Same Town, New Space.

In February 2020, Haywood Family Eye Care of Waynesville, NC, was set to move its practice from an outdated, small space with an awkward layout to a stunning new 5,000-square-foot facility, still in the same town where it’s served the community since 1955.

“The pandemic shutdowns started two weeks after we closed on our building,” says Aimée McBride, O.D. “It was stressful to say the least.”

The team put the project on hold for a few months to figure out where they were financially, but by summer 2020, they were collaborating with Janesville, IA-based Optometric Architects on how to develop the new space.

For starters? It was crucial to embody the small-town private-practice-optometry feel, even though its space doubled in size.

“The original space had a really fun Main Street/boutique feel that we wanted to play on,” shares Robert J. Stensland, principal architect and owner of the design firm.

Here, we share interior pointers culled from the practice for eye-care businesses big and small.

MAKE A STATEMENT.

Adding eye-catching elements will help your practice stand out; at Haywood Family Eye Care, that’s achieved via a chandelier and wallpaper along the back wall.

“You know from the moment you step inside that it’s not a typical doctor’s office,” says Dr. McBride. “I think [patients] are impressed with the aesthetic and the attention to detail in finishes, light fixtures, wallpaper—everything coordinates beautifully.”

Plus, you don’t need to break the bank to elevate your practice—stick-on wallpapers can spruce up the space without the hefty price tag and long-term commitment.

HIGHLIGHT PRODUCT.

Regardless of the size of your practice, product should pop.

Optometric Architects tapped Eye Designs for custom displays that matched the desired look and feel of Haywood Family Eye Care’s new space.

“Working with Eye Designs,” says Ashleigh Durant, lead interior designer at Optometric Architects, “we were able to segment areas throughout the optical with the use of different boutique-style displays and grouping them specifically to call out feature areas.”