Inspired Interiors Edition 07

BORDER BANK INTERIORS AT WORK

Fargo, North Dakota

The Bank’s newest branch–a former Bank of the West on 32nd Avenue–began welcoming employees in May 2022 after just nine months of renovations.

Completing a major renovation in such a short period of time required Border Bank to assemble an innovative and collaborative team. The general contractor for the project was Border Construction Kelly Bauer of wild | crg took the lead on architecture, while Interoffice’s Sarah Huckle supported with furniture and interior design.

Border Bank can trace its roots back to the founding of Greenbush State Bank in 1935. The bank’s 1993 merger with Badger State Bank jump-started a period of rapid growth, resulting in seven new Minnesota locations. Border Bank opened its first Fargo location in 2020 after merging with Union State Bank, and quickly realized it would need more space to match the growing Fargo-Moorhead area.

“By the time I came into the picture, there was a dream, a concept, and a direction that they were going,” Huckle said. “We worked closely to complete that dream with the furniture, fabrics, and finishes.”

Border Bank’s Director of Business Development, Kory Shae, presented the team with a challenge: giving the dated 23-year-old building a fresh look.

What began as a single community bank in a tiny Minnesota town has since expanded into an enterprise with eleven locations across the state and, most recently, in Fargo, North Dakota.

Border Bank

Fargo, North Dakota

“It had essentially not been touched since 1998,” Shae said. “We are good at banking, not picking fabric colors. I believe it’s best to trust the experts, so I told them that I wanted it to be timeless and minimalistic, and then I picked nothing.”

Huckle worked in tandem with the wild | crg team to ensure that furniture and finishes were cohesive with flooring and paint colors. For desks, Huckle selected a dark walnut finish on ash wood to

accentuate the teakwood ceiling. For upholstery, she utilized a variety of warm neutrals, paired with accents of navy blue to tie in Border Bank’s brand.

Most importantly, the team succeeded in creating an environment that makes customers and employees alike feel welcome. The building’s main level houses the customer-facing bank, where Shae wanted customers to feel more like they are walking into a cafe than a bank. To achieve this, Huckle utilized a variety of seating options, including custom cushioned built-in benches. The built-in bench wrapping the space, paired with OFS Skara high-back lounge chairs, invite guests to gather around the fireplace. The lounge chairs are finished in a deep blue, velvet-like upholstery and wrapped in a soft, faux leather wrapped shell.

The first-floor break room was designed to feel like a comfortable lounge–a place where people would actually enjoy spending their break time. The space offers an array of seating options, including a cozy OFS Heya high-back booth area for up to four people, a few individual countertop stools peering out the window, and a high-top café table for two.

“Kory paid a lot of attention to spaces where some people might just throw a table and chairs,” Huckle said. “He said, ‘Let’s make this a place where people will actually want to hang out.’”

That same philosophy was carried up the stairs to the second level, which consists of administrative offices and Border Bank’s leasing company.

“We don’t tell people that they have to work from the bank,” Shae said. “Our goal was to create a space where people would want to be, even if they didn’t have to.”

This posed another challenge for the team, as a wide range of ages are represented within Border Bank’s employees. Millennials, who have spent their education and careers working in open, collaborative settings, work alongside Baby Boomers and Gen X, who are more accustomed to a traditional, walled-off workspace.

“All of those generations work so differently, and their requirements and requests for their space are so different. How do you meld those into one and aesthetically please everybody?” Shae asked.

Our goal was to create a space where people would want to be, even if they didn’t have to.

-Kory Shae

”

“

The answer to Shae’s question was simple: choice. When designing the bank’s second level, Huckle and Bauer prioritized providing employees with options of how and where they could work.

“I wanted to adapt it to something that would be more conducive to collaboration, but still fit the needs of people that wanted to work in an individual setting,” Huckle said.

One option is an “away room,” furnished with a large, sleek sectional from OFS furniture paired with a classic Lily lounge chair from 9 to 5 Seating. Finished off with easy pull-up tables, a floor lamp, accent pillows, and artwork, no details went unnoticed. Employees can utilize this space for phone calls or one-on-one conversations, or simply to take a quiet break in their day.

“Our employees want those amenities they could find in their home,” Shae said. “Our people are really important to us. They are the ones on the front lines every day, and they deserve the best of the best.”

Offices are separated from the main space by glass, rather than walls, so employees can enjoy privacy while still feeling connected to one another. Each individual office comes with a large window, ample natural light, and one of Shae’s first requests: a heightadjustable desk from MillerKnoll

“He said to me, ‘Everyone needs an ergonomic desk and a comfy chair,’” Huckle said. “And if anyone had a special request, Kory would let us know what they wanted. That made it very clear that Border Bank’s focus is their people.”

