Rolstons, Watford

The brief:

Many clients come to MPL looking for something a little leftfield or break from the norm but our work for Roystons came with a slightly different brief.

We were asked to design, specify and install the first ever branch of Rolstons – a new estate agents in Watford with a very experienced team behind the brand. The aim was to purvey the image of an established, upscale estate agent, with a traditional look that instantly positioned the brand among respected luminaries.

Our approach:

The starting point was the new Rolstons logo and font – a serif style with distinctive cut-out R in classic navy blue. This colour was to inform the entire interior design, although we chose to pair the shade with a soft grey for a muted contrast.

This colour palette is evident across the floorcovering, the upholstery and the wood elements. A suite of new desks, finished in a grey timber laminate with LED lighting to each modesty panel, pairs well with the Rolstons blue, while there is a navy-painted wooden slat feature wall. This provides a place to display a 3D brushed aluminium wall logo and screens several storage solutions behind.

Working with existing elements

One of the most eye-catching aspects of the Watford office is a four-screen media wall in the front half of the office. Its recessed setting looks like a natural spot but it’s an artificial creation. The MPL design team took an original structural column, matched it on the other side and created a perfectly symmetrical faux wall, allowing the screens to sit back and in-built LED lights at the top and bottom to provide an illuminated focal point.

New, made-to-measure details

The Rolstons team took on a former branch of The Money Shop, therefore MPL had to strip out several redundant elements, such as partitions and built-in counters, to make way for an open plan space. MPL were also responsible for all-new power, data, lighting, heating and comfort cooling. After the first fix, new bespoke features were added, including a comms cabinet and a brochure rack.

Creative with the corner

The Watford branch occupies a prestigious corner location, so our exterior work was a ‘doubling up’ process – made possible after we successfully gained planning permission for new signage and lighting. There are two, internally illuminated projecting signs with fret-cut detail, two sets of trough lights and two sets of individually laser-cut letters.

Additionally, the windows have been made more eye-catching with cable-strung, LED window display pockets, while light boxes across the top of every window provide a stunning colour-matched blue glow after dark.

Want to know more about the services MPL offer, including clever retail design, bespoke shop fitting, office design or commercial refurbishments in the south east and London areas, get in touch with our team today.