The Design Collaborative, LLC

We know Christmas is fast approaching and everyone is in the Holiday Spirit! We don't mean to crush your spirit by bringing up taxes BUT this is a great time to start strategizing your goals for next year. We wanted to share a little insight into the income tax benefit that can be derived through accelerated depreciation, utilizing what is called a Qualified Improvement Property. Qualified Improvement Property is defined as any improvement made to the interior of a nonresidential building after the building is placed in service. We know so many clients that would LOVE to renovate their office space or commercial building, and that comes with expense. We wanted to share that utilizing our services to reimagine and renovate your existing building COULD qualify that building as a QIP and therefore unlock potential leverage with expedited depreciation of that property. We are not a lot of things and Tax Specialists is at the top of this list! but we are business owners and we know that as business owners you make decisions based on how that decision will affect your bottom line, this year, next year and the next. We also know the value of great contacts and working with the right people. We especially know how much of a return a well executed renovation can bring to your investment initially in enhanced performance and long term to the value of the building. If this is something that interests you we would love to talk more about your potential project and would be glad to point you to a financial specialist that can answer all of the questions I am sure you now have. ??

We wish you a happy & blessed Thanksgiving day friends! Today we are thankful for YOU! For sharing in this journey with us and following along. Today we pray that you enjoy your time with family and reflect on the 1,000 ways that God shows His love.

What are the benefits of a well developed space plan? How can a good space plan serve you practically? ??Improved efficiency and productivity By optimizing layout and workflow, employees can navigate the office more easily and work more efficiently. ??Enhanced collaboration Strategically placed collaborative areas can encourage teamwork and innovation. ??Better space utilization Identify underutilized areas and repurpose them for maximum benefit or multi-use areas. ??Cost savings With careful planning, you can optimize the layout to minimize wasted areas and maximize functionality - this can contribute to reduced real estate costs and lower overhead expenses. ??Employee satisfaction A well-planned office that caters to various work styles can boost morale and job satisfaction - make it feel like a home office, from work. ??Flexibility for future growth Anticipate and accommodate future expansion or changes in work patterns, plan for hybrid working. Brand reinforcement: Align your office design and work space with your company culture and values.

??Happy Veteran's Day Friends! ?? We LOVE our Veterans and couldn't do what we do without their love and support!! We are so grateful for ALL of the Veterans and active duty service members who are sacrificing time away from their families to protect our GREAT nation. We are honored to live, work and raise our children in the greatest nation on earth!

Concept ?? Design ?? Construction ?? Completion Let's talk general phases of a project.... Concept Phase This is the information gathering stage of the project. A good designer will ask a lot of questions! We need to get to know you - how you intend to use your space, your pain points, your daily work flow, what feeling or experience you want to create for patrons or employees - so we can design for YOU! We also talk about budgets and timeline during this phase so we can plan accordingly. Design Phase This is where we take all the information you gave us and translate it into a functional, beautiful design. At this stage, we dive into specifying and working through the details that make the design come to life. We create a 3D model to illustrate and convey our designs. Then we deliver the final design to the contractor in an organized notebook complete with drawings, legends, quotes and cut sheets. Construction Phase During construction, we can be on site to help answer questions, troubleshoot issues (there's always somethin') and catch mistakes before they're a big problem. We consider ourselves the client advocate here, so we work to ensure the design is executed properly. We love to be part of the project team and work hand in hand with the contractor and subs during this phase. Completion You might think our job is done at this stage; however, we're often involved after substantial completion. We always strive to improve, learn and grow. We try to follow up with our clients to make sure their space is working well for them and learn if there are any improvements we can make for next time. We can also help you track and stay on top of any punch list items for the contractor or furniture dealer.

