Cool Workspace: Inside a Creative Agency’s Homey Headquarters

Me&Lewis designed a space that’s a home away from home.

When Paul and Melissa Meehan and their partner Jeff Lewis opened the Vancouver branch of their creative agency, Me&Lewis (a cute homonym of their last names), the first place they hung their shingle was an old house on Vine Street. “We had a pub in the basement, and we’d all work around these big long tables and make lunch together,” says Paul. When they outgrew the space, the hunt was on for something else that still could provide that hang-out vibe. “Ultimately, we wanted an ode to that loft,” Melissa explains.They found the perfect fit with a former warehouse on Oak Street. Melissa took charge of the design of their own 4,000-square-foot office space, with the help of architect Brian Billingsley at B2 Architecture and contractor Harker Construction. They refit the front of the building with modern windows to let in stunning views of the city and mountains, and decked out the space in white and light colours to let client work pop. “It’s a bit galleryish, but comfortable,” says Melissa.”At the end of the day, it is a workspace, but it does have that homey feel.”The renovation revealed gorgeous Douglas fir joists.Paul’s guitars and a Sonos system give his office a living-room vibe.“We had to have a bar,” says Melissa. This custom design is decked out in Ann Sacks tiles. A Phillips Hue lighting system adds some ambiance during office happy hours.Black frames around the glass makes a huge impact. “I think of it like eyeliner,” laughs Melissa.A floating platform in the middle of the office is furnished with sofas from Vancouver Special (“Shopping at home stores instead of office supply stores gives a space a cozy, warm feel,” says Melissa), but it turns into a stage during in-house events.Rove Concepts is one of the tenants of the Me&Lewis-owned building, so Melissa sourced many pieces for the “Me” boardroom from downstairs.In the “Lewis” boardroom, the design is an homage to business partner Jeff. A chalkboard sits on a Restoration Hardware TV stand; the table is from RH as well.Union Wood Co. designed the custom desks. (Photo by Allison Page.)It’s not a LEED building, but the team worked to make everything as eco-friendly as possible. “We put money into the non-sexy things like engineering and a reflective roof,” says Melissa.

More from our “Cool Workspace” series:

A Geek-Chic Animation Studio

An Industrial Co-Working Space