Topics
Commercial
Designing for commercial spaces is an exercise in balance: often there are tight budgets and timelines, but if you don’t get it right while staying true to your brand, you risk having uninspired clients who don’t come back in again, or employees who’d rather work elsewhere. We love designing inspired spaces, and here you’ll find all things commercial (projects, blog posts, recognition, and more) at Board & Vellum.
Our commercial portfolio projects.
A Remodel of a Design Firm’s Own Office
Board & Vellum Office
Designed by our very own team, the Board & Vellum office is a mirror of our work at the intersection of commercial and residential design.
Interior Design for a Bubble Tea Shop
Oasis Tea Zone Capitol Hill
The challenge of this café design was how to draw visitors into the deep space from the street, especially with the point-of-sale on a lower level.
From Abandoned Home to Community Anchor
Ada’s Technical Books and Café
Ada’s Technical Books and Café is an adaptive reuse project converting a dilapidated single-story Craftsman home on Capitol Hill into a small, mixed-use retail space.
The Office at Ada’s
The Office at Ada’s | Image courtesy of The Office at Ada’s.
Interior Design for a Coworking Space
The Office at Ada’s
The owners of Ada's Technical Book & Café returned to Board & Vellum for the design of a co-working space for local entrepreneurs fostering small businesses.
Our commercial posts.
Commercial, Interior Design
How Biophillic Design Can Help Your Commercial Space
As humans, we love nature, and studies show that access to nature or natural elements is actually beneficial to our health. As a design theory, this is called biophilic design. Here are a few reasons why it’s worth it to incorporate nature into the design of your commercial spaces.
Read more.
Commercial, Interior Design, Multifamily & Mixed-Use
Creative Cost-Saving Tips for Your Commercial Space
Often, design budgets for commercial tenant improvements can be tight. But giving your space that little something extra to excite your clientele is super helpful for bringing in business, and getting your customers to linger. Here are a few creative tips for stretching that dollar further in your commercial space.
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Commercial
How Your Neighborhood Can Inform the Design of Your Commercial Space
Neighborhood and community context is important to the success of a retail — or other commercial — space. Here’s how being site-specific can be beneficial to your commercial project and help you make the impact you need to win and retain customers.
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Ask an Architect, Commercial
When Should I Hire an Architect for My Tenant Improvement?
Commercial clients sometimes think they need a signed lease before hiring an architect, but it’s much better to bring an architect on before you sign that lease, locking you into a space that might not meet your business's needs as well as you hope it will. Read on for more about how we can help.
Read more.
Commercial, Interior Design
How To Create a Residential Feel in a Commercial Space
Are you hoping for a residential feel — that "homey" comfort — in your commercial space? You aren’t alone! Spaces that capture that homey feeling draw people in, and can help people feel more comfortable and relaxed in your establishment. How do you pull it off? Here are our top ten design elements to make it happen.
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Commercial, Interior Design, Third Places
Ten Design Elements to Consider for Your Third Place
Always dreamed of quitting your 9-5 job and opening your own coffee shop? Or perhaps looking to spruce up your existing quaint café? Look no further! Here are ten key design elements you won't want to forget, taking your Third Place’s design to the next level and encourage your clientele to linger.
Read more.Would you like to learn more?
We’re thrilled that you’re interested!
Our Story
Board & Vellum is a young and vibrant firm built on the idea that an informed and engaged team leads to better design and happy clients. We wouldn’t be where we are today without passion and hard work, and those same two things keep us going strong today.
Our Process
Bringing your project from “idea” to fruition is a little different at Board & Vellum. We give personal care to each of our projects, and you’ll be in the loop every step the way. The bonus: we are an integrated firm, so each project has access to plenty of great knowledge — and that leads to better design.
Considering a project? Or, just curious about something?
Send us your questions about design, architecture, interiors, landscape, LEGO rooms… Anything, really. We’re always eager to meet new people, and we’d love to get to know you, your project, and your goals.