Week 8: The Final Week

Hello!

Sadly, this is my last post! I'm finishing up little projects here and there and I've been thinking about how much I've done this summer. Over the past 8 weeks I've worked on the following projects:

-C Spire

-ServisFirst Bank

-PMOA

-Morgan Van Lines

-REEL

-Stephen L Klimjack Law Office

-Dean Waite Law Office

-Bishop State 

-911 Emergency Center

-Eglin Airforce base

-Fort Detrick Dental Clinic

-Dr. Trey's Children's Dental Clinic

-City of Mobile Conference Room 

-iSpice

-Mobile Airport Authority 

-Palmer's Hyundai 

All of these projects were so eyeopening! I was talking to Josh this morning and he asked me if the internship was anything like I expected...Well, yes and no. I did not know I would attend soooo many client meetings. I realize working with the end user is important, but since I have no one other than my professor to consult in the classroom, it's just something I've never had to account a lot of time for. Here I went to meetings every week with multiple clients--which I LOVED doing. The people are the best (occasionally the worst) part of the job! I loved meeting new people, learning about their profession, and figuring what they needed in their space based on their individual  needs. 

Another thing I didn't realize about this job is how much time I would actually spend alone. When I'm working on AutoCAD I spend hours and hours alone at my desk, and that's hard for me sometimes! I'm an extreme extrovert and the thought of spending an entire day alone on the computer makes me squirm. But, I do work with other people here so I'm never just stuck in an office alone. 

It's definitely something to consider when the real world comes my way. But I do love the industry. I love all the options and decisions I get to make every day that impact someone else's life every day for a long time! 

It's been a great experience and I'm thankful for my Innerspaice Crew!

Haworth love and mine, 

Emily the (no longer) Intern 

Week 8: The Final Week

Hello, hello!

     My instruction is to summarize my intern experience. Wow. Tall order. Being an intern has been a learning curve to say the least. It's been stretching, exciting, eye-opening, rewarding, discouraging at times, but a very good experience overall. I've learned soooo much about the furniture industry that I couldn't possibly learn in the classroom. I basically re-learned AutoCAD, became acquainted with Project Spec, which is a finish and pricing software, and used Excel and Photoshop occasionally.

     My experience at Innerspaice has been really crucial in helping hone my professionalism skills. Because I've worked so much with the clients on the projects I've been involved in, it has pushed me to be professional from my attire to my handshake to email correspondence, phone manners, and more! Being in the workplace, rather than the classroom, has affected me more than I originally thought. I've had to be professional in all my communication and learn to double check everything before giving it to the client. Being thorough in my work is something I've always taken pride in, but Bonnie (one of the designers here) has taken it to a whole new level. She checks and triple checks everything and even gets someone else to check it for her if needed.

Teamwork and communication are two other skills I've been able to develop this summer. In the classroom, for the most part, I work as an individual entity. Here, I always work with a partner and have to be really intentional about communicating with them about what I'm working on and the same for them.

Below are some projects I've helped with! (most of which I won't be able to see completed, unfortunately..they are only in phase 1)

The first one is for an engineering company called REEL and the bottom two are for Stephen L Klimjack's law firm.

Haworth love and mine, 

Emily the Intern

Week 7

Collaboration:

Collaboration in the workplace is one of the things I've learned a lot about since I've been here at Innerspaice. I collaborate a lot with sales reps to get quotes for furniture pricing, etc. One very important aspect of our collaboration within the office is our weekly staff meetings are on Wednesdays at 9AM. They are laid back, but very efficient and never last more than an hour. Jim gives a report of what needs to be done and what projects have been completed the week before, the sales team gives their reports, the design team gives their report, and then the project managers give reports on what is being installed and what needs to be installed.

That's all for now--I'll be gone on vacation next week! Try not to miss me too much. :)

Haworth love and mine, 
Emily the Intern

Week 7

Collaboration:
     Bonnie and I are working on adding acoustical products to a dentist office in Fairhope. While there we field measure for wall covering and I've had the joy of estimating the wall covering. Woohoo. ;) However, we had to collaborate with an acoustical specialist to see what the best product would be and how much of the product we need!
     I also do a lot of collaborating with sales reps. I contact them to get pricing for different jobs and for more information on a product. They also come by the office and give us presentations on new product lines and features. Sales reps include textile reps as well. I've had to call and reserve fabric for projects multiple times so I collaborate with them to see how much they have in stock and how long they can reserve it for me.

That's all for now!
Haworth love and mine,
Emily

Week 6

Hello everyone!
Today I've been working on Morgan Trucking Lines project! Justin, the manager, is opening  a new branch in Spanish Fort, AL and his space is on large open room which he wants to turn into a nice, workplace including 6 workstations, a hospitality area, a touchdown area for potential employees to fill out job applications, a kitchenette/break area, a collaboration area, and a nice lounge area with his logo right when you walk in the door. And...I have to fit allllll that in a 40'x18' space? Whaaaat? So, this is what I came up with... The walls are a Haworth movable wall that can be reconfigured. It doesn't mar the floor or walls yet it's durable enough to withstand shelving, and pretty much anything else you would want to hang on the walls! All the other symbols should be self-explanatory.
Bonnie and I went to view the space and interview the client about his needs and his expectations for the space. We then field-measured and I drew up the shell in AutoCAD. From there, I began space planning based on the info he gave us during our interview. We sent him all the options and now we're waiting to see which option he chose, or what revisions he wants to make to his criteria. I'll keep you updated.
Here are the options--hope you enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed this little tid-bit into my life! 

Haworth love and mine, 

Emily the Intern 

Week 6

Hi, hello, hola!

     I have been super busy this week with multiple projects from banks to dentist offices to trucking line offices! And other little things in between. My most time-consuming project so far has been Servis 1st bank in downtown Mobile, only a block from our office! We are working with the designer from the bank, Sarah McCoy. Erin and I specified all the furniture for the first and second floors and Sarah, Erin, and I spent hours over the course of a few days picking out the finishes for the furniture.

      I then gathered all the furniture symbols and began space planning. I put all the furniture into the space and had to incorporate some of the existing furniture in the upstairs offices. I then helped Erin get the pricing together and create binders and a finish board for Sarah to present to the board of trustees at the bank for final approval. She said the meeting went well, so we'll see what the verdict is next week!

This is Sarah, our client. In this photo we are going over the
furniture plan and agreeing on layouts for the conference room and break room. 

This is the finish board I created for their board
 meeting on Monday!

Stay tuned for more! I'm sharing about my experience 

at the trucking company tomorrow!

Haworth love and mine, 

Emily the Intern

Week 5

Hi friends!

      Another post about collaboration-- CIDA says so. Hehe..However, collaboration is one of the most important part about my job as a designer. and it's not just collaboration among my colleagues who are designers, it's collaboration between all the professions that work together to make up a space-- from the architect to the designer to the engineer to the electrician even down to the installers, communication is key..
     Innerspaice helped design Palmer's Toyota dealership in Mobile, AL and I was able to go with Bonnie to the installer visit. We collaborated with the installers to make sure the furniture would be delivered and installed in the correct place at the correct time next Monday.
      I listened intently as Bonnie explained to the installer what to do. She prepared the space and worked out the logistics of where to park the 18-wheeler, what items needed to be moved in first, what items would be stored for Phase II, and how the install drawings would be laid out. Thankfully, she works with the same installing company often and has formed a good relationship with the company managers, so they know what she expects and she trusts them to do a good job.

That's all for now. Night night

Haworth love and mine,
Emily the Intern