Photograph by Brooke Genn
The pandemic has changed everything about the way we work—from how we do it to where we do it. It’s precisely why home office renovations have been in high demand. But also on the upward trend? Commercial offices that don’t look like offices at all.
Michele Campbell sees this as a business opportunity. An interior design veteran who hopped onto the rental scene after Serena Williams stayed at her Mt. Adams home while filming a commercial (true story), Campbell has put her creative energy into transforming local residential spaces as chief designer of Red Whale Rentals. Now, she and her team are entering uncharted territory with The Loft, a commercial office space in the heart of Mt. Adams.
Photograph by Brooke Genn
The space rebels against the narrative of cold, fluorescent lights and closed-door offices. Jute rugs, natural woods, and pops of muted greenery dot the space, creating an environment that feels far more like a spa than it does an office.
“I try to give this organic, esoteric, kind of sanctuary feel,” the designer says. “I like to think of it as this laid-back California style. It’s just peaceful.”
Photograph by Brooke Genn
The nine individual offices are sparsely furnished—but the way we work today, what more do you really need than a place to put your laptop? The vintage desks in most offices are framed by floor-to-ceiling windows.
Campbell is keenly aware that the wants and needs of the modern office worker are changing. “That’s a reward, to me,” she says. “To know that it’s really benefiting someone.”
SOUND BARRIER
After spotting similar fixtures at a local restaurant, Campbell had these lights custom-made. And they aren’t just for looks—because of their shape, they actually absorb sound, making for perfect acoustic harmony in this open-concept office.
Photograph by Brooke Genn
DRIFT ON BY
That massive cedar log propped up in the corner isn’t just scrap wood. Michele Campbell sources the logs from Wessing Tree Service, power washes them, and incorporates each one into a Red Whale property.
HOT SEAT
A swing in the office? What is this, Google? Campbell couldn’t pass up the chance to add some whimsy to the lounge space with this plush swing chair, which anchors to the ceiling and immediately draws the eye to the center of the room.
Photograph by Brooke Genn
STATEMENT PIECE
The white console table is part of one of Campbell’s treasure-hunting excursions. The designer isn’t a stranger to driving moving trucks to markets and warehouses in search of the perfect piece.
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