Creative Office: Consult Company Netlight Designed By Mer

Netlight / Photo - Jason Strong | Design Studio 210

Do you recall last weeks creative office; Locomotiv designed by Stockholm based, MER? It is a fantastic space that I can not take my eyes of. The same design studio has decorated this space; the office of a consult company called Netlight. I could not resist but to add this to our creative office column. I mean how fabulous isn’t the herringbone flooring oh and did you see the horse?! Have a look below what my interior design friend Victoria thinks about it. 

 

One of the things I love about office design is how creative you can afford to be, especially when it comes to incorporating your branding in new and unique ways. One of the companies who do this to fantastic effect themselves is IT management and consulting company Netlight.

Netlight are a genuine consulting firm who thrive on gaining results for their clients. As a result, they’ve acquired offices in Stockholm, Oslo, Munich and London, and had leading design firm MER decorate them in a really creative way.

Netlight / Photo - Jason Strong | Design Studio 210 Netlight / Photo - Jason Strong | Design Studio 210

What I love most about MER’s design is the mish-mash of themes. A looming baroque centrepiece sits atop a collection of opulent rugs, while modern contemporary chairs and a floating, cloudlike light form a stark contrast. It’s stark in the very best way though, illustrating how creative and forward thinking Netlight are as a company. They even have a company horse carrying their business colours and a branded saddle blanket!

Netlight / Photo - Jason Strong | Design Studio 210 Netlight / Photo - Jason Strong | Design Studio 210 Netlight / Photo - Jason Strong | Design Studio 210 Netlight / Photo - Jason Strong | Design Studio 210

This purple theme also continues in Netlight’s beautiful boardrooms and meeting rooms. As well as further cementing their branding, the colour purple is associated with creativity, quality and truth. It’s the perfect colour for this kind of company and environment! The further you delve into this creative office, the more great little touches you find. Corridors made up of sheer white curtains reflect the light to really brighten up the space, and even boast glowing arrows to guide visitors around the premises.

Netlight / Photo - Jason Strong | Design Studio 210 Netlight / Photo - Jason Strong | Design Studio 210 Netlight / Photo - Jason Strong | Design Studio 210

Once you reach the dining and chill out areas of the Netlight office, it really opens out. Bright, refreshing light bounces around the room to make it appear even more open, while simple wooden desks, geometric counter tops and a natural wood floor add a really arty touch. When it comes to incorporating company branding into an office, Netlight are one of the best. They’ve managed to mix a variety of different design trends to really encapsulate what they’re about and show they have a fun side. This is essential for modern businesses who want to identify with not just their clients, but their employees too. What’s your favourite part of the Netlight office?

Netlight / Photo - Jason Strong | Design Studio 210 Netlight / Photo - Jason Strong | Design Studio 210 Netlight / Photo - Jason Strong | Design Studio 210 

Credit: Netlight / Photo - Jason Strong / Design - MER

- Victoria Crawcour
 

Friday Picks

Friday Picks | Design Studio 210

The sun is shining this morning so I could not resist but to take a look at some outside furniture. For there is nothing better than enjoying those hot summer evenings out on the terrace.

[From left to right] 1. This hand-woven plastic rattan from Ikea I could see myself unwinding in after a long day.   2. Hammocks, one day I will find a place to hang one of these!   3. A functional side table with a removable top which becomes a tray, yes please Ikea.   4. A footstool to the woven rattan from Ikea.

 

Sweet Home: Decorating With Everyday Objects

The Townhouse - Dwell | Design Studio 210

When reading through press materials from Norm Architects the other week I was reminded of the Swedish expression ‘to find beauty in everyday objects‘. Since I have been an expat for many years now I have forgotten that this actual is a typical Swedish saying. Well I might have forgotten its origin, but I do very often refer to it in regards of design, especially in residential design.

The Townhouse - Dwell | Design Studio 210 The Townhouse - Dwell | Design Studio 210

But what do we Swedes mean by finding beauty in everyday objects? Well basically it is to appreciate the form, colour, emotions amongst some in an object that is repeatedly used on a daily basis. A home that illustrates some of this, is this couples home in Sweden. For example take a look at their kitchen. Instead of concealing the pantry area they used a visible storage system where one can see the items which are daily used for cooking up a nice meal with. Also visible is the fruit bowl which gives it a pleasing and homey feel. The fruit also adds colour, texture as well as diversity, depending on which fruit one purchases.

The Townhouse - Dwell | Design Studio 210 The Townhouse - Dwell | Design Studio 210 The Townhouse - Dwell | Design Studio 210 

Credit: Dwell / Photo - Mark Seleen

There are many benefits with designing a space and decorating it with objects that you actually use compared to static decorative objects. One major thing I think of firstly is cost. You will save money by limiting un-necessary decorative objects and replacing them with beautiful items which come useful. There is also the saved cost on hidden storage as this is normally needed if you do not want them to show. But like with everything else there has to be a fine balance. To not end up with a messy and cluttered look I prefer to keep the rest of the design elements rather clean-looking, like this couple did.

So what do you say, would you do like the Swedes and aim to show off your espresso cooker and your tea bags?

 

Creative Office: Advertising Agency Locomotiv

Locomotiv | Design Studio 210

As you can see from my previous creative office post, the Swedes certainly know how to craft an inspirational office design! Today’s work space is no different, and comes from Swedish advertising agency Locomotiv. Based in beautiful Stockholm and designed by the very talented team at architecture and consulting firm MER, the headquarters of Locomotiv are a clean, crisp example of how to really nail impactful yet minimal office design.

Locomotiv | Design Studio 210 Locomotiv | Design Studio 210 Locomotv | Design Studio210

What could otherwise have been just another white office is transformed with industrial elements that make the space seem like it’s been built into an old factory. Carefully hewn circles in the building’s roof act like stylish skylights to allow as much healthy, natural light as possible to permeate the space, cutting down on the need for artificial lighting and desk lamps. Then there are the gorgeous stairs flanked by mesh barriers – a really creative take on a staircase that opens up the office and provides an interesting focal point. But there are plenty of little details that work together to subtly liven up the Locomotiv headquarters too…

Locomotiv | Design Studio 210 Locomotiv | Design Studio 210 Locomotiv | Design Studio 210

While you could blink and miss decorative elements like the blackboard and little white typewriter, other additions like the colourful range of books, cool metal chairs and scribbles on the glass walls of the music room all work together to create a really quirky, fun place to work. It’s not every day you have the chance to tinkle the ivories on your lunch break!

Locomotiv | Design Studio 210
Locomotiv | Design Studio 210 Locomotiv | Design Studio 210 

Credit: Locomotiv / Photo - Jason Strong

The Locomotiv office is all about turning even the smallest elements into unique office features that make their workspace stand out, without being as full on or incorporating quite the same intense ‘fun factor’ as somewhere like Google. Even Locomotiv’s boardrooms, meeting rooms and the music room are given an extra edge with tactfully implemented colour palettes of tranquil blue, relaxing green, enthusiastic red and creative yellow.

One thing’s for sure – the Locomotiv office is the perfect place for a creative advertising team to work. Inspirational and one of a kind, this design is sure to feed into employees’ creative processes and ideas as well as show visitors and clients what kind of stellar work the company strives to achieve. What do you think of the Locomotiv headquarters? Would you like to work there?

- Victoria Crawcour