“After getting all of this squared away, updating the reception area and lobby felt easy!’’ she explains. No surprise there, as Design Spout’s highly thoughtful process that yields beautiful outcomes always seems effortless and never contrived, with a sophisticated style that branches out of the midwestern norm.

“I consider all factors: The architecture and existing conditions; what the space needs in order to come alive and be an outcome that is better than the client could have imagined. It’s a design study involving many aspects, but I like to build it out in 3D to figure out transitions, scale, materials, lighting, et cetera,’’ she says.

While the lobby’s attractive wood paneling existed, the original furnishings were dated, and the layout was not optimal for Iman’s new plan. Renovating the receptionist’s front desk area was important to modernizing the look. Iman designed a new, taller desk in a beautiful stone fabricated by Dimensional Stoneworks. She also used a darker, fluted wood for the back wall of the cabinets, stopping it at a lower height than the paneling, giving the reception area a Bauhaus vibe.

To make the whole space feel current and last for many years, Iman used classic furniture designs and photography of well-known musicians. 

“I layered rich fabric and rug tones that were just as saturated in color as the wood paneling,’’ she says. “There are some trends and funkiness sprinkled in, as well, but I think a part of us all will be forever young!’’