Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett’s Workplace) : Part 1

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comWhen we moved from Ohio to Utah almost four years ago, we moved without the security of jobs waiting for us on the other side of the country. Of course being self-employed and owning my small business meant I could pretty much work from anywhere, but we had no idea what Emmett’s employment future looked like. Believe it or not- outside of renovating our house, he has a regular nine to five job. I know, I know… he is a superstar! He basically has two full-time jobs. His degree and employment areas of expertise are in business management, finance, and accounting. Luckily, a few months after we settled in Utah (in our previous home), he landed an interview with a local company called Mapleleaf. I could tell he was really excited about this opportunity. Here we are years later, the company has been growing & evolving, and Emmett has worked his way up the ladder to COO. I’m extremely proud of Emmett and his co-workers for their success, that’s why I was pretty elated when the owner of the company asked me to help in designing their new office space. We’ve become friends over the past few years and I felt so honored that he trusted me to help. Their new building is huge, so I decided to break this blog post into two parts because I ended up with a LOT of reveal images. Today, I’m sharing the first level! Click through for a peek at Emmett’s company office and the first part of the big reveal. You’ll find a reception area, reception seating, the conference room, the employee break room, and a reception bathroom. Ready to see and hear all about it? This post is a big one!

For sources, I’ll drop shopping sliders below applicable images! I think it will be easier to navigate than a GIANT roundup.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comMapleleaf began as a cabinetry company years ago (they actually manufactured the custom cabinets I designed for our previous kitchen), but have since evolved to produce cabinets, fixtures, and systems for commercial companies (basically anything custom)… think cabinets and things for hospitals, schools, storefronts, restaurants & multi-location businesses, grocery store fixtures, displays, etc. They still tackle a few residential projects here and there, but for the most part their business works with other businesses (B2B). It’s easy to see why Emmett was excited to work here- he obviously fits right in and loves this type of problem solving. The products they make in Utah can be found around the world. In the past year, Emmett has visited Ghana, Colombia, and Haiti to install special projects… they figured out he was handy, and he jumped at the opportunity to travel along on some of their international jobs.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comAnyway… that’s a bit of the Mapleleaf backstory. The team is filled with wonderful, passionate people and I feel lucky to have been a small part in creating a space for them to work and enjoy. I began by rebranding their logo and identity early last year. That’s right- I had to put my graphic design hat back on for a hot minute. Once the new identity rolled out, they wanted to get the ball rolling on renovating their newly acquired building for employees. I worked alongside their hired architect to select finishes, fixtures, building materials, paint colors, and I designed all of the door graphics, but my main job pretty much began after the renovation was completed. I was in charge of selecting and purchasing furnishings for the entire place. It was no small task- the building is 30,000+ square feet! It had also been about five or six years since I tackled a commercial project, so I was honestly a little nervous. I feel like more of a design blogger than a “real” interior designer these days. I stopped taking client projects a couple years ago and worried I would be rusty.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comThe overall feel of the office is masculine and industrial with warm wood tones throughout… after all- these people specialize in wood products! They actually built all of their office desks (including the custom lit reception desk, pictured above) and cabinetry themselves. The office is filled with natural light and they have multiple large windows throughout. I bought them live plants, not really sure how they’d do or if they’d even survive, but they’re all THRIVING (shoutout to Dana for taking good care of the plant babies!). You’ll also notice a lot of glass walls in tomorrow’s post once I share the second level.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comInitially, they were not sold on my idea to polish the concrete floors and were more interested in installing commercial carpet on the main level. I love the industrial, aged look the concrete brings to the space. Plus- it’s very durable, budget-friendly, and easy to clean! They do their production and manufacturing in house at this location and there is a GIANT shop / factory under the same roof, so a little dust is inevitable- this flooring really made the most sense and is an easy fix, if footprints are tracked in and out of the shop into the office space.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comIn the reception area, I wanted to include a coat tree, an umbrella holder, a bench, the reception desk (which is more like a sculptural piece of art centered in the space), a seating area for clients, and some additional chairs. There is some really fun play on angles and shapes in this space!

