Trading Office Spaces

Bob Freed has been told his company's new downtown digs are reminiscent of a New York City studio space.

On April 1, Brass Tacks, a brand marketing firm, relocated from Brecksville to the historic ArtCraft building on Superior Ave. in Cleveland's Quadrangle district, which is fast becoming home to a variety of entrepreneurs, artists and other creative types.

The 4,500-square-foot space is a bit bigger than the old office, and allows room for expansion as the 40-year-old company grows.

Alan Kliskey, chairman and CEO, and Freed, president and COO, wanted a hip, urban space to foster creativity among employees.

Before they began renovating the space in the nearly century-old building that was once a textile manufacturing company, the office was one big room.

With the help of Denise Sindelar, a University Heights-based interior design consultant, Brass Tacks retained an open floor plan, but added dividers to section off individual office space and added a second level, roughly a foot above the rest of the room, along the perimeter of the space. A pastel color scheme and floor-to-ceiling windows add to the fresh, cutting-edge atmosphere.

But perhaps the most unique feature in the office is the use of translucent, light-imaging plastic panels in the office walls and dividers.

Brass Tacks is the first in the area to utilize such material in its interior design. In fact, the product might not exist if it wasn't for Brass Tacks.

After the airline industry began to decline following 9/11, Kent-based Schneller Inc. turned to Brass Tacks for help. Schneller, a manufacturer of engineered laminates for the airline industry, needed to diversify its markets if it was to survive the economic downturn.

Brass Tacks came in and revamped the company's logo and brand and suggested it branch out into the rail and architectural design industries. As a result, Schneller came up with Mirage Light Imaging Laminates for its interior decor division.

These innovative decorative laminates serve as wall panels, room dividers, office workstations and many other design applications.

Schneller works with each client to customize patterns, colors, shapes and sizes. The decorative panels capture and transform light, creating unique design effects.

Brass Tacks became so enamored with the product, they made sure it was incorporated into their new space.

The laminate panels that Brass Tacks used are made from a window screen sandwiched in between two sheets of pastel-colored plastic. The large windows along the perimeter of the room allow for plenty of light to stream in and create colorful effects throughout the office.

"On really bright days the panels explode with light," Freed says.