Notions Marketing Offices

517 Crofton St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49507

Notions Marketing is the World’s Largest Creative Arts Distributor.

We worked with them to create new administration offices within an existing distribution center. When the Notions Administration team began working from home in April 2020, Notions leaders saw an opportunity to achieve a long-term goal to bring all employees together to a single campus. The relocation of the Admin team also opened new opportunities for the broadening of cross-functional team collaboration and value creation.

The vintage warehouse selected for the new office area had wood ceilings and joists, concrete floors as well as all exposed sprinkling, plumbing pipes, and electrical conduit. Working with Architectural Concepts, the space was planned for closed and open offices, as well as an area to receive vendors and customers.

Elements that assisted with that look include Herman Miller mid-century pendant lights that were reclaimed from the former building, painting the existing wood ceiling, using linear lighting within the wood joists, adding white wood baffles under an accented blue ceiling, accenting walls with bold colors from their brand, and the reuse of some classic occasional furniture from their former offices. To help manage acoustics and to add to the overall interest, carpet tile patterns were added along with the use of reclaimed concrete floors.

Notions owns a variety of art, collected over the years, that will also be used in this new space as a reminder of their foundation and love of the creative process. Notions also enlisted the help of talented internal creative team members to create a 22-foot-wide mural for the lobby that celebrates their neighborhood, their products, and their legacy.

Longtime friend and furniture vendor West Michigan Office Interiors worked with Notions to create furniture solutions for sales, finance, HR, merchandising, and creative team members. The new open office furnishings use several of their brand’s colors as accents in the systems.

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Wilkast, Inc.

9100 Byron Commerce Dr. SW
Byron Center, MI 49315

This world-class die casting company has created parts for the automotive and motorcycle industries since 1979. Tom and Kurt Wilkerson are the second generations of Wilkast owners and they saw the need for facility and tooling expansion to meet the growing demand for their services. 

First Companies introduced r.o.i. Design to the Wilkersons, and along with Dixon Architecture we were engaged to design a new building that would house the corporate office and expanded plant. 

Like most manufacturers, their processes create dust and debris, so the offices had to be planned using materials that were durable and cleanable. To aid in the effort, the Wilkersons decided to borrow from a ranch-lodge style using rustic woods and natural stone throughout. The floors are all concrete and the corridors and conference rooms have wood panels. An elkhorn chandelier greets you in the lobby. The overall feel is very welcoming, and the shiny Harley Davidson in the vestibule is a nice touch. 

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