Green Interiors as a Trend of 2012 – Commercial Interior Design News
“Going green” is a catchy phrase as well as a continuous trend in most retail and business remodels. Here are a few pointers of what “going green” for commercial interior design means. To put it simply: Renew, Reuse, and Recycle. But most important is, going green will save any business money as well as improve health of people occupying the space.
Parliament, a graphic design/marketing company in Portland, Oregon, redesigned their office interior. The interior design uses salvaged and reclaimed materials, including salvaged pizza ovens, street signs, and wood from old crates, a barn and a church.
Now you can conserve your water in style with this slick faucet.
Did you know that the new California 2011 building code has already incorporated the performance standards that are found in the USGBC LEED certification program? The LEED certification program is striving for water and energy conservation and reuse of old construction materials salvaged from other projects. Using non-formaldehyde adhesives and natural paints are other great ways to go green.
This recycled glass tile is beautiful and can be used in any interior, commercial or residential to spice up the look.
Solar tubes to illuminate the sales areas and backroom spaces during daylight hours, motion sensors to control the lighting in the backroom, restrooms and offices, LED lighting for walk-in coolers’ doors, higher efficiently HVAC units, low water usage water closets and lavatories and highly reflective roofing material, these are just a few components I see business owners started applying.
These beautiful reclaimed beams were used by an architect on the residential project in La Jolla, CA.
When redesigning your retail store or your business, ask your designer to look around for an old salvaged counter top or even used floor finishes. I always try to reuse what I can from my clients who are going through demolition process. I can use quite a few materials on my new projects and it’s free for the next owner!
This flooring was taken from one of my client’s house and placed into an office conference room on another project.
Maybe your store is looking for a new fresh look and those old oak floors you have are not a good fit at this time. But someone else is creating a warm and cozy cabin look and is in need of your oak flooring. Getting creative in reusing old materials is a great trend you will observe more and more this year.
This bakery shop in Osaka, Japan, wanted a rustic feel and look. The bread is being displayed on a reclaimed wooden railroad sleeper. It definitely brings character to the space which could not be achieved otherwise.
One more little trick you could use to attract your customers is: educate them by placing signage about what you have done for your space to make it “green!”
To ask us questions about your project or to get a free consultation from Mindful Design Consulting, click HERE.
Also, take a look at “Branding By Interior” e-book, the only book written on this subject at this time. It brings insight on how you can turn your business into a market-dominating competitor.
Interior Rebranding is a New Trend of 2012 – Commercial Interior Design News
If you are looking for new interior design trends for 2012, rebranding is one of them! You will see old established brands infusing their interiors with more energy and fun. Take a look at how McDonald’s rebranded itself in France last year. The fast food restaurant interiors were redesigned to be more “family oriented.”
The new McDonald’s will have a completely new look with integrated technology and a sleek modern style. A new children’s eating area, children’s menu, a climbing wall and technology features like iPads and other interactive games are expected to be in new locations.
With the success of the first restaurant McDonald’s plans to open 1,200 more locations in this newly rebranded family oriented style. According to a McDonald’s spokesperson, the new concept “represents the evolution of the eating-out experience for the family…”
As a designer I’ve noticed the use of the new color of the years 2012 – electric orange as an accent color throughout the McDonald’s interior.
What do you think about these changes in McDonald’s? Please leave us your comment below.
To ask us questions about your project or to get a free consultation from Mindful Design Consulting, click HERE.
Also, take a look at “Branding By Interior” e-book, the only book written on this subject at this time. It brings insight on how you can turn your business into a market-dominating competitor.
Google Office Design in London – Commercial Interior Design News
Google reveals yet another office design of its Engineering headquarters in London. This office has nothing to do with the previous playful interiors that we are so used to seeing in Goolge offices around the world. This new office has received a quite cool contemporary environment from upcoming architecture and interior design brand Penson.
The dark blue corridor are highlighted by futuristic dim lights coming from the corners at the floor base and the ceiling.
This plastic white meeting room below has interesting architectural elements such as a table flowing in one with the wall TV mounting piece and the ceiling sofit over the table.
Work station spaces look very uniform and remind me of a row of seats on an airplane.
Most of the walls at the Google Engineering headquarters are made with magnetic white board laminates, adding a glossy look to the spaces and enabling the engineers to write or draw wherever they are.
