After a successful collaboration with Friedman Brueggemeyer on the redesign of Red Oak Realty’s Montclair office, we were delighted to partner with them again to put a fresh new face on the agency’s Solano Avenue sister office.
The company’s owners, Vanessa Bergmark and Kevin Hamilton, were inspired to create a sustainable, modernized and sophisticated commercial interior design environment to reflect their own design forward aesthetic (and that of their clientele) after a stay at New York City’s Viceroy Hotel. Their description of the Big Apple auberge as “contemporary, cosmopolitan and chic” inspired us too.
By removing several walls in the reception area, Friedman Brueggemeyer re-envisioned the interior architecture to improve traffic flow, increase space and natural light, and create an immediate sense of comfort and welcome for clients. Fabric ceiling dividers were also eliminated to expose high ceilings and a sweeping interior filled with light. A whimsical, pine cone-inspired lamp, sourced from Russia and assembled on site, hangs over the lobby area and serves as a metaphor for the unique, customized services offered by the realty.
This “luxe on a budget” project employed numerous local artisans to produce custom furnishings. With direction from senior designer Andi Yablonski, San Francisco-based furniture maker Adam Lam fabricated a 12’ worktable from repurposed vintage timbers and edged in steel. The oversized work surface acts as a focal point for the office’s interior, facilitates colleague collaboration and fulfilled the owner’s desire for sustainably sourced materials.
Contemporary bleached hardwood flooring replaced industrial wall-to-wall carpeting. Setting the stage for the large worktable we anchored the space with an oversized, natural fiber rug in soothing grays with geometric patterned accents.
The formerly red walls were repainted in dramatic, inky blues offset by neutral tones to create a stylish, yet calm environment conducive to business. We did away with the 80’s-era “cubicle farm” feel by replacing outdated furnishings with efficient, mobile-device-ready workstations complemented by comfortable, ergonomically correct seating.
Inspired by an image found by the owners, we reinterpreted their vision of café-style booths. Booth seating and backs were upholstered in performance leather and surrounded by soft flannel walls created by local workroom Queen.
These stylish, cozy booths provide clients a comfortable, semi-private space for consultations, while newly enclosed offices, furnished with classic Eames shell chairs and upscale accessories, enable confidential negotiations and privacy when signing on the dotted line.
Photography by Ramona d’Viola
To view more images of this commercial interior design project in our portfolio, click here.
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