There was a new accountant in town. In business about six months at the time, Joseph Ensley of The King’s Accountant, rented his first office space. As with any rental it came with a few constraints and negotiated concessions on the part of the lessor.
The major concession was paint. We were allowed to paint and attach things to the walls. We could not, however, do anything about the four florescent lights blazing down from above. The poor health effects of fluorescents is a soapbox I’m happy to broadcast another day.
After the constraints were identified, I got to know Joseph, his business and how he liked to work. A young, hip accountant needed a smart, yet casual office to welcome clients and ease the stress and uncertainty they can feel about their taxes and other day-to-day finances. He wanted them to feel safe.
In the end, we opted for a dark color on the walls to lean into the office’s lack of natural light. So blue it was nearly black, but not quite. Brass and leather brought in some classic, warm vibes and white accented furniture made sure we didn’t float away in a sea of cozy. Not to mention tying in the accountant’s favorite tool for educating clients, the whiteboard.
Lighting was one of the most crucial elements of this office’s interior design as we wanted to avoid the overhead fluorescents entirely. Instead we installed two large floor lamps to bookend the room providing enough light to meet clients and work. A brass banker’s lamp on the desk for task work offset the glow from quickbooks and spreadsheets. Finally accent lighting was added behind the plant in the alcove above the wall to give texture and height to the office. Take a tour by clicking on the video below.
Its no surprise that The King’s Accountant’s practice is growing quickly. We are currently working on designing his new space. Stay tuned for details …