Is it worth it to revamp your business environment? From a small improvement like new paint or a restaging of the contents to a full-scale remodel of a facility, I can unequivocally say YES. Investing time, effort, and sometimes money into your environment can present your business, services, and products to the public in a whole new way - creating opportunity for success.

Case in point: Columbia Winery's Washington state facility, housed in a replica of an old Victorian mansion, has undergone small cosmetic updates in the past 35 years of use - but never a major remodel. The general consensus was that the facility was OK as it was - just throw some paint on the walls every few years. Finally, a new company bought the winery and brought a fresh new viewpoint to the table. It was time to go all the way, in order to remain competitive in the growing local and global market for both wine and events. It was worth the investment and the inconvenience. It was worth working a bit harder to make the transition comfortable for customers, because the result would be increased loyalty and sales. And so, just over a year ago, the process began. Meetings ensued, and I was hired to create an interior design concept plan.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Beginning with a forward-thinking design profile, the concept channels hotel lobbies and upscale clubs. I envisioned this as a 'third place' where people gather - it is more than a retail store, it is a 'welcoming center' for events held here and a meeting place for locals. The design concept I created also expresses all of the qualities of the brand image of this company and its demographic: energetic, young at heart, spirited, inquisitive, educated,  fun loving, stylish, and intrinsically high class. Colors of the Northwest landscape and vineyards were chosen, materials that evoke a sense of nature outside selected, and a spacious and tailored environment was born. In December, I handed my work over to 'the powers that be' at corporate, and they placed it onto the hands of others to guide it through the construction phase. Amazingly, that phase has been completed in just over five months. Many talented people brought their best to this project, and I am pleased with the contribution I made to it at the very beginning.

Tonight, the winery will host media for the grand unveiling of the new space...and the finished project is Absolutely stunning!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

The change is remarkable! What you experience now at Columbia Winery is a welcoming hospitality, opportunities for education, entertainment, and an excellent wine tasting experience.... all surrounded by a marvelous sense of vista, revealed when the fireplace block in the center of the room was removed.

The new environment tells the Columbia Winery story, honors their history, builds their brand, and presents the very best image of the company and its product - and every last one of those were my goals for the design that I created & delivered to them in December. These are the prinicples that drive my design philosophy - it's not decorating for decorating's sake, or a new trendy style to impress. It's a means to an end: Building a Better Business.