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more photosBend Veterinary Clinic got a lively makeover recently after owner Dr. Byron Maas decided it looked too institutional. “The reception felt like you were looking through into this little cubby,” Maas says. “I wanted to open it up, and actually create a feeling of welcoming and warmth between the receptionist and the client because that is, a lot of times, all (the clients) see.”
LEFT: The upholstery in one of the exam rooms features a dog print.
Bringing warmth to the workplace
‘Office staging’ aims to make spaces welcoming to clients
By Zack Hall / The Bulletin
Published: November 10. 2008 4:00AM PSTBend Veterinary Clinic has all the hallmarks of a typical pet practice: barking dogs, nervous pet owners, and the smell of animals and pet food.
But the walls in the clinic are awash in bright yellows and oranges. The waiting room is open and airy, an atmosphere aided by track lighting and skylights.
It was not an accident.
The veterinarians at Bend Veterinary Clinic wanted to replace the office’s dated “institutional” look — which featured shades of green and plenty of wood paneling — to help make its customers more at ease.
“Veterinary medicine is very competitive in Central Oregon, there is no doubt,” says Byron Maas, the veterinarian who bought the practice last year. “But it doesn’t need to be institutional.
“It takes away a little bit of the anxiety. If something is going wrong with your pet, you want to feel comfortable, not only with the doctor, but in just being there.”
The old interior at Bend Veterinary Clinic was straight from the 1970s, and Maas thought the office space could be put to better use and feel more comfortable with help from an interior designer.
Meghan Evans, whose Bend-based Buttercup Home Styling & Staging interior design business did the work at the clinic, calls it “office staging.”
Evans thinks it could be on the rise as businesses look for ways to be more competitive in an economic downturn.
“We’ve done a little bit in the past but more so recently,” Evans said. “With the economy where we are right now, I think some of these businesses are realizing that it helps them to be competitive — and with that, show a little style. And what I think is more important, is it accurately reflects the level of services they offer by the interiors of their building or space.”
Unlike home staging, in which a designer will dress up a home for sale so it will show better to potential buyers, these businesses are not for sale.
Instead, interior designers make the office space more inviting by giving the space brighter colors and better lighting fixtures.
The designs can be as simple as a fresh coat of paint and a better arrangement of office furniture, to a complete overhaul with new flooring, furniture and lighting.
“When you are in a town like Bend, Oregon, or the towns surrounding us, we focus so much on small business,” said Evans, who adds that office staging can cost between $3,000 and $30,000. “There are so many small businesses, I think they realize that they might have to do a little more to be competitive.”
Michelle Thorstrom, an interior designer who co-owns Bend’s Haven Home Design, agrees.
While Thorstrom has done limited work in office staging, she sees the appeal and would not be surprised if its popularity grows.
“It does make it look more professional,” Thorstrom says. “You are thinking of your customers, too. Your first impression matters, and if you walk into an office where it looks kind of stale and there is no personality, somehow that is kind of portrayed to customers. I think it makes a difference in people’s attitude.”
Thorstrom says a more temporary way to achieve a better atmosphere is with professionally designed holiday decorations, in which she’s seen more interest.
“I think you are probably going to see more of it this year than years past,” Thorstrom says. “It’s a nice relief for what has been happening (in the economy). It’s a nice escape from reality.”
Evans says office staging makes the most sense for dental or medical offices, which can appear institutional and intimidating.
“I think (clients) get a little scared if the lobby looks like it is from the ’60s or ’70s,” Evans says. “They think, ‘Oh, my gosh, what kind of medicine am I getting here?’”
Maas already has seen a difference since his clinic’s remake last month.
Clients feel more comfortable and the space has become more functional, he says.
The biggest difference has been in the reception area.
“The reception felt like you were looking through into this little cubby,” Maas says. “I wanted to open it up and actually create a feeling of welcoming and warmth between the receptionist and the client because that is, a lot of times, all (the clients) see.
“By pushing the envelope of the reception area out a little bit, and creating a circular feel and opening it up a little bit and getting away from the boxy look, it has really made a huge difference. I think it feels much better.”
Zack Hall can be reached at 541-617-7868 or at zhall@bendbulletin.com.
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