A little while ago, I was put in charge of styling my ad agency’s lounge. Ecstatic to

A little while ago, I was put in charge of styling my ad agency’s lounge. Ecstatic to have been given the opportunity, I stayed up late researching and pulling products I thought the bigwigs might like, and I even made mood boards and estimated costs. It was a blast. I must admit, though, the process was a bit nerve-racking. Having worked in ad agencies for years, I knew how important of a space this would be for my fellow employees. They were looking for a place to brainstorm, free from the pressure of clients. A place that looked great and inspired them at the same time. No pressure, Garrett!
If only I had known about the thoughtful design of NYC-based branding agency The Charles at the time. Maybe then the task wouldn’t have seemed so daunting. *Sigh* Simply put, The Charles’ look is a master class in office decoration. Guests are greeted with branding without being bludgeoned by it, the employee bar is set up so as to encourage staff to take a load off, and a focus on art means meeting rooms and offices are far from boring. Unsurprisingly, the process of bringing The Charles to life took time and a massive amount of effort by founders and siblings Samantha and Aaron Edwards. Luckily for us, though, today you and I get to cheat a bit. The duo has generously gathered up everything they learned from putting it together and culled it down int...