HouseAmerica Financial is an independently-owned mortgage banking company, specializing in residential lending. Their team approached MASH with the specific intention to bring a tailored, homey feel into their new space to ease the otherwise intimidating process of purchasing a home.
The project began when the company’s president fell in love with an iconic clock tower building in a residential neighborhood of La Cañada Flintridge. The charming exterior carried through to the interior with vaulted wooden ceilings and exposed beams. It was critical for the interior to pay homage to the existing building’s aesthetics, as well as complement the architectural interest of the ceiling, which would remain.
Upon entry, we are greeted by a prominent, white oak reception desk. Situated in the front corner of the space, the desk catches significant daylight, highlighting its ample, modular form. Directly across reception is a welcome/waiting nook that features our scalable Wedge sofa in grey and blush tones, and two sets of custom nesting tables.
The entirety of the space is outfitted with a curated selection of Bolon Flooring. MASHstudios worked with the Bolon team to develop a pattern of warm-tone scale tiles to lend a soft, hospitality feel to the space.
In an effort to foster a welcoming environment, the House America Financial office layout is different from other professional services firms in that there are no conference rooms. All of the senior advisors are encouraged to host small meetings in their generously sized offices. Due to this requirement, the 4,000SF space features 16 private offices and 29 workstations.
The private offices embody a warm residential feeling. The sit-to-stand 75-inch desks with a rounded edge and large return are made of white oak and comfortably accommodate the team’s file storage and workday necessities, with abundant room for personalization. The floating shelves and open shelving credenza are what make the space feel like home. A number of the private offices feature a custom upholstered chair, inspired by a classic safari chair design and made from a plush, stain-resistant polyester/cotton blended velvet.
Also generous in size and customizable elements, the sit-to-stand workstations weave throughout the office core, maintaining the white oak finish and storage accommodations. The workstation areas are lined with fabric walls in various shades of warm grey, which feature curved-edge integrated lighting that brings a faint glimmer to the hallways, creating playful reflections that bounce throughout the space.
Central to the floorplan, in between two workstation runs, is a common area, established by circular poufs from our wedge collection and supplementary circular nesting tables. The consistent use of curved edges is intentional so as not to conflict with the linear architecture of the space.
Lastly, the team wanted a cafe space where they could come together as a group. Inspired by a family-style diner, this space has a number of seating options – a central dining table, scattered cafe tables, and booth seating – and has a feature tambour-lined wall. The gem of this space is a custom, built-in, curvilinear banquette made from a bleach-cleanable, high-performance vinyl, ideal for high-traffic areas.
Much like investing in a home, the House America Financial office design project was a collaborative labor of love between the client, Vigen Pezeshkian Incorporated (architect), and MASHstudios to create an architecturally conscious and comfortable new space. Welcome home, HAF!
Photographer: Digital Rover