Paula Drury, Certified Interior Designer at BLF&R Architects, recently addressed the latest trends in commercial design in the September 2015 issue of Cape & Plymouth Business Magazine. Here’s a reprint of the story that was published:
Wondering What the Latest Trend In Office Design Is? Just Look Down.
By Paula Drury, NCIDQ
Flooring. It’s the palette upon which all other interior design choices are made, but often it’s selected as an afterthought. Most people focus on the furnishings and wall colors when thinking about office design. They simply want a floor covering that is subtle, durable, and easy to clean. I’d like to challenge you to think of the floor covering as the foundation of the design. It is one of the first things a visitor will see and “feel” as they walk into the space. It has the capability of brightening or darkening the room. It can direct the flow of traffic. It can partition space. It can convey a sense of warmth, professionalism, luxury and more.
As an Interior Designer, I’m constantly challenged to keep up with the latest trends and research available and I’d like to share a collection of the more interesting trends in commercial tile flooring.
Long gone are the days of 12 x 12 tiles with unsightly grout lines. Advancements in the tile industry are reshaping the industry and have opened up many new possibilities. The following are some examples.
Large Format: 3-by-10-foot porcelain tiles offer many possibilities. In the past, whenever you opted for tile, you also had to live with grout lines running everywhere. With 3-by-10 foot tiles, you can cover large areas of walls and floor in pure color or a textured finish with very few grout lines that are nearly invisible because the tiles can be set very close together. The 3-millimeter thickness of these large tiles is also beneficial to remodelers because it makes the messy, time-consuming step of removing old floor tiles unnecessary; in most cases these tiles can go over the old ones. The large 3-by-10-foot tiles can also be used for counters and vanities. Not only do you get a great look, but only a single tile is used, so there are no grout lines to keep clean.
Planks: Wood look tile flooring has become one of the hottest trends in the flooring industry today. With the advancements in manufacturing processes, porcelain tile that looks like natural wood are being used in projects large and small. No longer limited to traditional sizes, tile can now be manufactured in what are called planks, or tiles that are rectangular in shape. Thanks to advancements in technology and manufacturing processes, this tile flooring contains a level of detail not previously possible. Detail so innovative and precise that these products can mirror the look and feel of a hand scraped wood floor.
Rectified: A tile that has been rectified has had all of its edges mechanically finished in order to achieve a more precise dimension. The benefit to a rectified tile is that you are able to use a much thinner grout joint, as narrow as 1/16”.
Digital Technology: In today’s market the demand for natural stone tile is declining as it is now so simple to replicate the look of stone, despite the fact they inherently fluctuate in their design. Not only do you get the same aesthetic, but because the engineered stone is actually porcelain, you get a stronger and more durable material that is more environmentally friendly.
Microban: Microban technology is permanently integrated in the tile surface during the manufacturing process to help prevent the growth of bacteria on the tile surface, providing 24/7, long lasting, durable protection for the life of the ceramic tile. This provides an amazing tool in the hands of architects and designers looking to develop environments with high performance when it comes to hygiene, cleanliness, safety and ease of maintenance for healthcare projects as well as hotels, restaurants and wellness centers.
Carpet Tile: Just like floor tile, the carpet industry has jumped on the plank trend. Carpet tiles are now available in various sizes including many rectangular “plank” sizes. The design possibilities are endless and can truly become a feature of your project.
These are just a few examples of the endless possibilities when considering the interior design of your new or renovated office. Each project brings its own list of challenges and considerations. Remember that one of the most important steps in the design of your new office – choosing the right flooring – will impact every other design choice you make.
Paula Drury is a Certified Interior Designer at Brown Lindquist Fenuccio & Raber Architects, Inc. with more than 15 years of experience in Commercial and Residential interior design.
PLYMOUTH (June 23, 2015) – Brown Lindquist Fenuccio & Raber Architects, Inc. (BLF&R) of Yarmouthport, MA is expanding its services to the South Shore with the opening of a new satellite office in Plymouth, MA, according to Rick Fenuccio, president of the firm. The 45 year-old company provides architectural and consulting services to a wide range of commercial, residential, multi-family and civic clients throughout Cape Cod, Southeastern MA and Rhode Island. Their new office will be located at 93B Court St. Plymouth, MA and will be staffed by architects Todd Carson and Rod Topolewski, and interior designer Paula Drury.
“After finishing a new Strategic Plan last year we recognized the need for a second location to meet the needs of our South Shore clients,” said Fenuccio. “At the same time we were very fortunate to recruit a number of highly skilled architects and an interior designer to complement our staff and fill our staffing needs at the new office.”
BLF&R has recently completed projects include bank branches for Cape Cod Five, The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod and Seaman’s Bank; a major addition and renovation of the Centerville Public Library; Stage Coach Rd. Affordable Housing; and several custom built single family homes.
HYANNIS (March 11, 2015) Brown Lindquist Fenuccio & Raber Architects is pleased to announce that Paula Drury, a certified Interior Designer, has recently joined their staff. In her new position, she will be responsible for providing interior design services for a variety of residential, commercial and municipal clients.
Drury has more than 15 years of experience as a designer in corporate interiors including directing and overseeing the interior design process; space planning; schematic design development; providing color, finish and material selections; managing millwork design and assisting with furniture selection. She most recently worked as an Interior Designer at DRL & Associates Inc. in Weymouth, MA. Drury attended Mount Ida College in Newton, MA and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design.
