Case Study: SOLV Marketing

red stools at a workplace counter in large, wood paneled office

SOLV Marketing is a Midland, Michigan creative agency offering social media marketing, video and photography, content writing, and brand identity services.

Problems:

Often, our workplace design projects require us to start from scratch with a blank slate. But SOLV — being the creative geniuses they are — had already begun renovations on their office space. They installed the wood floor and wall paneling, the decal wallpaper, and the impressive chalkboard. 

But they found themselves trapped in a time-suck of searching for the perfect furniture and accessories. That’s when they called us at SPACE in for support and decision-making!

Challenges:

The SOLV team gave us specific direction on their vision. They wanted a steampunk theme: a retrofuturistic subgenre of science fiction that incorporates technology from 19th century steam-powered machinery. (We had to Google that!)

Their clear — if a bit complicated — theme meant they hadn’t found the right furniture solution. The team also wasn’t sure if they were going to stay in their leased building, so they requested a somewhat flexible design solution, just in case.

Finally, the building’s original wood trim is a much lighter tone than the color selected for the new flooring and wall paneling.

Working with the existing elements in their space, our team searched high and wide for the right furniture solution. We landed on Arcadia Contract’s Worksmith brand. This modern furniture style is functional, flexible, and ties in the lighter wood trim.

Taking SOLV’s stylistic lead with the steampunk theme, we selected a handful of fun, bold, humorous accessories. These included a globe, giant dice, a funky blue coat hanger, and a small wheeled cart. 

We’re proud of the way we stepped into this challenge, creating collaborative spaces and a laid back, enjoyable space for the SOLV Marketing team. We can work with you on any workplace design project — no matter what stage you’re in!

Completed photos:

Original renderings:

Employee feature: Lauren Greschaw

Lauren Greschaw, senior interior designer, is a six-year veteran at SPACE — and the lucky guinea pig for our new employee feature series!

Originally an editor, Lauren grew passionate about interior design. A quick Google search within her hometown of Midland, Michigan led her to SPACE, Inc. But Kathie Fuce-Hobohm gently told her she was too young — to come back when she had AutoCAD experience.

How did your path lead to SPACE?

I earned my bachelor’s degree in interior design from Ball State University in Indiana. When I showed back up at SPACE’s door, Kathie agreed to let me start as an intern — partly because I was the first person to ever return after she had suggested more experience was needed.

Kathie adds that she gave me the opportunity because of my “grit and determination to earn the internship position.”

What are you most proud about throughout your years with SPACE?

I joined the SPACE team as a very young adult, so this team — led by Kathie, Paddy, and Jenni —  has helped me find my personal and professional voice. I have an innate need to make people happy, so it’s incredibly fulfilling to complete a project alongside our team and watch the clients glow.

What has been the most surprising aspect of your work with SPACE?

I didn’t realize how intense it could be in working with furniture dealers. Furniture is usually one of the last parts of the puzzle, and we designers have to be fast-paced and nimble to manage bids and timelines.

Tell us about a favorite project or two you’ve worked on.

Spicer Group — a construction engineer company in Saginaw, Michigan — was the first large-scale project I worked on. I get to stay involved with them, as SPACE tackles a new, small chunk of Spicer’s building every year.

I also had a blast working with SOLV Marketing on their “steampunk” office style — something we’ve never done before. Stay tuned for the case study and photos!

In your opinion, what is the future of design — and how will SPACE be able to help?

We firmly believe that the future of design includes the ability to work from anywhere: an office, your home, or a rented VRBO across the country. Clients will — and already are — ask for a variety of collaborative meeting spaces, comfortable furniture, and flexibility to adapt to unforeseen changes.

Throughout the past year, our design department has become much more collaborative than ever before. We’re ready for what’s to come.

Fun facts about Lauren:

Lauren’s personal design style: “A weird blend of mid-century modern and farmhouse.”

A design trend she hopes never returns: “Overly done peaches, pinks, and mauves.”

She loves kayaking, traveling, and she recently got a corgi puppy named Ginny — after the Harry Potter character, of course!

Case study: Kerkau Manufacturing

bright office with glass wall panels

Kerkau Manufacturing—located in Bay City, Michigan—is one of the premier manufacturers of pipe flanges and precision machined products in the United States.

We helped Kerkau design their new administrative building in 2016. So we were thrilled when they came back to us in 2020 for a refresh of their manufacturing office space.

Problems

Kerkau dreamed of an efficient workspace with modern amenities. With wood paneling considered outdated, they wanted to bring new life into the old space—updating the restrooms, kitchenette, and private offices.

They looked to SPACE to create a better flow throughout their workspace and bring more daylight, views, and updated technology into their workspace.

Solutions

Our SPACE team provided a variety of services including new furniture, demountable walls, flooring, window treatments, and cabinetry for their break room. 

