GREEN INTERIOR DESIGN  SERVICES

At Carol Crawford Environments Inc, we pride ourselves on listening carefully to what our clients need and want.  We work closely with them to complete their projects on schedule and within a realistic budget. It is part of our mission to create work environments that are healthy, efficient, and beautiful, because a pleasant work environment encourages and increases productivity. 

That is another reason we are committed to environmentally responsible, green design solutions . 

FOR THIS MANHATTAN PUBLISHER'S OFFICE  our mandate was to create an airier, more welcoming space out of a series of small, windowless rooms designated to accommodate their expanding staff...

...we developed a color concept that included a mural inspired by the view seen from the conference room windows...

This atmospheric, 8-foot high mural scrolls 30 continuous feet throughout the eight offices

BEFORE AND AFTER...

INTERIOR OFFICES BEFORE: totally gray; visual "escape" limited

INTERIOR OFFICES AFTER: color planes gradually lighten in hue to lead gaze outward, provide visual relief and variety; orange/teal color plan provides warm-to-cool contrast, with coolest colors adjacent to sunniest windows 

PUBLIC HALL AFTER: showcases provide major illumination and interest; give illusion of greater width;  colored light reflected on ceiling relieves monotony;  floor color patterned to direct traffic toward main entry & elevators 

top:  BEFORE; VINYL COMPOSITION TILE in a pattern echoing overhead recessed light boxes

neutral color; sameness on all surfaces only emphasizes narrowness of hallway

bottom:  AFTER; linoleum flooring, cut in a pattern for directional guidance between entry and elevators

complementary, vivid color play which is repeated in interior, and used for visual surprises that emphasize architectural shapes rather than trying to hide them

LARGE AND SMALL SPACES WERE DESIGNED WITH SURPRISE VIEWS that stretch the sight-lines and create eye relief for editorial staff who work all day on computers

top right:  internal "window" with a view of mural in inner office hall ... as if it was a "city view" outside

bottom right:  another "window" in public hall allowing view into new space...and a playful vignette of the same complementary orange-blue color combination that is seen in the view through the main glass doors...

BELOW, RIGHT  ...

...from inside the main entry corridor looking out into the public hall....another interplay between orange and blue

GREEN DESIGN ELEMENTS ADDED & REASONS WHY: 

• COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHTING :   long life, inexpensive to operate & maintain; floodlights reduce glare, direct beam
• LINOLEUM FLOORING:   long life, inexpensive to maintain because no stripping and waxing needed; highly cost effective ; biodegradable; by choosing linoleum instead of vinyl composition tile flooring we eliminate use of toxic PVC's from environment 
• SOLAR SHADES: to cut the heat and still allow staff to see the impressive view across lower Manhattan; solar shades can be selected with a mesh size that will effectively lower the temperature and glare, and save on air conditioning.  Solar shades are useful when windows are old or not equipped with low-e glass or windowfilm to cut the heat gain; they have the added advantage of flexibility: when it is a gray day or cool outside, the shades can be raised to maximize warmth, light, and view.

fluorescent flood lights were chosen for floor illumination and replaced the usual rectangular recessed tubes overhead. They reduced overhead glare and flatness in the ambient [overall] light ; fluorescent lighting in the 13 showcases produces most of the brightness in the hallway, and also bounces myriad colors on ceiling and walls [click on view above] to create a pleasant mood and gentle variety in a long, narrow, enclosed space.  The illuminated pictures, each 24 x 36 inches, are like windows.

linoleum flooring was custom cut in a pattern that visually leads visitors emerging from elevators to entry door of offices in an extremely narrow hallway where peripheral vision is limited.  This public hallway became the only one in the building in which traditional VCT/vinyl composition tiles was replaced by an environmentally safe material.  

• NOTE: the designer and client collaborated in persuading the building owners to make the flooring change after the designer explained the lifecycle cost assessment of linoleum and its health advantages. 
• FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SUSTAINABILITY IN INTERIORS, CLICK ON GREEN DESIGN, AND NEWS & RESOURCES