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comAcross the room from the bench is a nice little seating area… complete with a frame TV (that’s not just art, my friends)! Does the marble coffee table look familiar? It should! It’s the same one we have in our basement media room. The first one arrived with a small chip in it. I swapped our table for theirs, so the one without imperfections could live at Mapleleaf.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comI included two swivel chairs with wood plinth bases that match the reception desk. Emmett says these swivel chairs are his favorite chairs in the entire office… which was surprising to me, because he has leather swivel chairs in his office (which you’ll see tomorrow). These chairs are super nice and photos don’t really do them justice.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comIt’s cool walking into a beautiful office (that I don’t even work at) where everyone knows my name, says hello, and has friendly conversation. I’m telling you- the nicest people on the planet work here and I’m so happy I was able to share my creativity to design a space for them. This project was definitely one close to my heart because I know how happy this place makes my husband!

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comThe main level is primarily common spaces for employees and clients… that’s why it isn’t too personalized. It’s filled with professional spaces to host meetings, clients, and guests… as well as some common spaces for employees to enjoy (like the break room, you’ll see later in this post).

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comThe owner had a vision of a frosted glass walled conference room from the very beginning, so I can’t take credit for that idea… although I did design the frosted glass with the logo. I like that it gives the conference room a little privacy, while hinting at what the space is used for.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comAll of the glass walls throughout the office are black framed and look very industrious- especially sitting atop the concrete floors. We wanted to keep the walls bright and clean.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comInside the conference room sits a custom designed conference table. It’s a 10 foot live edge table made from a single slab of wood! Isn’t it beautiful?! The base is made from reclaimed steel I-beams, so it’s super heavy duty.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comI also wanted to include a kitchenette area that would be convenient for breakfast or lunch meetings. Mapleleaf built the cabinets and the custom floating shelves I designed. I love that the edges of the shelves are wrapped in black metal… it’s a nice finishing detail that ties in the industrial look. I’ll link the conference room sources below…

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comIn terms of art, I kept it super simple, masculine, and minimal. It’s kind of a nice surprise to turn the corner and see the styled kitchenette and bank of cabinetry with floating shelves that adds personality and warmth to an otherwise serious space.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comI wanted to surprise Emmett and his boss by adding an expected item to the conference room. I reached out to Zephyr (remember when I went on their amazing Designer Retreat?), and asked if they would be willing to send a black stainless beverage cooler. It actually wasn’t a part of our initial plan or cabinetry drawing, but I knew it would make the space and would be very functional for meetings! Luckily, they said yes. BIG THANK YOU, Zephyr team… I really love you guys (and your products). It was a fun surprise switching up the cabinetry drawing and inserting that unexpected element.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comI’m pretty sure I became the MVP of the conference room design thanks to that beauty pictured below. It really is perfect for this industrial space! I actually fell in love with the wine cooler in their showroom when I visited, but knew that wouldn’t be appropriate for a conference room. I opted for their beverage cooler for Mapleleaf instead, and I’m hoping to use the wine cooler when it comes time to renovate our basement kitchen! Wouldn’t that be awesome for all things entertaining down there? I can see it now… movie night with wine!

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comI stocked their cabinets, cooler, and shelves with all of the things they might need to host lunch meetings… coffee cups, glassware, pitchers, beverages, napkins, flatware, and coasters (so nobody messes up that pretty wood table, ha!).

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comBefore we leave the conference room- there are some cool things about this cooler unit I wanted to share…. the shelves slide in and out, so you can easily grab and stock beverages at the back of the unit. That was one of my favorite things I noticed seeing it in person at the Zephyr San Francisco showroom.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comThe shelves are adjustable and it holds up to 112 cans! There are also nice little grooves for bottles to rest in, so they don’t slide around. My favorite part though? You can set the color. It has three different settings! Since this is a serious space, I figured the neutral bright white light was best, but there are fun colors to play with as well (light bright blue and amber).