  • We thoughtfully selected architectural finishes. Kerkau wanted materials that were durable and easy to clean, since this office space connects to their manufacturing center.  
  • Our team added height-adjustable desks, which are more ergonomic and give users the ability to sit and stand as needed. We also added more efficient storage and frosted glass stacks on their panel dividers. This allowed for daylight to flood into the space, but still gives a sense of privacy. 
  • We also added power access to the desktops for easy charging of personal accessories. 
  • To help bring in more daylight and connect the private offices to the main area, we installed Haworth’s floor-to-ceiling, demountable walls. These glass panels connect to the ceiling and floor, but they’re different from conventional drywall. They can easily be moved and rearranged—giving Kerkau the growth potential they desired.

Kerkau understood that an efficient workspace doesn’t always mean a bigger footprint. You can maximize your space by condensing, rearranging, and making things more efficient.

Challenges

In their break room and bathrooms, Kerkau dreamed of beautiful backsplashes without any grout—to avoid incessant cleaning! 

Below the upper cabinets in the breakroom, we painted an accent wall, then installed glass over it for a neat, clean aesthetic. In the bathrooms and mother’s rooms, we used 3form, a resin material with interwoven fibers. We placed this behind the mirror and above the countertop to provide an interesting focal point that was also seamless and cleanable. We’re proud of the way these creative solutions met the challenge Kerkau gave us.

If you’re looking to refresh your office space, we’re here to tackle any challenge you throw at us. Let’s start discussing your new workspace today!

Case Study: Commerce Comfort Care

Commerce Comfort Care Senior Living aims to redefine senior care through delivering remarkable care, and weaving luxury throughout every facility.

We’ve worked with Comfort Care on several previous projects. So we were thrilled when they approached us in 2017 with a new build in Commerce, Michigan. The team believes that each new facility provides the opportunity to implement lessons learned and build for the future.

Commerce Comfort Care offers standard and deluxe resident rooms and cozy common spaces. The campus includes a large open dining room and bistro cafe, a library, a salon, a spa, outdoor courtyards, and much more!

bright, modern lobby
outside view of commerce comfort cares building

The problem:

Comfort Care approached SPACE for assistance with interior design and furniture specification on their new build in Commerce—hoping to establish and grow this new location. 

The team at Comfort Care desired senior living spaces that safely encouraged activity, conversation, and, well, comfort!

The challenges:

Wisely stewarding their budget, Comfort Care desired a classic, upscale, and customized design at an affordable price. Thankfully, our designers were up for the challenge of finding a balance between beautiful design and cost effectiveness.

A second challenge was the need to select furniture that is both comfortable and functional for Comfort Care’s elderly residents. We carefully identified warm and hospitable furniture that wasn’t too deep or too fluffy—furniture designed to help seniors easily sit and stand up. 

Finally, Comfort Care also serves a population that battles dementia. For these living areas, we designed spaces with more minimal and neutral colors and patterns to make it easier on these residents’ eyes.

The solutions:

To offer Comfort Care the most bang for their buck, we poured much focus into the building’s common areas. We knew that’s where people most often tour, gather, and communicate. This included making a great impression with the front lobby. We worked with the architect to specify finishes for paint, wall coverings, wood panels, custom carpet, and greenery.

However, we also paid attention to the residents’ rooms. All rooms at Commerce Comfort Care are private. But a variety of options are available including studios, multiple bedrooms, and deluxe rooms. The residential rooms feature beautiful natural light, cathedral ceilings, private bathrooms, and more.

As we wrapped up this project, we left Comfort Care with flexible spaces that could serve multiple functions—giving them room to grow, expand, or rearrange.

Whether you’re looking for yourself or for a loved one, we absolutely recommend checking out Commerce Comfort Care—and their other communities around Michigan.

  • Resident bedroom
  • Resident living room
  • Cozy common area
  • Dining room
  • Bistro cafe
  • Dining room
  • Movie theater
  • Hair salon

Designing healthy buildings and workplaces

bright windows in hospital lobby

Designing healthy buildings and workplaces is SPACE Inc.’s third core service offering—in addition to workplace design and Anew. 

When it comes to creating healthy buildings, there are nine key elements we consider:

  • Ventilation
  • Lighting and views
  • Air quality
  • Noise
  • Water quality
  • Safety and security
  • Dust and pests
  • Moisture 
  • Thermal health

Designing for daylight, views, and noise reduction

While all are important, we’ll touch on a few in further detail in this post. 

Daylight and views: 

Light has acute effects on our cognitive function and sleep, and it plays a huge role on employees’ health and wellbeing. According to the 9 Foundations of a Healthy Building report, daylight exposure and access to windows at work has been linked to improved sleep duration and mood, reduced sleepiness, lower blood pressure, and increased physical activity. 

At SPACE, we provide direct lines of sight to exterior windows from as many workstations as possible, without introducing glare.

