Recent Post By Sunpan Furniture- Sotheby’s Training Facility

From living in four countries, creating 12 personal homes and working as a fashion buyer for many years, Beth Krupa found her calling in interior design. Krupa’s design style has been influenced from the architecture she saw living abroad and uses her past experiences in her work today.

 

“I changed focus to the home and the power it gave you,” the Connecticut based designer told Sunpan. Krupa said the renewed lifestyle she and her design team can bring to clients is “invigorating” and they focus on helping clients enjoy the process while discovering all the sources that are available at their fingertips.

 

Recently, Krupa worked on a new, innovative training facility for luxury real estate company Sotheby’s, The Imagine Lab in Stamford, CT. The 3,000 square-foot facility offers Sotheby’s new cohort of brokers access to state-of-the-art technology and an intensive training program.

 

Working with the chief innovation officer, Lance Pendleton, Krupa focused on making a home-like atmosphere for agents. “As Lance said, we’re not selling office space. We’re selling homes. He really wanted it to feel much more home-like.”

 

We asked Krupa for three tips to think about while designing workspaces. These tips are suitable whether you are working on creating a professional or home office.

 

1. Incorporate Noise Reduction Elements

 

Any office space will no doubt be filled with the constant hum of computers, the tapping of keyboards, buzzing of cellphones and conversations. Krupa suggests thinking of materials that can be sound absorbing, such as flannel accessories, and softer elements in the furniture, like Sunpan’s faux leather Garcia chairs. If possible, also consider installing sound reducing material underneath new flooring, which is what Krupa’s team did inside The Imagine Lab.

 

2. Make it thought provoking

 

While making this environment thought provoking, Krupa sourced neutral furniture so that the creativity and pops of colour can shine through. Seating like our white Garcia chairs and grey Architect barstools are perfect for this situation. “My whole plan was to keep the centre very tonal and peaceful and then off into the other rooms, I wanted splashes of colour,” Krupa said, “I wanted people to kind of imagine ‘What’s going on in there? And in there?’ It’s whimsical. And that’s really what the print on the pillow did for me.”

 

 

3. Think of furniture as people

 

While the Imagine Lab is a professional facility, Krupa said she still wanted to make the space joyful and playful. “I think of furniture as people. What conversations are you having? What situation are you involved in within the space?” The space creates the comfort and flexibility for the young professionals to conduct private meetings, share large presentations, work in open workspaces, or network in the lounge areas. For example, Krupa purposely sourced Sunpan’s Morgan office chairs for placement around meeting tables to give agents the option to move around to participate in the larger discussions or turn to work in a more intimate setting.

 

To learn more about Beth Krupa and her team, visit her website here.