Think Spaces, Our Story
When I graduated from high school I went and worked for my Dad’s company in the office supply business while attending college at Northern Illinois University. Through that business, I started providing furniture for customers and I fell in love with that part of the business. My dad started a new company (which I would later purchase from him) to focus on furniture and for the last 10 years I have been helping customers furnish their offices, schools, and other commercial applications.
After several years of being in the furniture business I noticed a reoccurring feeling after each installation. While the new furniture installed was beautiful and looked great, there was something missing. The rest of the space needed updating as well to have a finished look. What actually happened is that the new furniture made the space look worse because the old carpet, paint, lighting and the faded ceiling tiles stood out even more. What was even more irritating is that the space was not utilized to it fullest.
There are a few things I learned in school that I always tried to challenge whether they are true or not. There is a German word “Gestalt” that a philosophy arose from in the psychology world. The theory has to do with the way the mind perceives things. It basically says that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. This rings true with interior design of spaces. When you get new furniture and do not take care of the rest of the space, you are essentially just fixing one part of the space. The sum of the space will still not be complete by making only one change.
The other thing that I remember from school that applies to this situation is Newton’s 3rd law which states; For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When only new furniture is put in a space the action of the new furniture makes the rest of the space look worse. So the new furniture makes the spaces other features have an opposite reaction, they look worse.
I did not want to feel this way anymore. I also felt that if I feel this way there is a good possibility that my customers felt this way as well.
I decided that I wanted a company that would take a holistic approach to interior spaces.
So I set out on a journey to provide a systematic approach that would complete spaces for any type of business.
I now work with interior designers to provide my clients with a professionally trained approach to their space.
Designers have the ability and skills to look at spaces differently than the rest of us. Designers take projects very personally because it is a reflection of their work and ability, and there is a finished product for all to see. Designers take ownership of their projects.
Another aspect that we provide is a high level of customer service. When we return calls, email and other request from our customers, we often get complimented on how fast we respond, and how prepared we are. While we are thankful for these comments we just kind of thought that was how you were supposed to conduct business. We have come to find out that in our line of work that this is not the norm. It is great to hear about this advantage with Think Spaces; however we are just treating our customers the same way we would want to be treated.
Thomas J. Apicella
Founder and CEO
Think Spaces, Inc.
