Making You Look Good

Plants, art or an aquarium are easy ways to spruce up an office or lobby, but if the plants are brown and limp, the fish are floating in scuzzy water, or the art is gaudy and hung askew, they quickly go from decorative to tacky. You don't need an eye for art or a green thumb to give the office some wow factor. An extra line item in the budget will do as there are niche professionals who can help.

Planting the Right Impression

Plants are a great way to bring life to an office, provided they are green, and not droopy and yellowing. It's a cross of art and science, says Nancy Carlisle of Interior Plantings in Concord, who helps clients find the right plants and then does the maintenance. It involves artistically placing plants and using science to keep them healthy. Carlisle asks clients what areas they want to enhance through plants. She  then selects plants that will be aesthetically pleasing and can endure the existing light conditions. She also helps clients choose decorative containers that are watertight and complement the office dcor.

Clients can even pay a monthly fee for Carlisle, who has been in business for more than 30 years and earned a degree in plant science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. We provide a guarantee on service. If plants don't look good, we replace them at no charge to the client, she says. Carlisle charges a minimum of $60 for the monthly service and says the average client pays $200.

While her clients run the gamut from law firms to insurance companies, Carlisle says building managers are upgrading their plantings to make properties more attractive. Property managers are a niche market for us, Carlisle says.

Aquariums and Koi Ponds

Aquariums and koi ponds are not only pretty, they can have a calming effect. That is, until they become green with scum and fish start floating. That's where the experts come in.

If a commercial client is going to have an aquarium in a public setting, it's important to have service to maintain it, says William Seddon, owner of Dream Marine Aquarium Services in Salem. People already have a business to run and often don't have the experience to (maintain an aquarium).

Seddon helps clients find an ideal location for an aquarium, determine the correct size tank, and select fish. We'll install the aquarium for them, introduce livestock and get it up and running, he says. Seddon can work with clients constructing a building on specifications for an aquarium and then have it up and running for the day they open. He also relocates aquariums for clients who are moving.

Dave Duffy, owner of Duffy's Aquarium Sales and Service in Antrim, says clients should expect to spend $400 to $700 for a basic aquarium setup and upwards to $2,000 depending on the size of the tank and the equipment they want. He says services such as his make sure a client never has to get their hands wet, as services can include cleaning and installing automatic filters and lights.

Richard Riley, owner of Rock Ponds by Design in Lee, says he's seen an increase in contracts to install koi ponds. A small to medium sized indoor koi pond can cost about $6,000, while an outdoor pond can cost up to $14,000 for a really large one, Riley says.

Art

Even hanging pictures is, well, an art. Experts will select not only the right art for your business, but install it perfectly. It's important to bring in people to consult on things to do with image. Art is not one size fits all, says Amanda McGowan Lacasse of McGowan Fine Art in Concord, which has extensive experience in corporate art consulting. It's important to select art that will enhance a space and a brand.

I go in with the assumption that budget is king. There is such a range of art out there you can always find pieces within your budget, she says, adding that businesses may choose to purchase art in phases.

Susan Schwake, co-owner and artistic director of artstream, a gallery, media design and art school in Rochester, also helps corporate clients with selecting and installing artwork, with an emphasis on local artists. Some clients are very interested in incorporating the local arts into their business as an indicator they are part of the local arts community. Some want to set a particular mood or emotion, Schwake says.

Schwake says her pet peeve is seeing posters in businesses. A mass-produced poster put in an expensive frame is still a poster. People are surprised at how affordable it is to have our services and original artwork in their offices.