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Before and After photos show the dramatic remodelling of the lobby. Here is the original configuration with tiered planters and plastic flowers.I redesigned the lobby to much more pleasant, combining a layered mural as a background, and planters, decks and wood sculpture.

"Daybreak"

"Everyone hates it!" began the telephone conversation, "It reminds them of a funeral parlor." Not good -- for the lobby of a retirement center . The owner of Horton Plaza in Medford, Oregon subsequently commissioned me to remodel their first lobby into something a bit more inspiring.

My first task was to remove the awful tiers of plastic flowers! By installing a restful layered mural as a backdrop, and decks, corner wood sculpture and planters with live plants, the space was transformed into a beautiful environment for the enjoyment of the residents, and a lasting first impression for visitors. The fountain was supplied by John Anderson of Corvalis, Oregon.

During the installation, which normally would have taken about a week, many of the residents made it a habit to stop by each day to check on the progress. Working a little slower than usual, I extended the installation time to two weeks for their entertainment and my own fun.

before

after

The wood sculpture wraps around the corner as part of a wood deck that appears to float above the pebble planter. The sculpture was made in about a half dozen sub-assemblies before being installed in place on the walls of the lobby.
Detail of the corner of the main dining room with layered mural radiating out above the grand piano.

"Eternal Flame"

Prior to remodeling the lobby, I was commissioned to create a large layered mural for the retirement center's Dining Room. The mural wraps around three walls of the room, and varies in height from 10’ to 18’. During the installation, the owner asked if a piano might be able to fit into the overall scheme. With absolutely no modification to the design, we rolled the baby grand into place as if it had been designed to go there from the start!

A portion of the layered mural is seen here in the main dining room. The mural wraps around three walls of the space and slopes up to an 18' height..

Copyright Richard Houston 2004 - 2010. All rights reserved.