
The Collaboration Design Process with a Condo Board
Working with Condo or Co-op Boards can be an arduous task for some. The variety of personalities of Board Members and the shifting make up of Boards due to their election schedule often lead interior designers to shy away from working on condo building projects. Not me! I am energized by the challenge of building consensus among five or seven group members and I am grateful to have worked with one building especially over the past nine years.
Multifamily Design at the Bay Club, Bayside NY.
I was called in to speak with the Decorating Committee in 2016 to design a feature wall in their pool area of the Community Center, a 100,000 s.f. building featuring amenties of a Fitness Center, Kids Club, Lounge, Banquet Hall and indoor pool. The feature wall was to enhance the whirlpool area and bring life to the large skylit area.
Our design process featured researching materials that would have calming, watery effect and adding some color. We presented two schemes and the Committee was delighted with one that they was soon had installed.
Soon after, we were asked to provide a design for their outdated Banquet Room, Card Room and Lounge. The Fitness Center Reception area came next but a major flood in Queens caused priorities to shift and the underground corridor between buildings required immediate attention. We selected materials, lighting and decorative elements to enhance the experience of walking through the 600’ long space. We also provided a fun interior design for the Kids Club but the budget was reduced so we focused on new flooring, paint colors and upholstery fabrics to refresh the space. During the years, we’ve been asked to provide designs for exterior fencing, assistance in selecting replacement carpeting and lighting fixtures for the residential corridors, and, most recently, select pavers and design an inset logo for the driveway asphalt at the building entrances. The selection of natural marble for the building exterior provides the final touch for the upgrade to the entrances. Under construction now is the renovation of the Fitness Center Locker Room which we designed with fresh geometric white tiles and a strong water blue mosaic focal wall for contrast.
What makes Bay Club so special is the professionalism of the property management staff, the expertise of Board members in the construction field, and the enthusiasm of the building maintenance staff. We are honored to be partners with them in improving the property and providing key interior design for many areas. We are also very proud of the award we won for the project!
