GOELST
ADDING ELEGANCE TO STERILE ENVIRONMENTS
The furniture industry in America has been dwindling for over two decades now. There are several causes for its' decline, one of them being the introduction and mass availability of cheap laminated wood materials. This industry decline has generally affected the cabinet maker and millworker. However, several manufacturers have managed to remain at the forefront of the industry, by continually innovating and adapting to the needs of institutions around the nation. We had the opportunity to work alongside one such company, Goelst, based out of Winston-Salem, NC to help them grow innovation within their business.
The final design is made up of a few separate components, for ease of assembly and installation. The main component is an anodized aluminum extrusion, the end caps are ABS injection molded plastic, three spring pins connect each extrusion, and an optional wood-banding insert only adds to the sex-appeal. The end caps are designed so that they can also be used for an installation where cabinetry is mounted perpendicular to one another, which helps to keep the unique individual components to a minimum. This product was an immediate hit with their customers and definitely adds an attractiveness to their line of casework that their competitors have yet to match. So, we'll consider this one a huge sucess.
Goelst had previously built their overhead cabinets so that the bottom panel was slightly raised from the lower edges of each side panel. Then, they used an additonal wood panel, mounted just forward from the lighting, to conceal it. We thought there was a better, more elegant way to do this, which would help to set their brand apart from the competition. So, we created several concepts and prototypes, mounted them to their cabinets, and presented. They liked it so much that the final design was integrated among their entire product line. We came up with a light valance solution that was not only aesthetically pleasing, but also allowed the wiring from each light to travel through for a sleek and concealing design.
Goelst puts a huge focus on raising the aesthetic bar for the institutions and facilities that become their customers. They want to place each location in the upper-echelon of their category. For instance, if they outfitted a hospital with their casework, they wanted that facility to rise above the rest for the people who walked through their doors each day. They wanted to create an environment that people wanted to return to, not stay the track of a typical sterile hospital environment. So, we worked with them to create ideas that would help their brand achieve this in several different ways. This particular project focused on concealing under cabinet lighting of wall-mounted cabinetry.
