Philipp Lithographing Co. (Philipp Litho), a family-owned printing and packaging company located in Grafton, WI, was expanding. The expansion and renovation included a 26,000 square-foot warehouse addition, a 3,600 square-foot office addition, and a renovation of their existing 5,000 square-foot office space. The overarching goal was to create a more modern and professional, employee-friendly office while maintaining a family-run, traditional feel.

Their existing office furniture was mostly heavy-duty golden oak pieces from the 1960s and 1970s that no longer suited their way of working. The location also lacked enough conference rooms and meeting spaces to support their growing team and client-facing needs. They did want to retain certain traditional design elements, such as the warm wood tones, but also needed the space to feel modern and efficient. Their new workstations required customized designs to accommodate many printed documents and packaging materials.

Philipp Litho selected Design to Construct (D2C) to lead the architectural design and construction of the new spaces. As part of this process, D2C brought in Henricksen to help them create an all-encompassing furniture package for Philipp Litho and worked as a team to help bring Philipp Litho’s vision for the furniture to life.

“Philipp Litho’s design vision went hand in hand with the overall style of the building,” said Alaina Bernarde, Interior Designer, D2C. ““We took the time to go through each space to make sure the pieces and furniture layout meet the needs and functions of the end users. We chose wood tones and fabrics for the furniture that coordinated with the new interior finish materials that were specified.”

National Waveworks workstations were selected, balancing durability and design. Wood skins were used on the outside of the workstations to match the company’s traditional aesthetic and height-adjustable desks were specified to meet modern ergonomic needs. The private offices were outfitted with Gunlocke chairs and high-end traditional pieces to create a sophisticated yet functional environment.

Where possible, Henricksen and D2C’s designers worked with Philipp Litho to reuse existing furniture, such as incorporating some existing seating and reusing the base of a conference table, adding a new top for a refreshed look. The project also included custom touches like a demountable wall system with magnetic panels. These walls encased the conference room, and the magnetic panels allowed the clients to hang up their lithographing plans for their meetings. There also are other architectural walls throughout the space, adding both functionality and a modern aesthetic.

The collaboration between D2C, Henricksen, and the client was smooth, with constant communication and quick resolution of any punch list items. Henricksen’s documentation of furniture standards and finishes ensured the project deliverables were clear and helped keep the project on track.

“Cammy keeps the client’s best interests at heart,” said Bernarde of Henricksen Account Manger Cammy Harvey. “She is the first person I communicate with on each furniture job. Her attendance at each meeting, whether onsite or at Henricksen, ensures we were making progress. She gets questions answered and searches for the right solution based on her past experiences.”

The end result is a new space for Philipp Litho that is both visually appealing and highly functional for current and future employees.