This coffee lab is made of compressed sheets of spent fresh coffee shavings, according to the designers.
The flight pods, innovative lounge areas and meeting spaces, were invented by Penson specifically for Google.
To ask us questions about your project or to get a free consultation from Mindful Design Consulting, click HERE.
Shoe Store Garden in Melbourne – Commercial Interior Design News
This Wittner store by Studio Ginger is offering a sleek, contemporary interior design with a perfect green twist – a vertical garden or a green wall as a backdrop for shoe display. This is where hi-end store branding offers a place with fanatics shopping experience!
The store is located at the Chadstone shopping center in Melbourne, Australia. A vertical gardens and green facades specialists Fytogreen create this incredible green wall which provides the feeling of being in a private garden while you shop. How much more relaxed would you feel shopping when being surrounded by the lash greenery?
The green vertical garden wall provides a perfect contrast against the rest of the store’s modern interior. Black acrylic shelves, glossy tiles and haute quilted walls bring attention to the boutique’s luxury footwear.
Blue custom made seating furniture is complemented by the same color carpet resembling water pond at the center of this garden.
This shoe store interior design is a magnificent example of how to use modern clean look in combination with natural elements to improve shoppers’ experience and to create a destination place for curious visitors.
To ask us questions about your project or to get a free consultation from Mindful Design Consulting, click HERE.
Solar Bench Design – Commercial Interior Design News
This multifunctional streetlight plus a bench combination harnesses solar energy to power its LED lamp. Solar panels built into the roof of the bench case make it possible to place this bench unit in any location independent of a local power supply. The bench unit was designed by Voda Design.
Integrated into the bench outlets can also be used by the public as a daytime charging station for laptops, cell-phones, or other electronic devices.
This convenient and slick design is a great solution for street benches or bus stops. This bench design will reduce our carbon footprint.
To ask us questions about your project or to get a free consultation from Mindful Design Consulting, click HERE.
Eyewear Store Design in Munich – Commercial Interior Design News
This Freudenhaus Eyewear Store was designed by Aigner Architecture. The overall design follows the idea of simplicity and high quality of the product itself. Clear lines, simple forms and high-quality materials provide a superior stage for displaying the designer glasses.
The futuristic interior concept was developed to trigger interest and curiosity of a younger target group. At the same time the pureness of the overall design and white colors place the eyeglasses into the center of the provided stage.
The white check out counter floats as a central space sculpture. Extendable motorized glass tubes rise up or come down from the ceiling and walls presenting the eyeglasses to viewers. Customer interaction becomes fun!
Mac computers are being used for the point of sale solution at this store.
To ask questions about your future interior project or to get a free consultation from Mindful Design Consulting, click HERE.
Dining Table Transforms into a Pool Table – Commercial Interior Design News
Fusion is not just a nice concept: we have fusion of generations, fusion of cultures, fusion of cuisines, fusion music. Now we finally have the Fusion table! How would you like to have a beautiful dining table for lunch or dinner and an entertaining pool table when your friends come over or when you are ready to unwind?
Today, a good product is not just about a great design, it’s about life, it’s about people and it needs to address their needs for good times and precious moments. Bringing emotional value and quality time is the key characteristic of the Fusion table.
Functional and with a timeless modern design, the Fusion table offers right dimensions for relaxed dining with family or for entertainment. Hosting up to 10 people in its standard configuration, the Fusion table is perfect for those precious family and friend reunions.
After dinner, in just a couple of minutes, the Fusion table transforms in a high quality pool table. Simply push the assorted benches under the table, lift the 3 table top sections, and find the cues, Aramith balls, triangle and chalk readily waiting for you to start the game.
Poker, Black Jack, Craps or an exclusive Roulette set with a real wooden roulette and a Chips and cards metal case …there are so much possibilities.
Ready for something else? Just turn the table leaves and fix any of the custom game cloths for added fun and function.
The Fusion table is available in two lines differentiated by the material used for its structure.
Wood line : combines a cherry veneered wooden structure with steel backing.
Metal line : consists of an aluminium colour steel or stainless steel structure.
Learn more about Fusion Tables from this website: http://www.fusiontables.com All the text is by FusionTables.