Budgets don't have to be scary! Are you considering taking the next steps on your commercial project but REALLY don't know what a realistic budget for furniture or final finishing would look like? ? ? Check out this quick budgeting tool to help give you an idea of what to expect moving forward. ? ? Of course this is a general budgeting tool because there are so many caveats and options within commercial furniture. When you are ready to take those next steps please let us know, and we would be glad to help you every step of the way! We can help you estimate all of your costs for furniture, artwork & accessories up front so we can preserve that budget at the front end (and not get to the end of build out and not have planned properly).

Q&A with TDC? ? How do you decide which projects are a good fit for you and your firm?? ? Do you welcome client involvement or do you prefer clients to be hands-off?? ? What is an example of a mistake you made on a project, what did you learn from it? ? ? All valid questions so we thought we would provide some insight.? ? What other questions do you have? Please leave them for us in the comments!

A quick look at Branding in the Buildout for business Regardless of size, organizations of all kinds need to invest in branding to stay relevant. If you want to distinguish your business from competitors, consider your values, story, brand promise and uniqueness. Consider the EXPERIENCE you want your clients to have. We can help to create this experience and integrate all facets of your brand into your physical environment and workspace to help you to stand out and set you apart from your competitors. Integrating your brand into your physical space can help your customers recognize you and will help to make their experience with your company more memorable. When customers can identify your company based on physical, visual, auditory elements, it breeds familiarity which develops trust, and eventually your company’s reputation. So how do we help with this? ??? We seek to understand the heart of your brand and company mission. We begin to consider your company’s personality and attempt to align all design decisions with the brand’s overarching goals and speak to the ideal audience. ???Identify key brand elements – logos, color palettes, brand values and use visual elements to express the brands’ identity and influence the customer’s experience. ???Collaborate to craft a narrative through the physical elements of a space that speak to the company’s values, mission, offerings and company story. ??? Ensure consistency in the built environment with the values of the brand. By aligning design decisions with the company’s brand and values, we as designers can create an immersive and impactful brand experience through consistency. Creating a logo is not developing a brand. A brand tells the story of why your company exists!

Let's talk space planning! This is part of our everyday language but we realize the average consumer may not know what we are talking about when we say it. Commercial space planning is not merely about arranging desks and chairs, it's a strategic and fundamental aspect of a commercial design project that starts from the ground up focusing on optimizing the overall layout and functionality of a space. Effective space planning involves strategically arranging walls, furniture, equipment, and functional zones to create an efficient and productive work environment. This process goes beyond aesthetics; it's about creating a balance between people, space, and technology that works for YOUR company. Space Planning considers: ?? Workflow and circulation patterns ?? Department adjacencies ?? Privacy and collaboration needs ?? Acoustic considerations ?? Natural light and views ?? Storage requirements ?? Integration and coordination with technology ?? Future growth potential If you aren't considering these on the front end your workspace may suffer in the long run, typically in the form of unspoken frustrations because of inefficiency or distraction. If you want professional input on the front end or oversight throughout your construction project please let us help! We will introduce you to Hannah Davis who genuinely LOVES to create a good space plan!

"Good design is good business," former IBM president Thomas Watson Jr. famously said in a 1966 memo to all of IBM. It can be an abstract concept to think that input from an interior designer on your build out could literally translate into increased value for your business. So let's talk about it, the more value your organization creates, the more desirable it will be to your prospective clients, and in turn, more potential for profit. When well-designed, your space can contribute to an intuitive, simple, and friendly atmosphere and a better customer experience, we know a better customer experience can increase customer loyalty and more loyal customers can mean improved sales performance. Good design is valuable in all activities of an organization and transcends the interior finishes, good design should be part of the framework of every facet of your business. We are speaking to interior fit out because, well that is where WE can be of value. Connecting your company to your purpose IS YOUR WHY. It is why you exist. Connecting that purpose, mission and goals to your space begins to tell your story to your clients and reiterate your story to your team. Design is a way of thinking that should inform every part of your business. Let us help you be proactive in translating your company's values to your clients, bring organization and clarity to the project and provide thoughtful solutions that consider the building constraints, the budget and the schedule.