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comThe cooler is also finished on all three sides, so technically- it doesn’t need to be sandwiched into cabinetry. I just prefer the built-in look, but it can definitely free stand on its own, if you’re in the market for a beverage cooler! I’m telling you- these things are the nicest ones I’ve seen. They even have dual climate ones for beer & wine (which is what I want for our basement someday). FYI- Emmett picked the beverages, so no judgements. Haha!

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comI also had another Frame TV installed in the conference room. I figured it would come in handy for meetings and presentations. The white board goes on the back wall, but has yet to be installed. That should be happening any day now.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comSo that’s the conference room! What do you think? I really like that space and hope it will provide a wonderful meeting place for employees and clients. I met Emmett at his office the other day and it was fun to have lunch in here and admire all of the beautiful finishes.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comMoving in the other direction through the lobby or reception area… is a hallway that leads to a reception bathroom, employee offices, and the break room.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comThis bathroom is simple, yet impactful. The architect somehow missed my tile selection and I arrived at the jobsite one day to see a LOT of beige tile installed in the space. I knew I needed to rework the design and think of something that would make a statement and make this reception bath feel less blah (or beige). I loved the idea of a high-contrast infinity sink with a waterfall edge. We ended up finding a slab of nero quartz and the fabricator vein matched everything to perfection! It turned out really nice and looks super sleek in the office.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comUnlike the other bathrooms at Mapleleaf, this one isn’t used very often. It’s mainly for clients waiting in the reception area or people using the conference room. Therefore, I was able to get more creative with this space. Instead of the powered soap dispenser, I was able to use a pump, I swapped the towel dispenser for a tray of towels, etc. There are lots of other ADA compliant (Americans with Disabilities Act) bathrooms in the office (and on this level), so I was able to treat this one a bit more like a residential space. It still has grab bars and the appropriate clearance under the sink, but I had more room to play with accessories- like the soap and towels.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comDoes that faucet look familiar? It should! It’s the Brizo Litze, which is the same faucet we had in our bathroom at our previous home. I loved the industrial details so much (ugh- that knurling is gorgeous!), I knew it would be a perfect fit for the space.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comThe last stop on the main level tour today is the break room. It’s the place where employees can store & heat food, grab drinks, sit for a break or lunch, charge their phone (or other tech), and just hangout or relax.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comThere are entrances to both the office portion of the building, as well as the shop where products are being manufactured… which is why the safety glasses sign is a necessity.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comThere is plenty of counter space for food or lunch prep, a full size kitchen sink, coffee, and more in the break room. It’s a pretty large space in the center of the building on the main level.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comIn addition to the fancy soda machine pictured above (which the employees LOVE- including Emmett and his obsession with Dr. Pepper), this room has plenty of cabinets for food storage, four microwaves, and two full size refrigerators. It makes it very easy for multiple employees to take their lunch break at the same time. I’ve become friends with many people who work here through Emmett, so it’s fun to pop in during lunch, head to the break room, and say hi to everyone! It’s such a happy place. I’m still on the hunt for additional art for this room, but good things take time.

Mapleleaf Offices (Emmett's Workplace) : Part 1 - roomfortuesday.comIf your company or business is ever in need of fixtures, cabinets, or custom systems- be sure to keep Mapleleaf in mind! They work with clients all over the world. Or- if you’re local to Salt Lake and are job hunting- they’re always on the hunt for good employees! There is my shameless plug to help Emmett with the business he is so passionate about. Honestly though… I’m super grateful for Mapleleaf and the amazing work community, friends, and close-knit circle we’ve become apart of since moving to Utah. Moving away from friends, family, and everything you know without job security can be daunting (to say the least), but with hard work and positive attitudes, I can confidently say- Utah feels like home now and we’re so happy here. We both have jobs we absolutely love and can’t complain. Mapleleaf is a big part of that!

