Keeping her clients' comfort and privacy at the forefront of her new office design, Lisa Gill of Gill Family Law created a safe haven for women experiencing divorce.
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You’re likely familiar with the term “feng shui” and understand that the energy of a space is crucial — but have you ever heard of the “psychology” of a space? This philosophy has proven especially important for those going through a transformative life experience, such as divorce. Lisa Gill, the founding attorney at Gill Family Law, set out to redesign her office space with the comfort and privacy of her clients in mind. She collaborated with Walker General Contractors, Austin Ehrat of CBRE, Hertz Investment Group, and interior designer Leslie Murphy of Murphy Maude Interiors to build a safe haven for women experiencing divorce.
PinLisa Gill, the founding attorney at Gill Family Law, kept the comfort of her clients at the forefront when designing her new office. She is pictured here sitting in the lobby of the new space. Image: Elizabeth Looney Photography
Lisa’s vision was to create an office that doesn’t feel like an office. “I was trying to think, How do we have an office space that doesn’t feel like office space and instead feels comforting?When we think about what comforts us about an environment, what are those elements?”
With these questions in mind, Leslie and the Murphy Maude Interiors team began thinking about the soothing effects of nature and how they relate to the psychology of a space. “We came to the conclusion that it’s elements from nature that make people feel at ease. Going back to the earth feels so calming, whether it’s water, trees, or leaves,” explains Leslie. “There’s something about the natural world that brings a lot of natural stability to people’s psyche.”
PinLisa turned to the experts at Murphy Maude Interiors to help create a soothing environment for her clients. She is pictured here with Caroline Lovelace (left) and Leslie Murphy (right) of Murphy Maude Interiors. Image: Jenny MaxPinWhen designing the Gill Family Law office, Lisa and Leslie discussed elements that subconsciously help people feel at ease, which is how they came up with the nature-inspired design concept. Image: Jenny Max
Leslie adds that this nature theme was her jumping-off point when designing the Gill Family Law office. From there, she incorporated a warm, organic color palette rather than the typical stark and industrial office look. “We wanted to go with the warmer, more earth-toned palette that allowed this nature and comforting theme to emerge,” says Leslie.
This idea of comfort and ease is apparent from the moment you step into the office. Lisa opted for a more private design rather than creating an open lobby, which lessens the risk of encountering others on your way in and out. “Nobody walking into the building would know you were in our lobby or see you from the outside,” she says. “There’s not a lot of glass. It’s not an open door concept where our doors stay open, and people can see you waiting in our lobby.”
Lisa also mentions that she and Leslie put a lot of thought into the comfort of the lobby’s furniture and amenities. Clients can immediately grab water and coffee when they enter the space. This way, they do not have to ask someone for a drink or wait for a receptionist to help them.
PinUsing natural elements and a soft color palette, Lisa says her office is designed to give a calming effect that begins as soon as you set foot into the lobby. Image: Jenny MaxPinThis unique greenery wall is another example of how Murphy Maude Interiors incorporated nature into the office’s overall design. Image: Jenny Max
Seating was another critical consideration when thinking about the overall feel of her office, says Lisa. “With the seating, we wanted people to feel comfortable,” she says. “People sometimes go through mediations to settle their cases. Sometimes those last eight hours. Sometimes they last longer than eight hours, and you’re just sitting in this room. Each of our conference rooms has really nice seating and self-service coffee stations.”
Lisa also put in ambient noise machines, specialized acoustic tiles, and carpet in hallways and conference rooms to reduce any chance of private conversations carrying through the office. “There’s no open space and no open hallway where clients can overhear things about other people’s cases,” Lisa explains. “If we’re working on casework or conducting a mediation, clients are not going to overhear what’s happening when standing in our hallway or lobby.”
Pin“It’s not a function over form concept, which is pretty common in office space,” says Lisa of her new office. “We designed our office with the thought that people are already stressed and uncomfortable if they’re in a lawyer’s office — especially a family lawyer.” Image: Elizabeth Looney PhotographyPinClients are invited to help themselves to a cup of coffee or water, thanks to self-service stations peppered throughout the office. Image: Elizabeth Looney Photography
Both Lisa and Leslie agree that another standout feature of the office is the wallcoverings from Mable, a textile company started by Leslie. Made in Memphis, these wallcoverings are hand-painted pieces blown up into nature-inspired murals. Some pieces emulate greenery, water, or even an abstract solar system, which is another way Leslie and her team incorporated nature into the Gill Family Law office.
Lighting also plays a vital role in the psychology of Lisa’s office. In addition to using softer, more ambient options, Leslie and her team modified the space’s standard office lighting to feel more residential and artistic. “We added decorative light fixtures like pendants and chandeliers so that if you need to turn off the overhead lights and use more ambient soft lighting in a high-stress situation, you can do that,” adds Leslie.
Pin“We have extremely unique concepts regarding our lighting and the fixtures. They are artistic and eclectic, which reduces that stark office feeling and feels a little homier,” says Lisa. Image: Jenny Max
The new Gill Family Law office is officially open, and you can take a video tour HERE. Lisa is proud to feature a design that prioritizes the client and how the space makes them feel. From the amenities and furnishings to the lighting and art, the office is designed to help clients feel at ease during transitional stages of life.
Gill Family Law is located in the Forum I building at 6750 Poplar Avenue, Suite 820, Germantown, TN 38138. To learn more, visit gillfamlaw.com or call (901) 667-8977.This article is sponsored by Gill Family Law.
Brianna is StyleBlueprint’s Associate Editor and Sponsored Content Manager. She is an avid fan of iced coffee and spends her free time reading romance novels.
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