Noise reduction:

We define noise as any “unwanted or disturbing sound” that interferes with normal activities. According to the 9 Foundations of a Healthy Building report, each year, around 30 million Americans are occupationally exposed to hazardous noise levels. And the presence of background noise can disrupt an individual’s ability to focus, communicate, or perceive speech. 

We help control indoor sources of noise—such as mechanical or office equipment—providing spaces perfect for productive, uninterrupted work.

A science-based approach to a safe return to work

When COVID-19 began, we quickly realized the need to expand our definition of healthy workplaces into antimicrobial protection—to ensure buildings are safe from viruses and bacteria. 

We’re proud to offer our Facility Armor program that kills 99% of microbes on porous and non-porous surfaces and prevents microbes from repopulating those surfaces between cleanings. 

This CDC-approved, hospital grade disinfectant fogging application features an electrostatically charged antimicrobial technology. It’s water-based and EPA-accepted for all areas of your facility, including food service.

SPACE Facility Armor can be beneficial in many spaces beyond the typical office setting.

Who can benefit from SPACE Facility Armor?

  • Offices and commercial buildings
  • Retail spaces
  • K-12 schools and busses
  • Colleges and universities
  • Transportation companies, including airplanes, busses, and limousines
  • Churches
  • Libraries
  • Federal, state, and local municipalities 

Contact us to start preventing microbial growth on everything you touch, and create a safe and healthy workplace for your team.

Ergonomic solutions to your employees’ wellbeing

Our clients place high value on the physical wellbeing of their staff, often leading them to seek new furniture to meet ergonomic guidelines. 

In addition to the above considerations, we also offer ergonomic assessments, seeking to fit each individual person to the chair, desk, or other furniture asset.

News release: SPACE takes on new challenges of workplace design

kathie fuce-hobohm smiles at table

SPACE, Inc.’s 26 years of designing work spaces that foster productivity, creativity and collaboration put the firm in a prime position to tackle the major challenges recent events have brought to the workplace. 

The focus will still be on designing for the future of work, but SPACE will now concentrate on three core areas to better serve clients: 

  • Design: Creating workplaces that reflect clients’ specific tastes, needs and budgets
  • Sustainability: Repurposing existing furniture to reduce waste while still reinventing spaces
  • Health and safety: Making sure workplaces keep staff safe

“Last year showed us that the future of work requires a variety of work settings—from offices, to homes, to coffee shops, and joint work spaces,” said Paddy Hobohm, SPACE president. “We help clients design smaller office spaces that foster collaboration, community, and efficiency for when employees are in the office. But we are also on the leading edge in supporting employers’ efforts to ensure staff well-being, which is a step beyond selecting furniture and design styles.” 

To reflect these changes, SPACE has revamped its brand and website.

“Our new branding is a bold statement that SPACE creates innovative workspaces for clients looking to stay ahead of the pack,” said Jenni Bush, senior vice president. “At the same time, the new branding elevates SPACE nationally to the front lines of interior workplace design.” The firm has offered full-space planning, layout, and execution for over 6,500 businesses in Michigan and government offices throughout the nation. 

In a transition that began three years ago, SPACE is also bringing on a second generation of leadership, as founder Kathie Fuce-Hobohm moves into an advisory role next year as the Chairman of the Board and her son Paddy Hobohm takes over. 

Hobohm came to the firm twelve years ago, starting in installation and working his way through scheduling and project management. In recent years he’s focused on the firm’s larger federal government projects. Hobohm earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. He also has an associate’s degree from Delta College and went to high school in Midland. 

Bush is senior vice president, overseeing the firm’s 24 employees while also doing human relations, sales, and events. She has worked for SPACE almost 9 years, starting by entering orders. Bush has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Grand Valley State University, and a master’s degree in administration and leadership from Central Michigan University. 

Fuce-Hobohm and her former business partner Lisa Hulbert launched SPACE in 1995, with just five people. In 2004, the firm won its first federal government contract, and just three months later garnered another to provide furniture for the Department of Health and Human Services. In 2007, SPACE was named among Michigan 50 Companies to Watch. 

Meanwhile, Fuce-Hobohm never shied away from assisting other businesses. 

 “Kathie’s contributions to Midland’s business community are immeasurable,” said Tony Stamas, president and CEO of the Midland Business Alliance. “She is always willing to share her experiences and provide guidance and mentorship. Her willingness to help is seen both in our community and around the State of Michigan. At the same time she is guiding a great business, Kathie’s commitment to helping others is truly inspiring.” 

Fuce-Hobohm is gearing up for her last year at SPACE. 

“At SPACE, we design for the future of work,” Fuce-Hobohm said. “I predict that the work-from-anywhere movement will continue with full steam, so our company is actively adapting to interior design trends to suit employees’ needs wherever they work. 

“However, we know the pendulum may swing back, with people eager to work collectively again after so much time in isolation. Whatever trends the future brings, we’re ready,” Fuce-Hobohm said.