Be sure to check back tomorrow for Part 2 of the reveal… we’re headed upstairs to the second level! There is a design resource room to share, bathrooms, tons of employee offices (including Emmett’s), and I’ll give you a peek into the shop. What do you think so far? Can you picture Emmett working here? The office has been so well received by his co-workers. I’m so glad they’re loving it! If you work in an office setting- do you have a similar setup? Are you a fan of your current office or building? I feel like environment makes a big impact on employee happiness. It has been years since I’ve worked in an office environment!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

27 Comments

  1. Wowza! 30,000 square feet?! That’s a project. I’d say you nailed it! The concrete floors are the first thing I noticed in your opening image; I love them! The reception desk is amazing, and all the beautiful wood, black, glass and concrete reads very hip, yet businesslike. Nice save with the Nero marble sink; it’s killer! (You obviously would not have specified beige tile!😢) Mapleleaf sounds like a special place; seems like both Emmett and the company are thriving! A cross-country move without jobs is a big, scary risk (We’ve done it, too!), but you guys seem to have settled into Utah seamlessly. Nice work! Happy groggy Monday!

    1. It’s a beast! Although part of that is the shop where they manufacture, so the office portion is probably more like 10-15, but still- HUGE PROJECT. I know- the beige tile was an interesting surprise, so I had to improvise. In the end, I think it turned out nicely! Emmett really loves it there and I’m so happy for him. It was fun to pretend like an employee there for a bit as I was installing furniture, running in and out of their offices. Ha! Happy groggy Monday to you. Here’s to hoping the time change gets easier every day :) Phew! xo

  2. What a wonderful office! I worked in offices for many years but unfortunately for me nothing super cool like that. So incredible you got to be part of the design process and be such a key contributor. They were very lucky to have you on board to assist with such a large space 🤩
    My favorite feature is the stacked wood wrapped around the reception desk 💗 I’m a girl who likes her wood 😅 and I would definitely love working in that office if I lived there for sure. So happy for all the employees and Emmett must be so proud. Cheers to a fantastic office space and the amazing company who actually cares about providing a nice environment to work 🥂 For its employees! They seem they a wonderful work family 😉 that you get to be a part of 😍

    1. Thanks Colleen! The reception desk is really cool… I can’t take credit for it. Emmett and the owner of the company dreamt that up together. I just selected the finishes, color, logo placement, etc. Ha! I’m also really happy for the Mapleleaf team- they all deserve a nice, inspiring place to work. Hope you have an awesome week :)

  3. i would love more information about the bathroom sink. My husband is dying to do something similar in our bath. I assume the counters/sink were custom fabricated. Is there a kit for this type of drain that slopes from the countertop?

    1. Definitely, Becky! The sink is called an “infinity” sink… that’s the type of drain return. You can buy readymade infinity sinks, but if you’re looking for one with a waterfall edge (like the one I designed for them), that has to be custom fabricated. I would just tell your stone fabricator you’d like an infinity sink with a waterfall edge- be sure to specify the size. Hope this helps!

  4. This is beautiful! I’ve worked in many industrial office spaces and it always hurt my design loving heart that they were so blah. Absolutely love that you were able to steer them to things that served the function, but also look phenomenal.

    1. Thank you, Carmen! It was really fun to have a part in creating their workspace :)

  5. Brilliant, Sarah, absolutely brilliant design all around, so my sincere compliments to everyone involved. As a marketer and artist, I am especially drawn to your logo and interior design, so well done you! And a special shout out to Emmett on his COO position. Cheers, Ardith

    1. Thank you so much, Ardith! I’m really happy to have had a small part in pulling this office together :) It was a lot of fun! Have a great week! xo

  6. Nice office! You have really thought of everything! 4 microwaves! Brilliant! Every conference room needs beverages! Back when I was working for a large life insurance company, I would run back and forth to the break room getting bottle waters or beverages…this is the best!
    I am with Emmett…love Dr. Pepper…too much! I have never seen Dr P with cream soda!
    I want the swivel chairs. They look so comfortable. I would be in them all the time!
    Designing an office was a big undertaking but you did so good! Look forward to coming back tomorrow to see the rest!