HYANNIS (February 25, 2015) – Brown Lindquist Fenuccio & Raber Architects is pleased to announce that Rodney Topolewski has recently joined their staff as a Project Architect & Project Manager. In his new position, he will be responsible for designing and managing various projects for financial institutions and other commercial clients.
Topolewski has more than 17 years of experience working as an Architectural Designer. He has worked on a variety of building types including retail banking, credit unions, multi-use office buildings, and general commercial projects. He most recently worked as an Architect at DRL & Associates Inc. in Weymouth, MA. Topolewski attended Boston Architectural College and resides in Hanson, MA with his wife and daughter.
HYANNIS (January 9, 2015) – Brown Lindquist Fenuccio & Raber Architects is pleased to announce that Christine Howard has recently joined their staff as Office Manager & Contract Administrator. She is a graduate of California State University, San Bernardino with a Bachelor of Arts degree, with a concentration in management. In her new position, Howard will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the office.
Howard has more than 15 years of experience working in Management and Contracts. She has worked with a variety of clients including the US Federal government’s AFCEE (MMR) and DTRA (international) agencies. She is currently a member of the American Business Women Association and the Cape Cod Young Professionals. She most recently worked as a Subcontract Manager at CH2M HILL Constructors, Inc. as a teleworker, based from their Chantilly, VA office and has also volunteered for the last seven years with the Family Pantry of Cape Cod, most recently as co-chair of their large holiday gift giving program. She resides in Harwich, MA with her husband.
HYANNIS (July 30, 2013) – Brown Lindquist Fenuccio & Raber Architects is pleased to announce that Hugo Coutinho has recently joined their staff as a CAD Draftsman and Assistant Project Manager. Coutinho has more than 6 years of experience working as an architectural designer and draftsman on a variety of different projects including custom residential, multi-unit residential and small commercial buildings.
In his new position, Coutinho will be responsible for managing and producing design and construction drawings for various residential and commercial projects. He is a graduate of Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA with a Bachelor’s of Architecture degree (2007) and a Master of Architecture degree (2010).
HYANNIS, MA (May 13, 2014) – Cape Cod Creamery will be expanding into the Hyannis area with the opening of its newest location at 655 Rt. 132 in Hyannis, MA in the Christmas Tree Promenade Plaza on Thursday, May 15th at 11: 00 am. The store’s regular hours will be daily from 11:00 am to 10:30 pm during the summer season.
Cape Cod Creamery is known for its super premium, homemade ice cream that is displayed “gelato-style” in stainless steel pans, as well as its wrap around porch with trademark blue and yellow Adirondack chairs. Ice cream sold at the new location will include the same favorite flavors found at the original store and will be freshly made on site. Currently, the Creamery produces 55 different flavors of ice cream and typically displays 24 flavors in the ice cream case, rotating a few flavors in and out each day. Some of its more popular flavors have playful local names like Allen Harbor Almond Joy, Cummaquid Coconut, Chapin Cherry Chocolate and Craigville Carmel Crunch.
“There’s an old adage that we ‘Eat with our Eyes’ and our display is very visual with the ice cream scooped in mounds to display the fresh ingredients,” said owner Alan Davis. “We want customers to walk in and visually experience our unique flavors that were created right here on Cape Cod.”
The ice cream store was designed by Brown Lindquist Fenuccio & Raber Architects. The General Contractor was Coastal Construction of Duxbury, MA in cooperation with the Property Manager Turtle Rock, LLC of Yarmouthport.
“We tried to maintain the hometown feel of the original store with a large open central space for friends and neighbors to gather and visit as they ordered their favorite ice cream,” said Kurt Raber from BLFR Architects. “The high ceiling extends upward to a glass cupola which bathes the space with natural light to give a more open feel. The new building also pays homage to the original with a large, open wrap around porch where the trademark blue and yellow Adirondack chairs invite families to stop and linger while they enjoy their ice cream.”
The new location will be open year-round with extended hours during the summer. During the off-season, Davis plans to continue to offer ice cream, as well as sandwiches and other food items. Besides its two retail locations, the Cape Cod Creamery sells packaged quarts of its premium ice cream at grocery stores from South Boston to Provincetown.
HYANNIS (February 28, 2014) – John F. Fulone, Senior Vice President, Chief Planning and Operations Officer at The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod and Richard Fenuccio, President/Architect at Brown Lindquist Fenuccio & Raber Architects, Inc. spoke about their experience of rebranding and rebuilding The Cooperative Bank’s local branches over the last four years with members of the American Bankers Association National Conference in Phoenix in mid-February.
In their presentation and panel discussion, “Rebrand, Reimagine, Rebuild: Community Banks and generation next” the pair joined the President of Premier Bank of Dubuque, Iowa to share how each bank had weathered the perfect storm of an economic recession, new banking regulations and a wave of emerging technologies, to enhance their relevance by rebranding from the ground up.
On the eve of its 90th anniversary, The Cooperative Bank implemented a plan to refresh and update its image by positioning itself as welcoming and future-oriented, demonstrating how new technologies and social networking can coexist with new brick-and-mortar branches and high-touch customer service. Some of the key changes included a comprehensive marketing campaign, an update to the look and feel of its Bank branches, as well as opening new branch locations. The plan was an overwhelming success with a significant growth of the Bank’s customer base along with assets and deposits.