Graphic Office Interiors Enhance their Office Space, Incorporating State-of-the-Art Lighting Solutions

May 12, 2025

Project Name: Graphic Office Interiors: Showroom

Graphic Office Interiors, a renowned office design and furnishings company serving Vancouver Island since 1966, embarked on a unique lighting project for their personal office in Saanichton, BC. This project marked the first collaboration between Kelly Inglis of Mac’s II Agencies and Graphic Office Interiors’ in-house registered interior designer, Laura Harlos. Known for their exclusive Steelcase furniture line, modular moveable walls, and sound controlled rooms, they sought to enhance their office space and incorporate state-of-the-art lighting solutions.

Boardroom Lighting Design

The design journey began with the boardroom, a pivotal space that utilized Graphic Office Interiors’ signature sound controlled methods. The challenge was to reduce ceiling punctures to maintain sound controlled integrity while avoiding the common approach of filling the room with pot lights or troffers. Reminiscent of the helm from Star Trek, with round seating facing a large monitor, the boardroom has a modern and futuristic ambiance.

To achieve this, the WAC Lighting Ventrix track system (previously known as the Strut) was chosen and configured in a ‘U’ shape, suspending above the boardroom. This design minimized reflections on the monitor and provided ambient lighting without puncturing the ceiling. The system used ‘up-light’ technology, emitting light towards the ceiling, which, combined with the natural light from 60 feet of windows, created a comfortable glow without harsh shadows. The up-light recreates the sensation of daylight, offering a pleasant and comfortable illumination.

The boardroom track system features a two-circuit design: one for soft up-light and another for the Stealth, a micro downlight element at the joints of the ‘U’ shape, providing task lighting on the outer tables when needed. The luminaire, finished in flat white, seamlessly blends with the ceiling, enhancing the room’s aesthetics without drawing attention.

Sample Area Lighting Design

A 19-foot Ventrix track system was positioned above the sample drawers, away from the wall. The high Colour Rendering Index (CRI) of 90 ensured that even subtle differences in fabric colours and textures were visible, crucial when pulling various samples for projects. The wide beam spread is angled to allow light to cascade down toward the drawers, extending as far as the depth of the 4ft cabinet. Finished in black, the luminaire completely disappears when looking towards the black accent wall, non-competing with the focal point luminaire already on display within the room—architecturally beautiful.

A smaller Ventrix unit was installed above an adjacent workspace, using Multi Stealth Downlights to provide high-quality light control with minimal glare, ensuring comfortable customer interactions and clear visibility of samples.

The project was completed in the fall of 2023, and the lighting solutions have since proven effective across all seasons.

“Witnessing Graphic Offices’ customer teams enjoying such a modern, interactive space —that’s hugely rewarding.” — Kelly Inglis, Lighting Specification Consultant at Mac’s II Agencies.

The lighting calculations and heat mapping were invaluable assets throughout the entire process. By precisely measuring light levels, our team of experienced lighting designers ensured that illumination was balanced, achieving 20 to 24 foot-candles on average, ideal for walking spaces and general areas. Visualizing the distribution of light, identifying both well-lit and darker spots, enhanced the overall lighting quality and prevented issues like glare and uneven lighting, instilling confidence in the clients by meeting their specific needs with precision and efficiency.

This collaboration enhanced the functionality and aesthetics of Graphic Office Interiors’ workspace but also demonstrated the power of combining innovative lighting solutions with state-of-the-art office design. The success of this project has laid the foundation for continued collaborations, continuing to push the boundaries of office design and lighting excellence.

“Our primary goal for the new presentation lounge and boardroom was to highlight the vibrant array of finishes and materials available and create a comfortable experience for clients and designers. The Ventrix system purposed by Mac’s II Agencies was critical in achieving this,” explained Laura Harlos, RID, Graphic Office Interiors Ltd.

In the boardroom, the lighting surpassed our expectations. It performs beautifully in video conferences—there’s no glare or bright spots. The room has a soft, warm glow that feels cozy and comfortable. Flexible spotlights ensure the horizontal surfaces are well-lit. The play of light and shadow creates a space that’s both human-scaled and highly functional.

In the presentation lounge, we emphasized high CRI lighting, ensuring no shadows or glare, which makes the space feel inviting and immersive for our customer teams. Using the latest lighting technology, we were able to create an experience that is visually stunning and perfectly suited for the office.”