Huckle had some help putting the finishing touches on this project. She collaborated with InterOffice Residential Expert Sheila Hanson to select art for

the offices and communal spaces.

“As I was hanging a piece of art in one employee’s office, she came to me and said, ‘I used to not enjoy coming to work. Now I literally come to work early because I love being here so much,’” Hanson said.

But the focal point of their open collaboration area is a 4x16-foot community table from Herman Miller, equipped with power sources and surrounded by classic Eames stools. It is a home base for employees to have a quick meeting, collaborate on a project, eat lunch, or just sit and socialize.

“Employees from other locations come here often. We don’t want them to feel like a guest in their own home,” Shae said. “If they come in for a meeting, they can wait in this space and sit, work, have coffee, even have a beer. It shows that when you come into this space, you are welcome here. This is your home too.”

By picking the right partners and prioritizing the needs of their people, Border Bank has transformed a 23-year-old building into a modern environment that can accommodate all generations of employees and customers.

“We feel very blessed to work with really good partners. We had to make sure that every vendor could work well together, and they worked together perfectly,” Shae said. “I think that’s why this project went really well.”

ENCLAVE GiGi’s Playhouse

Fargo, North Dakota

INTERIORS AT WORK

GiGi’s Playhouse

Fargo, North Dakota

May 11, 2021 began just like any other day for Heather Lorenzen, Executive Director of GiGi’s Playhouse in Fargo. But the moment she caught a whiff of smoke coming from inside the building, that unmemorable day became one she would never forget.

our families had worked so hard for burned.”

GiGi’s Playhouse is an international organization with a mission to change the way the world views Down syndrome and promote global acceptance for all. The fire leveled the organization’s Fargo building, destroying everything inside.

“I ran out of the building, and within 10 minutes of seeing that first puff of smoke, the roof had collapsed,” Lorenzen said. “I watched as, in a matter of minutes, everything that

For GiGi’s Playhouse, losing a brick-and-mortar location meant more than just losing a building; it meant losing a second home and safe haven for many families. But where others saw only devastation, Lorenzen saw opportunity. With support from InterOffice, GiGi’s Playhouse has been able to rise from the ashes and rebuild better than ever.

The opportunity to rebuild–despite coming

at a terrible cost–gave GiGi’s Playhouse the ability to fully customize their environment to the needs of the people they serve. Lorenzen wanted to create an environment where everyone felt welcome and able to act their age. Before the fire, Lorenzen explained, the Playhouse was often perceived as more of a daycare than an all-ages skills-building service. With the renovation, it was a priority for the organization to be inclusive of the older

After a devastating fire, GiGi’s Playhouse has rebuilt better than ever

individuals they serve. Jolynn Kaldor from InterOffice helped Lorenzen and her team select pieces in bright blonde woods and smooth textures with cozy patterns, creating a space that feels mature and streamlined.

As for feeling welcoming, Lorenzen wanted to avoid the stuffy vinyl chairs that would often be seen in doctors’ waiting rooms. InterOffice countered the clinical with the comfortable, selecting the Indie Rocker by JSI for the reception area.

MillerKnoll to help activate muscles in a fun and exciting way–and not just for kids.

“It’s an ab workout!” Lorenzen said, laughing.

Another new feature with hidden benefits is the GEMiNO+ Market and Shop Loft by Gressco. It’s a two-level playset that allows users to climb up and down the stairs from the ground level to the loft.

“It’s the most comfortable chair you’ll ever sit in,” Lorenzen said. “This chair provides you that opportunity to feel comfortable when you’re already nervous walking into somewhere new.”

“We work on gross motor skills, including coordination and balance. Those stairs are just another touch point to practice that,” says Lorenzen. “There’s a learning life skill to everything that was put in here, including the furniture.”

Some of the chairs come with an additional, unexpected benefit. Since many folks with Down syndrome have low muscle tone, GiGi’s Playhouse selected the Spun Chair by

Instead of a central island in the kitchen, the Playhouse has electric height adjustable tables that can be raised and lowered to accommodate people of all heights. The bathroom toilets have a variety of flushers so that users

From ashes to abundance, GiGi’s

Playhouse’s journey has been a hard one–and hard won. ”

can practice with a traditional handle like they’d find at home, or a motion-sensor flush that they’d encounter at a supermarket.

Sometimes, though, even the most welcoming space can pose a challenge. For folks with sensory issues, the bright new space full of excited people can be overwhelming. The LeanTo lounge by OFS was originally placed in the hallway to serve as a reading space. But with built-in walls and cozy padded seats, theLeanTo provided a safe space for sensory-affected folks when the opening events hit them especially hard.

has been a hard one–and hard won. It has also been a reminder to Lorenzen of the value that the organization brings to the community; more than 4000 donors who donated at least once to the rebuilding efforts.

