“I have always been an advocate for unconventional workspaces as well as recharge spaces. As much as work is work, it’s also where we spend so much of our time and we should at least have the option to move around, relax and work in a comfortable environment.”Lucynda Slattery
What inspired you to become an office designer?
Residential design just wasn’t for me, even though I went into design school thinking that it was. I like that with office design you can help a larger group of people and create a space for them where they can feel comfortable spending 8+ hours of the day.
What were some of your struggles when you first started off?
I always want the best for clients and end users. Unfortunately, sometimes they don’t want the best for themselves, or what I think is the best for them. When I first started off, I struggled with allowing the clients to overrule my design advice. In the end, if I at least voice my opinion on why we should pick certain finishes or why we shouldn’t fit so many people in a small room, then that’s the best I can do, and I need to not dwell on it if the client wants differently. At the end of the day, they know what works best for them, and if they feel that their decision is what is best for them, then that’s all that matters.
What are your favorite office design trends?
I have always been an advocate for unconventional workspaces as well as recharge spaces. As much as work is work, it’s also where we spend so much of our time and we should at least have the option to move around, relax and work in a comfortable environment. It’s becoming more common to have additional options in an office setting, other than one’s desk, to get up and change postures, views and tasks. Additionally, game rooms and/or recharge rooms are also amazing because we can get so burnt out and no one is actually able to continue to work effectively after being burnt out until they’ve taken a quick nap or played a few rounds of Super Smash Bros.
What are some of your favorite paint colors?
The brighter the better. I usually lean towards light greys and whites so that color can be added in the furniture and accents.
What do you like most about your job?
RENDERING!!
What should someone starting an office design career know?
Always take more pictures than you think you need to take and always ask more questions than you think you need to ask.
In your opinion, what will be the top office design trends for 2019?
I believe that more integration with technology will be on the rise in office spaces as well as furniture pieces. Additionally, I think people are picking up momentum on the “Hygge” trend and we will see a lot more of that in 2019.
Do you have any design accreditations?
I graduated with a BS in interior design from a CIDA accredited school. I have no other formal accreditations, but I still maintain my self-proclamations of interior design rockstar, rendering guru and unicorn princess.
What are some of your favorite features in 2020 Visual Impression?
I love that you can make anything. Literally anything that you want to render can be rendered. Additionally, the custom render helps push renderings to the next level of quality.
Is there a 2020 Visual Impression trick/hack you can share with us?
My number one favorite trick is using a vertical book as a piece of paper on a tack board. If you rotate it so the front of the book is facing you and push it into a tack board so it’s just slightly exposed it looks like a piece of paper on a tack board. You can add a paper, calendar, or phone list material to make it look even more believable. Another tip I have is to build curved or angled walls in SketchUp or CAD and create a 2020 Cap part to bring into 2020 Visual Impression to make the space more accurate.
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