Interior Architects Entering Market

IA Interior Architects, which claims to be the only global architectural firm to concentrate exclusively on interior design, is branching to Northwest Arkansas.
The San Francisco-based company has offices in 12 U.S. cities as well as Costa Mesa, London and Shanghai.
Jennifer Hatton, who works for the company’s Dallas office, recently moved to the area and has been piloting corporate plans for a Northwest Arkansas branch from her Rogers home.
“We’ve been watching Northwest Arkansas for awhile,” Hatton said. “And we’re excited about being in the area because there’s so much corporate growth.”
IA’s handprint has been seen locally as it has completed work for Cox Communications and Merrill Lynch. It’s currently working on a project in Little Rock.
The company designs the interior of corporate offices and is typically engaged when a company signs a new lease, renews a lease and wants to renovate or when a build-to-suit office building is being constructed.
“We’ve worked with clients whose projects require everything from the most complex solution, such as a corporate headquarters, to small renovation projects requiring nothing more than paint and carpet,” Hatton said.
Hatton said IA is still very “price competitive” while bringing local clients the expertise of the company being on a global platform. Prices can be hourly, a lump sum or formulated by square footage.
The company incorporated in Little Rock in August, but has no office in the state. Hatton said she hasn’t speculated on an office and hasn’t selected a city for the location.