    1. Thanks, Danna! When we were beverage shopping, Emmett spotted the DP with cream soda and had to try it. It was news to us too. haha! I’m not sure if he liked it or not? I’ll have to report back! Thanks so much for reading :) Have a wonderful day!

  7. I have to comment and say how beautiful a job you did! Love the concrete floors! And love the marble counter in the beige tile bathroom- you took it from plain jane boring beige to a whole new level!

    1. Thank you, Tamsen! I’m really digging the concrete floors- they turned out better than I had envisioned! The bathroom was a surprise, but rolling with the punches and reworking the plan ended up being worth it in the end :)

    1. Thank you, Melissa! xo

  8. The office is gorgeous but I want to talk about Emmett. So handsome, smart, and handy. A winning trifecta! And congrats to him on the COO position. That’s impressive.

    1. Thanks, Cyndi! I really lucked out with that guy. Haha! He is amazing, but I know I’m biased :) xo

  9. Laura Hill says:

    Wow! This office is gorgeous, Sarah! It’s all fantastic, but the reception bathroom really caught my eye. I love that nero quartz and the Brizo Litze faucet!

    1. Thank you, Laura! I love that bath… for things not going as planned and having to pivot with the design plan, I think it turned out really well. It makes me miss our Litze faucet! That one was Emmett’s request.

  10. Beautiful work!! Did you paint the white framed abstract art above the bench? Love it!

    1. Thanks, Janet! I didn’t… I purchased that piece. I actually found it at HomeGoods. I had to source the GIANT art locally because of shipping costs.

  11. This is gorgeous and very nicely done! Our choices are so similar, so kudos to your good taste! ;-) I got the opportunity to renovate the main level of my own office a few years ago which is a construction management firm. No concrete to polish (I would have loved that!) but instead I chose a concrete looking large scale carpet tile which adds an industrious look and still wears really well with all the traffic. The conference room got a beefy hand made rustic wood table that’s over 25 feet long paired with forged steel legs and leather chairs. In the main lobby I chose a gorgeous leather sofa from Article and paired it with these beautiful fabric and wood chairs with gorgeous curved carved arms. Same as you I went for masculine, but organic pairings trying to incorporate what we do (build buildings!) with a love for those materials and craftsmanship. Last year I got to redesign the third floor and soon we’re moving on with 3 additional spaces I get to design. It’s been so great and I love that my boss has trusted me with this and these choices. I need to follow up with a lot of the little details that you’ve added here like live plants and things (once I know who will care for them!).

    1. Thank you!! Haha :) and kudos on YOUR great taste. Your office sounds equally as dreamy. A 25 ft wood table?! I love the sound of that. It sounds like you’re doing an amazing job and are having fun with the project, Michelle! xo

  12. Sarah, that kitchenette in the conference room is all kinds of brilliant and has your name written ALL over it. Love the special touches and as always, your amazing and important attention to detail, both design atheistic-gorgeous wood floating shelves with the black metal supports along with the beautiful, unique mugs, as well as how the space needs to work-the killer beverage cooler and the frame TV for video conferencing, etc.

    The space is industrial, but welcoming and warm. Kudos to you for an incredible and HUGE job well done and to E and his fellow employees for having such a beautiful and inspiring space in which to work. Mapleleaf sounds like a very special place indeed, firstly but having such a wonderful, kind and talented team and now thanks to you, a gorgeous space that helps support them and their clients even more. Seriously, well done. I didn’t think I’d be excited to see a commercial space reveal, but I should’ve known better when I knew it’d be you who’d be designing it.

    PS – HUGE congrats to Emmett for his much deserved success with ALL of his jobs! :-D