Horler & Associates, Windsor

The brief:

Like many of our clients with a High Street presence and a big, glass shop front, there is pressure to keep public-facing areas modern and fresh. When you’re an estate agent, there is an extra obligation for your aesthetic to reflect interior design trends and appeal to a target audience.

That’s why Horler & Associates returned to MPL. We designed its outgoing branch in 2015 and although in good condition, the client felt it needed to evolve with the times. The request was to replace a very corporate look, which featured splashes of azure blue, with a softer colour palette led by the green of the agent’s new logo. MPL was also asked to replace the forward-facing desks and create a new property management office.

Our approach:

Ten years is a long time in interior design. Almost every aesthetic created a decade ago will feel dated when compared to newer schemes. As we were replacing an existing MPL project, we knew the ‘bones’ of this job were sound. Our first step was to re-examine the space plans to establish what new configuration was possible.

Client comfort

The office is divided into three areas: front, middle and back of house. Our first design stamp is evident in the front of house. The revamped reception is now a softer, less clinical space. Two Chesterfield-style sofas with complementary coffee tables are more ‘lounge’ than ‘waiting room’, adding an improved level of comfort. The wall displays have also had an upgrade, with a photo gallery-style display drawing the eye.

A different desk perspective

The middle third of the office has been replanned, with a partial-width timber-slat partition and a different floor covering providing subtle delineation between the client area and the sales floor. The switch was made from all front-facing single desks to a combination, including a four-seat, inward facing bank. Each features a bespoke modesty panel with the Horler logo. MPL also reconfigured the electrics to ensure all power/data cabling was safely channelled away.

New space for new business

The back office – comprising two separate spaces - was already set behind glass partitions with an access door to each. The space on the right was an underused break-out area. MPL re-planned this room to create a new property management office for four people. The space to the left was repurposed for printers, copiers and storage. A new vinyl decal was applied to the glass to obscure the contents.

Wall wonders

Revamping the walls is often the key to changing an office’s aesthetic and at Horler, there was a departure from the previous white surfaces. Different wallpapers and a wall mural - all inspired by nature and featuring biophilic designs - add a sophisticated freshness. There are real, living moss walls too – low maintenance and air purifying. The green of the new Horler logo also provided a colour guide for new office chairs and accessories.

Additional elements

With the main sales office complete, MPL installed the same new aesthetic in Horlers’s lettings office, also in Windsor.