Small budget, big design – TO office gets an affordable facelift

Challenge

The head office of a growing global business was looking to expand their space in downtown Toronto. An additional floor had become available in their building, and they hired Kalli Management to merge it with their existing office and upgrade it to a modern, functional, cohesive space, all on a limited budget.

Only the reception and client areas were slated for full renovation; the goal was to achieve a professional space that would appeal to the company’s high-profile international visitors. The rest of the office would then get a more minimal refresh, leveraging existing furniture, including workstations inherited from the previous tenants.

Solution

Kalli completely redesigned the reception area and main boardroom. The previous reception space had been rudimentary at best, and didn’t give visitors a particularly positive initial impression of the company. Kalli designed and built a dynamic new area that is clean, modern and professional. It has a sophisticated aesthetic, stylish and comfortable seating, beautiful maple doors, an attractive reception desk with flat-screen TV, and an easy entry point into the adjacent client areas.

The new maple doorway into the large boardroom creates an excellent transition point for visitors, ensuring they no longer have to walk through employee areas to access meeting rooms. For the boardroom, Nuala chose sleek new furniture and suggested new technology including an iPad system with single-point controls, flat-screen TV, blackout blinds and a state-of-the-art Creston system to integrate all elements. The boardroom kitchen, designed for both meeting and executive use, was upgraded with new cabinetry, solid-surface countertops, lights, flooring and contemporary wall colour.

The rest of the office got a more minor “facelift” for improved flow and greater visual appeal. The old workstations were thoroughly cleaned, and any stained or damaged panel fabric was replaced. Carpet tiles were replaced as well, and walls throughout the office were repainted in modern neutrals. These inexpensive changes really freshened things up, creating a cleaner, more professional atmosphere. Work was done during the work week with minimal disruption to employees, with more significant tasks relegated to evenings and weekends.

Result

The client was very pleased with the upgrade. Both executives and employees are happy with the entryway and boardroom, and with the overall refreshed feel of the office. They were particularly impressed with Kalli staff and contractors, who they said were always friendly and professional, and put a lot of effort into keeping their worksites clean and accommodating people’s work schedules in terms of noise and disruption.

Everyone appreciated that Kalli was able to produce such a great result with a small budget; the company is pleased that the solution is one that they can grow with over time. It’s a budget-friendly approach that allows for furniture to be replaced in stages without compromising the overall look.