PROPERTY PRESENTATION

Síle Pinard-Byrne - Interior Designer & Property Presentation

Consultancy 

One of the most exciting parts of starting a new business or renovating small businesses is the process of formulating your vision of the end product and then undertaking the design process. As the Owner, the way you choose to set up and design your business is entirely up to you. It is a good idea to make a list of designs most suitable to your business and try to convey that image in your decorating – from the title to the flooring, to the window treatments and paint colour. You want your clients to recognise these designs from the minute they walk in - First impressions are lasting impressions and set the tone of your business.

The Basics of Interior Design

- A successful room is functional ~ What is the intended function of this room?

- A successful room expresses a mood ~ What is the mood you want this room to express? Mood refers to the general look or feeling you want to express - Modern, Contemporary, Rustic, Traditional?

- A successful room exhibits a sense of harmony . ~ All elements in a room must work together. Should be appropriate in mood, scale, quality and colour.

EFFECTIVE SIGNAGE

~ The Business Sign should be visible from any directional approach and easily read from a distance.

~ The graphic design should not be too ‘Busy’ and the font used should be suitably bold and well spaced.

~ Convey the message, both information and image.

~ If the sign is not the electrified type a spot light can be mounted to ensure high visibility at night time.

Frontal & Directional Approach

~ The front entrance should provide Curb Appeal and raises the question “what’s behind the door?” This is the first impression that customers will form and this can either be inviting or a deterrent. The idea is to draw attention to your sign, which will then draw attention to your business.

~ Combining appealing structures, convenient vehicular entrances and effective signage results in consistent curb appeal that reinforces your customer’s choice to select your business.

CURB APPEAL

Several cost effective solutions that will enhance and revitalise the area.

A clean, well tended lawn or sidewalk/walkway approach to your premises will set the tone for the manner in which you can run your business.

Regular power spraying of concrete surfaces and painting of the facade will present an inviting clean atmosphere.

Utilise potted plants and flowers to soften an otherwise overpowering concrete exterior

PROPERTY SAFETY - EXTERIOR The entrance to your premises should be well lit and covered.

Steps should not be too steep (average rise of 7”) with handrails as a must!

If steps, walkways or flooring are tiled these should have a non-skid surface.

Wherever possible, wheelchair access should be made available.

All signage and lights should be securely mounted to withstand heavy winds.

PROPERTY SAFETY - INTERIOR

Entrances should be of adequate width to facilitate concurrent entry and exit of customers.

All locations should be supplied with fire extinguishers and smoke detectors.

Fire exits should be clearly marked.

Fire exit doors should be kept clear of obstructions and should never be locked when the building is open to business.

Despite all precautions accidents will occur and every business should be equipped with a First Aid Kit and a cadre of trained staff.

Colour Scheme & Tips to incorporating Company Colours

Study the colour palette as it relates to your industry type when selecting your colour scheme.

COOL TONES If you want a cool, calming space consider shades of blue. Blue tends to make workers more productive.

Natural earthy colours – browns, tans and greens are also calming and soothing.

Light brown encourages and stimulates knowledge and learning.

Indigo/Purple – Meditative, Spiritually

WARM TONES

Reds, Yellows, Oranges – Warm energetic colours. Calls one to action. These are activity based colours on the palette.

Red – Stop / Passion / Sensuality Orange – Conversational, goes well with Red Yellow – Sunny, bright settings, brings about joy

COOL TONES

WARM TONES

• Keep design plan in mind when you’re choosing the wall, floor and furniture colour scheme for your business.

COMPANY COLOURS

Does your business have particular colours in its logo? Consider incorporating these colours in the decor. If your business colours are red and gold, consider neutral flooring and wall colours, set off by brightly-coloured, red and gold accessories or artwork.

WALL ART

Bare walls can make an area feel bland and uninviting, and that energy can affect the mood of your staff and clients.Warm up your business by adding some tastefully framed photos, prints, or painting on the walls.

One creative idea is to invite local artists to display their artwork on the walls. It is a win-win situation – they get exposure for their work while you get free decor!

CLUTTER CONTROL

Keeping an uncluttered and clean workplace promotes orderly thinking. Keep this in mind when arranging your business. A chaotic physical environment will soon give way to chaotic energy in the workplace, and this is rarely good for productivity or progress.

Feng Shui: Ancient Practice for the Modern Age

Never sit with your back to the door. When visitors arrive, you don’t want the back of your head to be the first thing that they encounter. Instead, arrange your desk so that it faces the door; doing so sends a message of power and strength. It is also more welcoming for your customers.

Light your space well. If there are fluorescent lights in your workplace, turn them off and bring in lamps, then find a nice balance between the light the lamps provide and the natural sunlight

Create a sense of openness. Avoid a cluttered physical space by placing only the necessary furnishings (your desk and some chairs) in the centre of the room. Place all other furniture, such as bookshelves, filing cabinets and sofas against the wall.

STORAGE CONTAINERS

Use of Wall Space using Shelving

FURNISHINGS

Furniture plays a large role in how your business space looks and feels. One tip when selecting furnishings is to try and maintain the same style of furniture throughout the business. Mismatched tables and chairs tend to make any space look unthought-of and just thrown together. Go for a style in furnishings that reflects the energy of your business.

Your business should value comfort and convenience so you want to make sure that your chairs are comfortable and give your customer an ‘at home’ feeling while still being professional.

LIGHTING

Whenever possible take advantage of natural light.

If using artificial lighting, try not to use fluorescent bulbs as they throw off too much glare and tend to distort colours, including human complexions.

For a cozy ambiance, consider using yellow bulb lighting and lamps.

Ambient Lighting Using Lamps & Recessed Lighting

Make Your Business a Green Zone

Adding a few plants and indoor trees to your business set-up will bring life to the space both literally and figuratively. Remember plants transform carbon dioxide into oxygen, thereby improving the air quality in the space. When shopping for plants determine what kind of light they will need to thrive in the space.

COST EFFECTIVE RENOVATIONS/REFURBISHMENT &

ECO-FRIENDLY TIPS (DIY)

Use a paint sprayer instead of rollers when painting - this saves paint and time, and provides even coverage.

Utilise energy saving light bulbs

Install motion detectors to switch on supplementary lighting

Learn how to ‘do-it-yourself’ - labour costs account for at least 50% of renovations.

Use MDF (Medium Density Form-ply) for interior woodwork

Update instead of replacing outdated cupboards by painting and replacing hardware.

Switch off transformers and office equipment at the end of the workday.

Use solar panels for generating electricity and for providing ambient lighting outdoors.

Ambient lighting using Solar Lighting

THANK YOU!

QUESTIONS ?