A great interior space considers both physical and human elements. A great interior design professional uses their creative eye to evoke physical emotions and harmonize elements within a space. These three trends are becoming more prevalent than ever, even if they may not be new!

If these walls could talk, what would they say? The process of taking existing structures and turning them into modern facilities is the hottest trend in development right now. It's called adaptive reuse and it's changing the way we create meaningful spaces. Over the past ten years in the US alone, there's been more than 40,000 adaptive reuse projects.

Every company has a brand. But the term "branding" can have various meanings depending on the context and setting. When an agency or company offers "branding", it may only be referring to certain aspects of branding. That's why selecting a branding firm can be complicated. 

Have you ever talked to your boss or C-Suite about branding and heard the following responses: "I'm not sure branding is worth the investment right now. We have other things to prioritize like recruiting talent or hitting financial goals. We can put some graphics on the walls later"? I've personally heard these many times. But you can change the perception. After branding spaces in various industries, here are some things I've learned that can help.

How much does branding cost? It's probably the most common question we get asked by clients every day. It can literally be the "$64,000 Question." That's why I'm going to tell you the truth about branding budgets, even though it might not be what you want to hear.

The University of Toledo had a very long hallway in their College of Engineering, with very blank walls. Not only was the hall used by current students for studying and socializing, but it was a primary avenue for prospective students visiting the school. The school wanted to use branding as a recruitment tool, and allow students to learn about the different concentrations available to study at the college.

Maryhaven has helped people and families dealing with addiction and mental illness find a path to recovery since 1953. With a modest budget, they wanted to bring life to their healing space through branding by creating a donor wall as well as incorporating inspirational images and quotes throughout their space. This not only made it more welcoming and impactful, but created a positive experience for patients.

We've had the opportunity to create branded environments for two of Michigan State University's athletic teams - football and hockey.

You’ve decided to invest in a branded environment, sat down with a team of creative professionals to discuss your vision, and successfully seen your project through – from design to installation – ensuring quality control along the way. Now, how do you get everyone on the same page, disseminating the same message you’re striving to project? If you don’t take the time to have an internal dialogue about your branded space and strategy, then any external work you do will fall flat. When it comes to brand updates or a branded environment, the rollout is a process that needs to start from the inside and work its way out.

From design to production to installation, quality control is one of the most important aspects of a branding project. In fact, quality control is something that begins at the genesis of a project by accurately defining the message you’re trying to convey in your space. Unfortunately, it’s often not considered until the end of a project, when the product is being installed. If the branded environment you want to create isn’t feasible, that error should be caught long before production begins, allowing for a solution to be devised. The sooner you can bring in experts to assess the quality control of your project the better.