New Decor Can Make All the Difference

When you walk into Sustainable Staffing’s new Harvard Branch you can’t help but notice the beautiful, inspiring, and creative interior design. The mother/daughter duo of Julie Thomas and Annie Morris passionately put in more than 200 hours to create unique items for the new interior design of the office.  

When Sustainable Staffing owner Mary McBride decided recently to relocate to the new Harvard locale, she had a specific goal in mind for the look and feel of the office. Mary wanted to repurpose items from her old office incorporating sustainable principles while making the most use of the new space available. The Harvard artists were up for the challenge and far surpassed any creative ideas Mary had imagined.

“They delivered 10 fold on the office’s decor,” says Mary. “The multifaceted artists far exceeded expectations with their creations of conceptual development of the office. The color, texture, design, and symbolism of every piece is stunning. I truly am so grateful for their talents and contributions.”

[left] A great shot of the refinished coffee table in the lobby incorporating the beautiful river stones we see used throughout the space. [right] A candid shot of Mary on the right, Annie and Julie as they reflect on all the touches shown off at the Ribbon Cutting event held on June 16, 2022.

For Julie and Annie, the task was a labor of love. Mary ran into the artists last spring at an excursion market where Julie and Annie displayed their creative artwork including colorful earrings and repurposed furniture. Mary learned that Julie, a retired hairdresser, has a passion for decorating and loves texture and colors and her daughter Annie is a graphic designer who attended the University of South Carolina. After some conversation, Mary was so impressed with their designs, she commissioned them to help design the new Harvard Sustainable Staffing office. 

As soon as you enter the office, the first thing you notice is a coffee table in the lobby. However, this is no ordinary table! This piece of furniture is a refurbished and refinished table that has been glossed over. The finished product provides a unique look that strongly resembles white and gray rocks. 

“We felt the lobby needed a statement piece,” explains Julie. “We wanted to provide something extra special to provide an impact for people when they first walk in the office.” Pictures do not do justice to this elaborate and decorative piece. Mission accomplished! 

[left] The before state of the bulletins that were repurposed. [right] The after shot of the new pieces as they hang in the office currently.

Some of the most creative pieces by the Harvard designers include refurbishing plain old bulletin boards into moss wall art. One exhibit includes three blue succulent bouquets each representing Mary’s Illinois’ offices in McHenry, Harvard, and Belvidere. A stream of pebbles running on one side represents the Fox River, where Mary passionately enjoys boating. On the other side runs a stream of pebbles representing the Mississippi River.

Complementing the Midwest moss art design is a similar one representing Texas. On this board, a blue succulent bouquet stands out representing Sustainable Staffing’s newest location in San Antonio, Texas. Three local lakes in Texas are expressed with the use of more pebbles to form the oval shapes. 

Bulletin boards up cycled into masterpieces representing each of our branch office areas alongside their maps. Can you see the similarities?

Other pieces of artwork used around the office have been repurposed from pieces that Mary displayed at the old office. This painting of red trees was reimagined into a light textured wall art measuring two-feet wide by four-feet tall. Julie and Annie meticulously used a trowel and plaster to transform the painting into modern art with lines flowing in different directions.

[left] The original state of the canvas before Julie and Annie got their creative hands on it. [right] The results of the amazing transformation.

The artists also brought a unique feel to the office’s conference room by hanging five rattan lanterns that were converted into a statement light fixture that really warms up the place and adds a sense of home to the space. Julie and Annie also designed the conference table to be able to hold up to 17 chairs that will come in handy for all those business meetings the team holds.  

[left] The beautiful lanterns hung in a place of honor over the conference table so all can see no matter where they are situated. [right] Our very own Xavier Calle lighting the candles in the lanterns to set the mood for the day.

“Mary wanted something to hang above the conference table,” Julie says. “We provided a ‘chandelier effect’ for people in the office that defines the conference space apart from the rest of the office.” The lanterns bring such a cozy feeling to the open workspace and really invites people to want to sit and collaborate together.

On the far side of the office, the designers decided to hang a piece that at first glance appears to be a bunch of random numbers, but for the artists, it is anything other than random numbers. The numbers actually represent the latitude and longitude location for each of the current Sustainable Staffing offices. It will be exciting to add more values to the creation as we expand our business!

“All of the work was so rewarding for us,” says Annie. “We didn’t know how big of a job it would be. We spent a lot of time shopping, creating and installing. But we learned a lot about ourselves like how creative we could be and coming up with ideas outside of the box.” Repurposing all these otherwise discarded pieces into beautiful and meaningful focal points really helps the Sustainable Staffing mission come alive for all those who visit the Harvard office. 

Along with being the owner of Sustainable Staffing, Mary prides herself in positivity and optimism. Julie and Annie made sure Mary’s vision was well represented in the office by including motivational and inspirational sayings. Some of the encouraging words hanging on walls that can be found throughout the office include, “Teamwork divides the task…and multiplies the success,” “Kindness changes everything,” “Determination: Unshakeable focus, drive and resilience in the face of adversity,” and “Execute: Put in the work and let your results do the talking.” 

[left] Inspirational posters in the break area are inspiring and calming. [top right] A couple of inspirational quotes that hang above the online access areas. [bottom right] Julie told us about how even all the small decor pieces were collected from fair trade women-led businesses, in particular that basket shown was made in Africa.

Julie is convinced that the uplifting phrases will make a lasting impact on anyone who visits the Harvard office. “People come here seeking out jobs, usually not by choice,” she says. “These words will encourage those in their job search.” And we love that idea! 

Not only is the new office design welcoming to our potential candidates, but it's a place where our staff works day in and out so when Julie and Annie seeked out their input for the new decor it went noticed and greatly appreciated! “Julie and Annie both did a wonderful job making this office feel more like a home,” says Xavier Calle, an on-site coordinator. “I liked that they used ideas from the entire staff. We appreciate their efforts and all they brought to this office.”

Thank you Julie and Annie for all of your hard work and dedication in this beautiful endeavor. We appreciate your creativity and talents to brighten our workplace!