Getting More (Design) for Less (Money)

By Marni Andrews

When it comes to designing space in today’s market, tight budgeting demands imaginative solutions.

Such was the case with FUEL Advertising, a Canadian subsidiary of Chicago-based Draft/FCB. The company was able to create an innovative and colorful loft space in an early 1900s industrial warehouse in Toronto while still keeping costs reasonable.

Bartlett & Associates, a 25-year-old Toronto-based interior design firm, achieved high density yet kept to the shoestring budget for the recently completed project through the use of simple industrial quality finishes.

Using local suppliers who don’t have high overhead is another important strategy while liberal and creative use of paint can be a simple, yet frequently overlooked , mechanism to keep costs low.

"Budget-driven projects provide an opportunity for great client collaboration, lots of creativity and wonderful results. FUEL was just that type of client,” says Inger Bartlett, president, Bartlett & Associates.

The loft-style of the space established the basis of the design solution, a warehouse aesthetic, with choice of materials marrying existing metal ductwork and wood flooring with inexpensive yet sleek and contemporary Artopex furniture. The strong spatial architecture provided from high ceilings and a sense of perspective was achieved through the careful detailing of related industrial materials (corrugated metal ceilings, open steel stud ceiling canopies and metal stud plexi screens). Design elements such as galvanized metal, colorful plexi tiles, iconic wordings mounted on the walls and pop art fabrics all contribute to the design message while respecting the budget.

The project came in under budget, which was appropriate for the current economic environment and also made a strong creative statement for the client.

“Our new space exceeds my expectations and that’s significant because the bar was pretty high. We wanted creativity and warmth, yet with a contemporary feel—a place for big ideas but intimate ways of working. And of course, ‘everything for nothing’ cost-wise,” says Cyndy Carruthers, President, FUEL Advertising Inc. “Bartlett did an amazing job translating our brand and in bringing fresh design thinking with cost-effective solutions.”