As executives work longer hours and spend more time in their offices, many look for ways to make the space more inviting.
“Executives and office workers today want a higher quality of work/life balance,” said Tami Anderson, vice president of sales and marketing for Pigott Inc., a furniture systems dealer in Des Moines. “The overall goal is to make work space as desirable and natural as residential spaces and activities.”
This often includes personalization of one’s own work environment. In addition to the fireplace in his office made from rock quarried in South Dakota’s Black Hills, Don DeWaay of DeWaay Capital Management in Clive, Iowa, 47, has framed pictures of his wife and children. He has a sitting area to entertain clients, as well as a display case filled with rocks and minerals collected over the years.
“If you are at peace with your surroundings, you are more creative,” DeWaay said. “When you are comfortable, you are more inspired,” he said.
The Mansion, a traditional home furnishing and residential interior design firm, helped design DeWaay’s executive office. The Des Moines firm is carving a niche in the commercial market by capitalizing on the trend of personalizing executive offices.
DeWaay, an outdoor enthusiast, selected nature-inspired finishes and materials for his office. “People connect with me on a different level, because they know me better,” he said. “And I am reminded that there are things outside of work.”
“Most people are more interested in flying their own flag,” said owner Ted Irvine. Photographs and artwork are the easiest things to personalize, he said. After that, lighting can make a difference without much effort.
Rebecca Rogers, interior designer with The Mansion, noted how DeWaay’s space carries on the overall feel of the building. “A person’s office can be tasteful and personal, yet still carry the theme of the rest of the structure,” she said.
Architects from JMA Studios of Des Moines incorporated DeWaay’s vision in the exterior of the building, with a mission of putting visiting clients at ease. The main lobby features a copper-flue fireplace and two waterfalls. The main entrance also features stonework from the Black Hills.
Wall coverings, carpeting and window coverings that remain consistent from office to office will lead to a continuous design feel throughout the building, Rogers said.
“The size of the office does not matter; what you spend on it doesn’t matter,” Irvine said. “It can be cool and functional and personal within any set of rules.”
“When you enjoy your space,” he said, “You are much more likely to enjoy your work.”