“It’s empowering,” Lorenzen said. “It shows me that our place was missed, our families needed us, and that we’re back.”

“It’s kind of like a little cave. It took away some of that additional noise and some of the anxiety of being in a new space,” Lorenzen said.

And now, more than 18 months after the fire, GiGi’s Playhouse is in the process of opening back up to the community, one program at a time. While they are only offering 14 of their 22 programs at this time, Lorenzen is hopeful that GiGi’s Playhouse will soon be able to provide all of that–and more.

From ashes to abundance, GiGi’s Playhouse’s journey

“It’s a place of possibilities,” she said. “It really is taking a dream and turning it into a reality.”

STORAGE THAT PUTS PEOPLE FIRST.

Mora is a versatile casework solution that provides a beautiful, intuitive way to organize.

ReadiTech INTERIORS AT WORK

Horace, North Dakota

Few rural communities have experienced a transformation as explosive as Horace, North Dakota.

The Horace of 2022 is virtually unrecognizable from that of the early aughts; where there were once rows of soybeans and corn, there now stand rows of developed homes. Formerly empty lots are now occupied by state-of-theart schools and a diverse array of shops and restaurants.

And in the center of it all stands ReadiTech.

of Horace itself, acquiring two additional companies in North and South Dakota and expanding its 100 percent fiber-optic network into the communities of Cassleton, Mapleton, and now Horace.

“Nobody else can bring these small communities 10 gig internet. We can,” said Kari Nishek, Business Intelligence Manager at ReadiTech.

The company’s new office is located just off of County Road 17. In addition to being a highly visible location in the heart of Horace, the centralized location allows ReadiTech to deploy fiber in every direction.

ReadiTech, a subsidiary of Ellendale-based DRN, has been delivering telecommunications services to rural North Dakota since 2010.

In the decade since, the company has experienced rapid growth rivaling that

As a new addition to an already high-traffic area, ReadiTech knew they needed to design a facility that would stand out from the crowd. So, they enlisted the help of community partners Prairie Design Studio, Lee Jones and

Son Construction, interior designer Chase Alec, and InterOffice.

ReadiTech wanted to create a space that conveyed the company’s modern, high-tech approach while still being comfortable and welcoming for employees and guests alike. InterOffice helped ReadiTech strike this balance by combining lush materials, clean lines, and consistent color schemes throughout the entire space.

sofa from OFS. InterOffice even selected a rug whose pattern echoes the couch’s geometric upholstery.

But beautiful as the lobby may be, Nishek’s favorite part of the new facility is up the stairs, on the second floor. Floor-to-ceiling windows surround four separate seating areas, with mobile side tables from [OFS] and seating from Carolina Furniture that can be reconfigured into a larger communal workspace.

“InterOffice embraced our vision immediately,” Nishek said. “They collaborated beautifully with our architects and interior designer to embrace the layouts, color, and feel we were going for.”

Each piece was carefully curated to complement another. A stained glass mural of ReadiTech’s emblematic globe, created by a local artist ushers visitors through the front door. Elements of the brand’s logo are reflected in the lobby’s furniture, like moss green Geiger Crosshatch chairs and a high-backed

“I love the light and the feel up there,” she said. “The furniture we chose was perfect for that space.”

ReadiTech’s focus on both form and function extends beyond client-facing spaces and into employee offices and workrooms. Standing desks from MillerKnoll have brought versatility to employees’ offices–and have become the envy of teammates across the state.

“Everyone greatly appreciates those,” Nishek said. “Now employees at our other locations want them!”

The furniture we chose was perfect for that space. ” “

- Kari Nishek Business Intelligence Manager

This facility brings ReadiTech Engineering, ReadiTech IT Solutions, and ReadiTech Fiber teams under one roof, so it was vital to keep each department’s unique needs in mind when selecting furniture. For the IT department, ReadiTech worked with InterOffice to create a 16-foot workbench equipped with built-in power.

“You can’t sit in them and not have a smile on your face,” Nishek said.

“They tell me that this is a masterpiece to work off of. There is plenty of space to set up multiple computers, routers, or any other equipment they happen to be working on,” Nishek said. “This one piece has allowed our employees to be very effective and efficient.”

ReadiTech is on a mission to ensure that North Dakotans have access to the affordable, reliable, and lightning-fast internet they need to live, work, and play. With a beautiful new space, an unrivaled fiber optic network, and support from InterOffice, the company is ready to bring that mission to the booming community of Horace.

While ReadiTech’s Horace office was created with efficiency in mind, it’s not all about work. A few unexpected touches, like

“They embraced the vision that was presented to them and they hit the mark right on. They met all of our needs,” Nishek said. “InterOffice is second to none.”

ART & ACCESSORIES

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