Historic guest house transformed into an inspiring and innovative Design House for Sherwin-Williams.
Minnesota is home to many global brand headquarters. One in which we are particularly proud is Valspar, long-time STAR client. So when Valspar was acquired by Sherwin-Williams in 2016, we were excited to see two industry leaders come together and equally curious to see how the joined forces would conquer the coatings industry.
With news of the acquisition, we learned Sherwin-Williams would continue to be headquartered in Cleveland but would maintain a significant presence in Minneapolis. Having worked with Valspar to create their beautifully appointed branded lobby in the Minneapolis HQ, we looked forward to now helping the parent company show its investment in Minnesota.
Our teams started talking shortly after the acquisition was public. The initiative? To create a new corporate environment called the Design House; an inspiring and comfortable space for guests to work and conduct collaborative meetings. The canvas selected was a 1900s carriage house owned by Valspar. Originally a horse stable, the carriage house eventually became a hotel where employees would stay when traveling in from out of state. But most recently, the space was unoccupied or only used occasionally as a work room for special projects.
Working with HCM and Kraus Anderson as key partners on the project, the space was gutted and transformed. True to the principles of experiential design, the space boasts opportunities to interact with color and textures. The unique spaces allow for casual meetings, formal presentations, collaborative brainstorm sessions, and playful creativity.
Similar to the Valspar branded lobby, our team provided the layout of the space, interior design of the fixtures and activations, engineering, production, and installation.We fabricated bookcases, cabinets, shelving units, and sample walls as well as a giant “light bright” wall that uses colored bottles as pegs and welcomes visitors to the space.
The Design House is now open and welcomes customers, leadership, and stakeholders on a daily basis. Visitors talk about products, trends and industry topics in an environment designed for high engagement. As the space is used, we will continue to work with the Sherwin-Williams team to enhance and expand the experience, offering a truly delightful and inspiring experience.
Want to hear more about the Sherwin-Williams Design House or other designed environments? You can reach the STAR team here.
