Kent County Office of the Defender

250 Monroe Ave NW # 800
Grand Rapids, MI 49503

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.

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Kraft Business Systems

6980 Southbelt Dr.
Caledonia, MI 49316

Kraft Business Systems (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”.

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© All photos by Liv in the Moment

First Companies Inc.

6355 E Paris Ave SE
Caledonia, MI 49316

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. 

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© All Photos Courtesy of First Companies, Inc.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 951 (UFCW)

4045 60th St SE
Kentwood, MI 49512

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. 

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. 

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. 

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© All Photos Courtesy of InterActive Studio.

DCI – Dykhouse Construction, Inc.

4714 Electron Ct
Wayland, MI 49348

Ryan Dykhouse of Dykhouse Construction asked r.o.i. Design to work with them on the design for their new office in Wayland, MI. Their building houses their offices and their tenant, Kent Home Services, a specialty residential concrete flooring supplier. We followed the terrific architectural planning of Dixon Architecture and provided interior design oversite for both spaces.

Collaboration with Ryan was thoughtful, and we really appreciated running alongside his vision. That vision included forward-thinking design, but without unnecessary “flashiness”. Instead of trendy details, the design brief included a desire to create relatable and classic finishes in an unexpected way. The two-story space off the lobby was a great opportunity to use a Chicago Brick veneer finish that rose 20 feet, and to clad the open staircase structural wall with wood planks. In the main conference room, a prominent wall is dressed in a porcelain tile that looks like stone.  

The reception desk has the appearance of stacked timbers highlighted by LED strip lighting. And over the reception desk, where there is a wood ceiling with wood joists, we suspended a black Unistrut canopy that incorporated LED strip lights. This feature is interesting in appearance but costs much less than a fancy chandelier. The rest of the decorative lighting mimicked the black Unistrut theme to create a unified appearance. Overall, the finishes are simple with spots of color in the backsplash tile and accent paints.

The space has the classic details of brick, wood, and stone with innovation in lighting and furniture.

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