The brief was to create an office environment that is the exact opposite of the usual office interior. The reasoning behind this request was to echo, from an interior design perspective, the company’s manifesto including: ‘do it differently’; ‘turn things upside down’; and ‘money should make smiles, not frowns’. In addition, we learnt that part of the ethos of the Founder and Managing Director of the not-for-profit organisation, is people are more important that material goods, and so the purchase of pre-loved furniture, wherever possible, was preferred. He said the interior design should be one that his staff would love, and so we asked the staff what they would like. This was especially significant as the design process commenced immediately after Covid lockdown, and working from home.

The client also stipulated that the interior should make visitors smile as soon as they stepped out of the lifts, be working-parent friendly, be respectful of religious beliefs (there is a prayer/meditation room), include comfortable lounges for informal meetings and relaxation, and have a ‘Playroom’ for table tennis (where much problem solving by staff is carried out), and where children of staff do their homework after school. In fact, the entry into the ‘Playroom’ is through a bespoke replica of Doctor Who’s Tardis. The Head of Human Resources is a custom-made Doctor Who Dalek, and sits in an alcove off the entry.

The company logo has been recreated as a neon sign in the entry, and the basket of 1970’s Vespa in the reception is the receptacle of company literature. The budget did not allow us to purchase runners to soften the entry’s polished concrete floor, so we drew organic shapes on left-over commercial-grade carpet, and bound them, (including an outline of the CEO’s body – ‘over my dead body’). All the above features contribute to making people smile, and ‘doing it differently’.

The non-profit stance of the organisation allowed for tremendous interior design creativity, and it was an exciting challenge. The test was to work within the construction specifications and timelines set by the company responsible for the new fitout.

The client had a wonderful range of memorabilia from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, and so Retro style was embraced. Most of the furniture and accessories have been pre-loved, and so support sustainability, and reduction of landfill. For example, the 1980’s Board Room table and chairs are a Trade Me purchase. Recycling older furniture promoted a respect for well-made NZ furniture of the past, demonstrated not all we discard is destined for the scrapheap. A collection of NZ furniture and memorabilia has accessorised the entire office, and the company could in time, be recognised as the keeper of significant National collectables.

The company colour is orange, and so rather than painting the entry/reception in ordinary orange, we thought Porter’s rust-effect paint would meet the brief of ‘expect the unexpected’. Other colours either complement or contrast with orange. Most meeting rooms are wallpapered, and staff locker and meditation rooms are hidden behind brick-red velvet curtains. All the colours are rich and intense, and differ from the usual subdued office interior.

The staff tell us they love their work environment, and visitors say ‘wow’, because the interior design is so unexpected. Preloved, Trade Me, and collectable shop purchases for office interiors may be the way of commercial interior design as the world is becoming more aware of waste. Importantly, the client has told us the interior design of his office is the embodiment of the ‘Simplicity Difference’.