Initially brought in only for wayfinding signage, the scope of the project was soon expanded to include the entire Member Clubhouse when the owner didn’t feel the architects were understanding his vision for the facility.
I worked closely with the owner, GC, and fabrication teams to design and specify custom furniture, displays, graphics, flooring, paint finishes, and lighting. The final result exceeded the owner’s own expectations and was met with extremely positive reviews from the club’s members.
After successfully transforming the main AMP member clubhouse, when it was time to add a 2-story karting center, the owner reached out again to design a bespoke look and feel, one that would differentiate it from the member clubhouse but still clearly be in the same family.
Working with the same GC as before, we were able to quickly and efficiently move through the design build process and bring the new karting center online, on budget and ahead of schedule, and help to dramatically increase the karting revenue stream.
For the new StillFire Brewery, I worked closely with the owners/investors to design the look and feel based off a few brainstorming sessions and the logo treatment they’d already landed on. After constructing multiple mood boards to nail down design direction and materials, I continued with working in the brewing equipment they required, as well as sectioning the space into different zones to cater to the different clientele. Standing tables and small high boys went at the front with large family-style seating along the side. A swag shop, outdoor seating, and a “beer-to-go” stand completed the interior buildout.
Custom design elements included the concrete and distressed wood bar top, wood and steel hanging light headers with integrated LED halo lighting and Instagram wall. The final design concept was met with great reviews, both with the owners and the locals. After only being in existence a few years, StillFire has already won multiple awards for their inventive brewing and I was glad I could help them create a great space to entertain all the people who come to give them a try, or those that come back again and again.
With the tight budgets, compressed setup timelines, and short timespan of attendee interaction, tradeshow exhibits are always a fun design adventure. I love utilizing clean lines, bold brand colors, and dramatic product-highlighting displays to help tell the client’s story in the crowded and distracting environment of an exhibit hall. Not all of the designs were brought to life, but the design process was always an enjoyable one.
Monsieur, the brainchild of 3 brilliant guys, was a robotic bartending machine that I was able to design, prototype, and help bring to production their first round of freestanding mobile cabinetry used to house the machines.
Working through multiple design sketches with the inventors, we landed on a two-piece design. The upper cabinet, which could be removed from the base and used independently, contained the dispensing machine and touchscreen interface and allowed for easy ingredient replenishment. It also contained a lit interchangeable sign plate so it could be branded for various events. The base of the unit was a rolling cabinet that continued the visual design theme and contained storage for ice, cups, garnishes, and misc. supplies. Both upper and lower cabinets came with attention-grabbing internal RGB LED lighting that also allowed for an increase in customizability of the display.
Ultimately, the success of the design and the machine itself led to a buyout of the founders by an established drink manufacturer.
In both my consulting design job and our custom furniture adventure, I was fortunate enough to work closely with clients, both companies and individual consumers, to create custom furniture that fit needs and elevated it beyond off-the-shelf selections. Utilizing plywoods with marble, veneer, reclaimed hardwoods, laminates and structural steel, the furniture designs leaned heavily in the minimalist modern aesthetic.
My two favorite pieces are shown here. The first example was a custom conference room table for Ecovest that consisted of 1,000 pounds of white marble supported by an 800 pound, 3-piece steel plate substructure that hid all the power and data cables without a visually heavy and imposing structure. Capable of accommodating 14 people, the client was ecstatic with their showpiece table that set the tone for the rest of the space.
The second example shown was a custom 6-drawer dresser (with matching side tables) for a client in the DC area. Made of reclaimed wood, sourced from barns in the Southeast, combined with maple-veneered plywood substructure, lacquer-finished drawer inserts, and custom steel side supports and drawer pulls, it was by far my favorite piece we were able to deliver.
The bread and butter of what I’ve done most of my career, corporate showrooms, lobbies, and retail environments is where I feel most at home. I love working closely with the stakeholders to start crystalizing what the messaging and intent of the spaces will be. This is always an important step as often times stakeholders aren’t on the same page or haven’t actually worked through exactly what they intend to be the messaging.
Listening to what the clients say, and even what they don’t say, is the basis for where the concepts start coming to life. Being able to churn out some rapid hand sketches can cut out a lot of tedious back and forth, and as the client starts to see their vision come to life, followed by computer renderings that really put the client “in” their new space.
Finalizing finishes, approving custom fabrication build drawings, and working with engineers and architects to make sure everything plays well together is as enjoyable to me as the initial design phase.
Delivering custom, branded environments that engage clients, customers, and workforce alike is something I consider myself lucky to be a part of.
