Although this project in Greenville, SC was not geographically close, it was near and dear to my heart. This client, a wealth manager, is the husband of one of my best friends! Even more, my friend was due with her second baby on the tail end of this project, so it was important we were on a tight schedule.
When this client approached me to help him design his office space, I already had a sense of his style. Classic, earthy tones, with an upscale energy. Getting to know my clients is essential: personality plays a huge role in the recommendations I give - as well as logistics, so luckily, I had a head start.
We worked together virtually to help create an office that fit his style, was welcoming to his clients, and fit his budget.
Here’s where this space started.
BEFORE
A timeline of what we did:
1.) Renovation. This was being handled by my client’s contractor. The demo was taking everything down to the studs. Thankfully, other than a few delays, everything went pretty smooth.
2.) Floor plan. The floor plan from his contractor had a couple quirks. The waiting room was EXTREMELY small - hardly any room for seating. And they also had a pass-through room (on the way to the conference room) that was a little funky. By the time I came on-board, the walls were already installed, so we had to problem solve with space planning instead.
I provided a few options for the waiting room in regards to seating and making sure his space was still ADA compliant (3ft wide for a wheel chair to safely move through the space). This is the one we landed on at first.
But then we adjusted it to allow for even more seating along the far wall on the right.
We saved space by using rectangular tables in between the chairs to still make the space feel complete. The glass coordinated well with his lighting selections.
I also suggested switching his hospitality seating area to the other side, leaving room for a clear path to the conference room.
3.) Furnishings and decor. I knew this client wanted a timeless look, and didn’t want the traditional sterile and dated furniture that is used by other wealth management offices. But - we still had a fairly modest budget to work with. In terms of lighting, this client was quoted a high price for a lighting package. I was able to save the client money by sourcing beautiful light fixtures from Shades of Light and Lamps Plus.
For decor, we ended up with a mix of pieces from Pottery Barn, Article, Home Depot, and Wayfair. These products are linked here.
4.) Finishing touches. I couldn’t stay away and traveled in to help with staging and art placement. We hung pieces about 5 feet off of the ground (see my earlier blog about this!). I also grabbed a mix of decor from places like Home Goods and West Side Market, which is one of my favorite stores to shop for decor. They have tons of different vendors, some who carry vintage items.
There were still a few pieces we didn’t have while staging (pillows, some artwork, etc) but this space has been much improved!
I’ve heard from him that his office is functioning very well and he’s pleased with the space. And the new baby arrived healthy and happy too.