Cave Dining Experience in London – Restaurant Interior Design News
As you may have noticed, with commercial interior design we have started exploring more dramatic design solutions to attract people into retail locations. Branding became a very important part of any restaurant which is trying to stand out in a crowd. One of such contemporary movement that I noticed is – “going back to basics” where the design and all the materials are representing a very rough natural look at the same time contrasting with some modern lines and furniture. The Viet Hoa Mess, restaurant in London, is one of the best examples of such design solution. All the finished, colors and textures create an effect of being under the ground, surrounded by earth.
If you love Vietnamese food and grilling your own steak the Viet Hoa Mess will be your place. The Viet Hoa Mess restaurant is underground and above is the Viet Hoa Cafe. Both places were designed by Vonsung branding agency, the same team who designed Polka Gelato.
78-seat dining room with individual infrared grill stations on medea stone tables with concrete bases are here to serve you. The walls are covered with sedimentary stone tile while the floors are waxed stone.
The ceiling lights are molded downward like drops of lava or dirt holes turned upside down. The entire space creates “earthy cave dining experience” by using same earthy tone finishes and dim lighting.
See how different colors of your interior send us different messages HERE.
To ask us questions or to get a free consultation from Mindful Design Consulting, click HERE.
Eye-Catching Interior of a Chinese Restaurant in New York – Restaurant Interior Design News
This eye-catching interior of Xing, a Chinese restaurant in New York, was created by Lewis Architects. One of the most distinctive features of this restaurant interior is the colorful ceiling canopy assembled from acrylic strips.
There are a few separate areas in this restaurant interior. Each of the areas is differentiated by the use of specific material, textures and colors. At the front entrance area, more natural materials are used. The walls around the bar are covered in stone and the booths are wrapped in elegant bamboo finish.
Deeper at the back of the restaurant you’ll find much softer materials, such as velvet applied to the wall, dampening the sounds and creating a cozy feeling. An aquarium which is built in into a wall radiates a soothing glow in this dining area. Red brings out much more excitement raising appetite of the visitors.
A large canopy made of a floor-to-ceiling stack of 1/4-inch wide colored acrylic, creates a rainbow of stripes over the space leading to the back.
The lights are embedded in to the canopy making it one of the dominant features of the overall design.
This restaurant interior is a one more example of how by using different types of materials, colors and textures you can create different effects and satisfy different senses within a small space.
See how different colors of your interior send us different messages HERE.
To ask us questions or to get a free consultation from Mindful Design Consulting, click HERE.
Modern Wallpaper or Paint for Your Walls? – Commercial Interior Design News
In resent years we may encounter a simple dilemma during remodel: to go with painting our space or to apply wallpaper. You have to consider a few things about paint and wallpaper to make your final decision:
1. Location. Paint is more practical in high humidity rooms, such as your kitchen, bathrooms or any other area you think moisture can become an issue. Usually if the only method of ventilation in these rooms is a natural ventilation applying wallpaper may not be your best choice. With time any wallpaper will peel away from the walls in the room with high humidity. But wallpaper is more durable than paint and is perfect for high-traffic areas such as corridors, living rooms, bedrooms, kid’s rooms, and dining rooms.
2. Drama. Wallpaper comes in different patterns, colors and textures. You can create unique optical illusions with your wallpaper. If the furniture you are planning to use is in plain colors, wallpaper will also add much needed contrast. Go with paint if you think your furniture and especially your art has enough bright colors, texture and style. But overall think about balancing out your design elements in any space. Remember, wallpaper will give you some amazing textures you would not be able to achieve with simple paint.
3. Life Span. How often do you plan to change the look of your rooms? My grandparents used to paint their house every spring. With modern paint it is not necessary to paint every year but every 4 to 5 years is highly recommended. Wall paint is usually washable and it does get dirty very quickly. Some wallpaper can serve you up to 15 years, and you can easily wash it as well. So if you are planning to stay with the same style for years to come, go with wallpaper.
4. Application. As everybody knows applying wall paint is an easy task anybody can learn without taking any appropriate classes. Applying wallpaper can be a bit tricky and you may have to use some help of professionals to at least prepare your walls. To change your old wallpaper you’ll have to peel off the old wallpaper and even the walls before reapplying new wallpaper. But remember, wallpaper is more forgiving to your walls and will hide any uneven surfaces and holes better than your paint.
All images are by the wallpaper company Graham & Brown.
See how different colors of your interior send us different messages HERE.
To ask us questions or to get a free consultation from Mindful Design Consulting, click HERE.
