors and West Michigan Office Interiors. Otherwise, the space is warmly neutral.

Congratulations to our friends at UFCW. Thank you, Marisa, Steve, and Ashley!

© All Photos Courtesy of InterActive Studio.

For more of our corporate office projects click here.

First Companies Inc. – New Corporate Headquarters Bring the Whole Team Together.

by Rayanne Rzepka | Oct 26, 2023 | Branding, Construction, Design News, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Workplace Design

First Companies Building Pictures Website_-18

Over the past few years, First Companies Inc. (FCI) has engaged r.o.i. Design to provide interior design services for their customers in the dental, medical, restaurant, and corporate sectors. In 2022, they asked us to help them design the remodel of a 10-year-old building to house their whole team. Previously they were spread over three separate locations, making it difficult to collaborate and communicate. For a company that has clear team values and goals, this was challenging.

Early in the design process, First Companies realized that illustrating their brand and values would take the lead in making choices. Part of their brand is to demonstrate innovation in interiors, and we were asked to make building materials an obvious but incorporated part of the design.

That resulted in the creative use of Baltic Birch plywood, veneer brick, burnished steel, concrete, and integrated LED lighting. We also employed acoustic treatments that look like wood and softened the ceilings. The overall envelope of finishes also needed to incorporate the existing wood trim, doors, and laminate cabinetry.

All new carpets, porcelain tile, and luxury vinyl were added. We used several distinctive styles and patterns to create interesting looks, differentiating departments and functional uses.

The design was not limited to finishes; First Companies saw the importance of continuing a consistent message with décor and graphics. We developed custom icons for their company’s values, and we embodied those icons as artwork. In addition, we created five value boards that are prominent in the décor.

We created large-scale prints using their own project photos and drawings and mounted them on the walls. On a more personal level, photos of hard hats, lunch boxes, plumbing pipes, laying bricks, sawing wood, etc. were researched that complimented their values and aligned with a contractor’s aesthetic. In the conference rooms, we featured some of their projects completed over the last year.

The décor has created landmarks for a directed tour through the new facilities, looking at photos and icons and being able to tell the First Companies story.

A special thank you to the First Companies team that walked alongside us to make sure we got it right: Crissy and Matt Sink. We also appreciate the trust from Craig and Jeff Baker to make the space everything First Companies. Kudos to our team who designed the space, graphics, and furnishings: Marianne Martz, Ryan Bright, and Ronda Geyer.

For more of our projects click here.

Knapp Orthodontics Creates an Innovative Office for an Innovative Practice.

by Rayanne Rzepka | Oct 26, 2023 | Branding, Design News, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Lighting Design, Procurement and Purchasing, Workplace Design

Orthodontics is a very personal business. Practitioners meet and grow with their families to create lifelong relationships. Knapp Orthodontics takes this to the next level. Dr. Kevin Knapp is design-sensitive and connects all the dots between his practice operations, patient experience, and office design.

We were introduced to this practice through First Companies, who were working with them to develop the property. We are grateful that they recommended us to assist in the interior design of their new office and have learned a lot through the process.

As a team, we learned that not all clients are colorphobic. Knapp Orthodontics welcomed the use of color in their design, especially when it complemented their brand colors of blue, green and grey. We used those colors to accent the walls. We also introduced an acid yellow to the spectrum and used it in carpet and upholstery accents.

We also learned that some clients are more forward-thinking about lighting and technology. Knapp Orthodontics embraced our design that incorporated recessed linear LED lighting in the lobby and the exam areas. While the overall light level was great, the effect of the smooth surface lighting was refreshing, clean and takes a step away from traditional lighting.

Knapp Orthodontics invested in wall-mounted digital games for patients and their siblings to use while waiting which creates a positive experience for the kids. We responded to this detail by creating acoustic wall panels that incorporated the brand logo behind the games and providing kid-friendly ottomans that can be used while families play games or wait for treatment.

Dr. Knapp and the team inspired us with their vision for booth seating in the waiting area, a combination of quartz and wood-faced materials on the reception desk, and full glass partitions between exam areas.

Thanks to Dr. Kevin Knapp, his wife Jenny and Tara for all your help and inspiration. We look forward to hearing about all their growth and success!