When H.H.H., a commercial furniture systems company, contacted Kuchar to refresh their longstanding space at the Merchandise Mart, we were thrilled! They wanted to capture the vibe of a European hotel lobby - clean, timeless, & minimal, with subtle eye-catching details and a welcoming feel. We were only too happy to oblige.
We stayed very cognizant of the importance of the first impression at the entry - much like the foyer of a hotel! Adding three portals with asymmetric, organic openings helped ground the space within the entry and give users multiple options of ways to experience the space. Each opening is set off with a contrasting oxblood paint to really make the shape pop. The space within the foyer is meant to showcase their newest product launch - this year, a stunning asymmetrical-top conference table with an intriguing knit base.
As users move into the foyer, they find themselves under a canopy of live plants hanging through a metal grid structure hung at the same slight angle as the central opening beyond. The client had a very specific vision for the greenery throughout this space, and it was important to the entire team to make sure that vision was executed successfully. For the canopy, we installed a variety of lush ferns, trailing succulents, and leggy ivy and pothos varieties. Through the rest of the space we blended several of H.H.H.'s existing floor plants with similar varieties to create a lush, lively feel.
Each portal frames out a vignette of the company's wide offering of product. We worked with the client to identify a layout that provided several vignettes throughout the showroom, creating realistic settings for their clients to see how their offerings would feel in situ. The perimeter of the space was kept clean and simple to let the product shine; textured lime wash finish on the walls pairs seamlessly with the subtle movement of the poured epoxy flooring. Large arched sconces over wall-adjacent vignettes allude to the portal openings and help create a more intimate feel at each setup.
The oversized sconces are repeated at the east wall of the space, highlighting two distinct product zones. This angle also shows how clean and open we kept the layout, making sure the space gave enough presence to each product on display.
At the hospitality bar, this table serves dual purpose as an island for guests and also as an opportunity to showcase more of their product. The client was able to customize their existing casework offerings to create the cabinetry with built-in appliances, and we love how seamless it looks! The wood slat walls throughout the space were from its previous iteration; we repurposed these in the new design for space division without the weight of a solid partition. We kept the other slat walls in the space their existing wood tone, but painted the one behind the bar the same oxblood as the portal openings and the bar table, grounding the space and creating a place for the eye to land without compromising the light and airy feel.
Slat walls were also used at their private office and open office desking solutions, blending seamlessly in with the furniture finishes and helping to create room vignettes throughout the space.
The slat wall at the open office desking serves as a partition between the "front porch" of the space and the product being shown inside, helping to create a distinctive vignette from the corridor where H.H.H. can show off a feature piece on the new custom platform. Lush plants and statement art combine with delicate pendants above for an eye-catching display.
H.H.H. got not only a new showroom, but new branding as well for Neocon this year! We love the minimal and distinctive rebrand, shown here in their new logo, and especially love how well it works with their new space. Check them out at suite 345 in the Merchandise Mart!
Design: Kuchar
Photography: Christopher Barrett Photo