CREJ

Page 16 — Office Properties Quarterly — December 2018 www.crej.com 12789 Emerson St Thornton, CO 80241| www.allianceconstruction.com |303.813.0035 INSPIRING PROJECTS ENSURING LASTING CLIENTS W hether driving through town or walking down the strip, customers often are drawn to companies, stores and services based on their visual appeal and atmo- sphere. Exterior marketing needs to be strong and enticing to lead customers inside; whether that be signage or glass storefront displays, finding the right draw attention to your space is very important and the first step to getting people in the door. Once inside, however, hav- ing a welcoming entry area is what will keep the people in your office or store. A great way to draw attention to your company is to show off your skills. There are many ways to use creative elements to show off your company’s abilities. For example, in an open-concept mountain office, you could create a theme and use “natural” elements like aspen trees as decorative pieces throughout your space to frame showcases or divide the space in functional ways. Having a unique design theme like this will make your office memo- rable and keep visitors coming back. A showpiece entry or office element will have people talking about your company to friends and family, inviting more people in the com- munity to come see your space and putting you at the top of their lists for places to return to over and over again. The entry space may arguably be the most important part of the experience when entering an office. It is where most people’s initial reaction will influence their opinion on the quality of the company. A clean and comfort- able space will give off the appearance that the company is organized and cares about its work and clients. A dark, dirty or outdated space, however, will give the impression that the company is not motivated to provide qual- ity product or services. The first impression given off by the entry is similar to how a well-designed, visually appealing and easy-to- navigate website will be more entic- ing to potential customers than an unorganized or hard-to-navigate webpage. For example, having a statement design element in your entry will immediately strike a visitor’s interest, similar to how a recurring theme throughout the space (like the previously men- tioned aspen trees) will make your office more memorable. If you make the space comfortable and welcom- ing, people are more likely to stay and learn more about what your company has to offer. A welcoming entry can mean a variety of things. Using tactile materials and having soft seating and friendly waiting areas provides a personable and cozy space your guests will want to stay in. Hav- ing a theme, like with the aspen tree store, is an important thing to consider. Your theme can be driven by the services or products your company offers. For example, an architecture office could have some unique architectural features or designs such as an unusual stair- case, distinct materiality such as sliding barn doors to a conference room, or other special architectural features that emphasize the type of services your firm can provide. You also can use large-format prints of designs you have done in other spaces to show new clients what you are capable of designing. The same ideas can go for a retail space. Even if you are putting up tempo- rary work samples, you could have photos or design installations that showcase your products, which will help the customer see what you are providing. Installing permanent installations such as elegant light- ing fixtures or display units can also attract the customers to the company. Making the entry space personable and relevant to your ser- vices will help your customers want to learn more about your company and keep coming back. Interior design and product place- ment, especially in the entry, are important considerations when trying to draw potential customers in. For example, in a retail space, The importance of welcoming entry spaces Design Brandt Vanderbosch Principal and founder, Vertical Arts Inc. The entry space is where most people’s initial reaction will influence their opinion on the quality of the company. A clean and comfortable space will give off the appearance that the company is organized and cares about its work and clients. Please see Vanderbosch, Page 21