Q – “Why are we moving away from calling our space a ‘showroom’?”
A: In the past, we called our space a showroom, an office, a shoffice. Showroom mainly because it is the standard industry term. It is going to take some time switching up our language to workshop but it is such a better descriptor of what we do. We are more than a showroom or an office.
Our library (and the hub of the workshop) has been in various locations in our space over the years. By moving it up to the front, displaying the finishes in a new way, and with it being seen through the front doors, we are putting the process up front for all to see. Things get done here.
Q – “What makes ‘workshop’ a more accurate description of who we are?”
A: Everyone has a general definition of what a workshop is, but if you really think about it, it is what we do at our core day in and day out. “If you look at the definition on Google, it says:
“A Workshop is an interactive, goal-oriented session for a small group to solve problems, develop skills, or generate ideas through practical work and discussion.”
We have always worked this way (collaboratively, but it’s so much more than that) but we now have a better way to express it in words.
Q – “Walk us through the philosophy of design at Cultura. What does it mean to you?
A: Sometimes we think of ourselves as a working lab…we experiment on ourselves before we apply our ideas out in the real world. It gives us a control group for the “science” and “data” we use to back up what we do.
We thrive in those in-person meetings where we get to help our clients solve issues they are facing, guide them in their decisions, and act as a sounding board for them to bring their vision to life.
We really do give culture a place.
Q – Walk us through an example of what “giving culture a place” looks like.
A: I’ve been thinking that we went from black and grey into technicolor with this particular refresh.
When we started the process, we took a design by committee approach. Every group had a representative, and we discussed the wants, needs, likes, dislikes of everyone to reach the final layout. We then took it to the departments to discuss and then leadership for final approval.
The result is a place truly designed by us for us. We were able to provide a place for us to come together, be our highest-functioning selves, and foster and grow our culture and community.
The space reflects who we are and what we do – we are open, light, wanting to help each other, supportive… The space allows clients to get inspired and focus to get the best result for their space.
We will never be flashy, we don’t believe in smoke and mirrors, we take trends and fads with a grain of salt. We are timeless, inviting, respectful, relatable, and considerate and it reflects in our space, designs, and approach to your project. All characteristics inherent in a workshop.