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Innovative Eye Care

Charlotte, N.C.
www.innovativeeyecare.net
Owner: Michelle Mumford, OD



 
SUBMISSION ESSAY…

“Ask any optometrist to name the highest-risk optical business activity of 2011. Opening a first practice cold would likely be at the top of the list but Michelle Mumford, OD decided to take that daring action in the upscale Dillworth neighborhood of Charlotte, N.C. Armed with the assistance of Williams Group consultants and the financial planning prowess of her marketing executive husband, Jeff Mumford, the couple set out to create Innovative Eye Care, a practice that offers the highest standards for Vision…Health…Style.

The Mumfords knew that creating a first-class look and feel for the office would be a challenge on the limited budget they had to work within, but they also realized that engaging top professionals for design (Barbara Wright Design, Nashville, Tenn.) and construction (Colony Builders, Charlotte, N.C.) was a must to achieve the high quality office environment they required. They asked for a design that would attract high income patients, create trust and confidence in both their fashion eyewear and clinical services and embody the name Innovative Eye Care in a unique and powerful way.

With eyewear ranging from mid-priced to high-end name brands, the boutique look of the optical tells shoppers, ‘Expect high fashion and high quality here.’ White-on-white custom display cases and walls create a spacious feeling and make the frames pop. Mixing in classic Queen Anne chairs with bargain-priced accent tables and a quirky crystal chandelier give the shop a dashing style.

Within a month after opening, they were seeing nearly twice as many patients and selling more eyewear than expected due to patrons being drawn in by the sparkling style of the office. After first making the initial daring decision to start a new practice in an uncertain economy, and then holding fast to their vision of a daring and unique office design, they now reap the rewards of launching a successful startup.”





 


Modern Eyes

Austin, Texas
www.moderneyesaustin.com
Owner: Sonja Franklin, OD


 
 
 
SUBMISSION ESSAY…

“A boutique optical and full service optometrist’s office located four blocks from the University of Texas, Modern Eyes is known both for its adherence to green building practices and its clean, contemporary design.

With the vision of Mark Lind, Sonja Franklin, OD’s husband, a professional building designer, the concept behind the office’s aesthetic utilizes an intentionally simple palette of materials to define the look:

  • With the exception of the carpeted exam rooms, exposed concrete flooring runs throughout the office,
  • Raised steel panels bolted to white cabinetry form both the desk and the front window displays,
  • A frameless, cube-shaped etched glass enclosure provides for a private and light-filled pretest area,
  • A 44-foot long concrete wall runs the length of the office to define the dispensary and house the frame collections,
  • Lime green, used in the office signage, enlivens the space in strategic locations, and
  • Birch plywood paneling behind the front desk and in the luxury frame area adds a warm, natural touch.

To accentuate the office’s design and materials, lighting—including LED fixtures—provides options while adhering to the building owner’s strict energy budget.

With a simple yet diverse composition of materials along with careful attention to detail and an inviting, sophisticated level of design, Modern Eyes has a uniquely modern aesthetic that lives up to its name.”