News & Blog
View All Our Recent Posts

How To Choose The Best Office Chair
Three questions to ask when choosing the best office chair for you Sitting – we all do it, some of us more than others. But

Mitigate Noise Without Sacrificing Style
Jeff Adams is the VP of Sales at MPS acoustics based in Dallas, Texas. When he started with MPS, he knew nothing about acoustics, commercial

2023 Design Trends
Catie Buck has worked in commercial interior design for years, and her passion for the industry recently led her to open her own studio, Josephine

2023 Commercial Real Estate Trends
Featuring Karena Gilbert with Colliers International After receiving a degree in Construction Management and working in commercial construction, Karena Gilbert got her real estate license

Making An Impact
The Idaho State Supreme Court Renovation The Idaho State Supreme Court building was constructed between 1969 and 1970 and functions as the highest court in

The Three Ps To Boost Energy
One of the favorite parts of my job is walking through the building and seeing our 50+ employees engaged in diverse business activities in spaces

Common Audio-Visual Mistakes + How To Avoid Them
When adding audio-visual technology into your space, it is essential to get it right the first time. OEC’s Vice President of Technology, Josh Messner, and

EKC Construction: Building On Relationships
The year was 1993, and Brian Ellsworth was between construction jobs. He was hanging some sheetrock when Larry Kincaid walked in the door. “You’re not

What Is The Best Security Solution For My Commercial Building?
From knights in castles to armed security teams, protecting property has been an issue for centuries. Through trial and error, security systems have evolved to

3M Di-NOC: Dark + Dated to Bright + Inviting
Signs2U is a locally owned and family-run small business that has been operating since 2007. They handle everything to do with branding for businesses, including

Creating High Performing Hybrid Collaboration Spaces
4 Design concepts to consider when it comes to creating amazing modern collaboration spaces. With the proliferation of hybrid and work-from-home strategies, it’s likely a

True Confessions of a Recovering Technology Nerd: Message From The President
True confessions I’ll let you in on a little secret. I have some confessions to make, I’m a recovering technology nerd. There I said it.

Best Commercial Window Coverings In Boise
Travis Palmer is an estimator at OEC. He didn’t intend to become the roller shade specialist, but when there was a need, Travis stepped up.

What To Know Before Your Office Relocation
Moving is a complicated process. Whether you are moving from your home or planning an office relocation, there are so many things to keep track

What Does The OEC Construction Team Do?
Division 10 Specialties boasts a lot of unique scopes. It includes everything from bathroom partitions, wall protection, and window coverings to bike racks, mailboxes, and

Blindsource: Customer Service Makes All The Difference
A Life Changing Invitation Mark Wilkins was applying for grad school in international business at Thunderbird in Arizona when an invitation from his cousin changed

Headwaters Construction Company
Headwaters Construction Co in Rexburg, Idaho, has been tearing up the southeastern Idaho commercial construction scene. To learn more about the company, we sat down

B.O.S.S. Retirement Solutions
Opening A Permanent Office B.O.S.S. (Build the Optimal System of Security) Retirement Solutions is a Utah-based company that expanded into Idaho in October 2021.

Dealing With Surprises: Message From The President
About a year ago my dad went to the pet store and picked up three femalebunnies. He has a bunny pen in the backyard (he

What Services Does OEC Boise Offer?
Going Beyond Commercial Furniture While OEC in Boise, ID, is known for helping clients create amazing spaces that attract and retain talent, we do much

How To Build An Alluring Office Where Employees Want To Work
One of the main reasons employees enjoy working from home is control; control over their schedules, their focus, and their postures. When working from home,

Looking For Leg Room
Outgrowing your house is painful. There comes a point when the space you once thought you could never fill becomes cramped and uncomfortable. Many families

Empowering Managers Is The Key
Covid changed the workplace forever as employees adopted work from home. Now employers want their teams back in the office. Can they compromise? In this

The Social Impact of the Office
Covid changed the workplace forever as employees adopted work from home. Now employers want their teams back in the office. Can they compromise? In this

TELEO Capital: Center of Excellence
Erin Warwick is a finance director at TELEO Capital in Boise, but recently she has been wearing many other hats. One of those hats includes

Get Up & Move: Message From The President
Movement is important in nearly every aspect of your life. Regarding your work life, movement is key to having a healthy, productive, and pain-free work

The New Hybrid Neighborhood
A workplace worth the commute Despite employers’ best efforts to entice everyone back to the office, people are dragging their feet. Their reluctance isn’t about

Magic Valley Electric & Magic Services: Building Something Different
When Magic Valley Electric (MVE) decided to build their first office in Eastern Idaho, they wanted something special. It had to be a place

The Great Workplace Compromise Part 3: Managing Remotely
Dave was sent home on Friday the 13th. In true spooky fashion he got back from lunch having no idea what was going on as

The Great Workplace Compromise Part 2: The Digital Nomad
Before Covid, Brendan was living and working full-time in San Francisco. He had an apartment in Presidio Heights and took the bus into work every

The Great Workplace Compromise Part 1: Managing As A New Father
Covid Changed The Workplace Forever When Covid hit in the early months of 2020 there was speculation that the office would change forever. Employees were

Layton + ICS: Constructing With Integrity
Layton Construction has been in business for almost 70 years. It has grown from a small, family-held construction company to a major Contractor operating in

The Secret Space & Your Best Work
When I was a little kid I had a favorite thinking space in my home. The space was a teeny, little hidden area behind where

Hybrid Work: Creating Great New Work Experiences
Helping people work better in the hybrid future of work. Even before the pandemic, some organizations began experimenting with mobile work — for example, shifting

OEC’s Long-Term, Sustainable Solution To Waste
Eliminating Waste At OEC, we go through a lot of cardboard waste. We are practically swimming in cardboard at the end of each job between

M3 Companies
From Phoenix To The Treasure Valley The Treasure Valley housing market is growing like crazy, and land master-planned community developer M3 Companies is doing its

Sustainable Design
Sustainability is one of Lombard Conrad Architect’s (LCA) five tenants. How they achieve sustainability comes in a few different forms that fall into three categories.

Community, Mind, & Comfort
TreanorHL has many offices scattered throughout the United States, but their dedication to sustainable practices unites them all. Whether in their own buildings, or their

Idaho Fish & Game
Positively Impacting Humans & Animals How do you turn a city dump into a place that positively impacts the lives of millions of people and

Be Nice, Laugh & Connect
The other day my wife had a hard day at work. When she got home, she announced, “We aren’t making dinner tonight, we are going

Trusted + Proven Network
Together, Steelcase and our industry leading global dealer partners deliver expertise, ease and experience. Our commitment goes beyond a transaction. We’re here to create a

Trends In Technology & Space
Technology Creating Flexibility Work looks different than it did a few years ago when employees were practically nailed to their desks at the office. That

Boise Hunter Homes
BHH: Building Fantastic Communities Boise Hunter Homes is dedicated to building quality homes in fantastic communities, and its new office in Eagle is helping them

The Stars of Hybrid Technology
Three technology solutions giving power back to employees In the last couple of years, the way we work has changed dramatically. Now work from home

Coming Home
Nova Ltd’s New Boise Office “When I first joined Nova, I asked, ‘Where do we meet?’ They responded, ‘At our office, Café Capri, and they

The Right Tool For The Job
Have you ever tried to do a job with the wrong tools? Typically, the results take longer and aren’t quite as good as if you

Why It Pays To Reconfigure Office Furniture
Moving has a way of teaching you to take stock. It forces you to consider what is worth keeping, what needs to be thrown away,

Through A Facilities Lens
How often do we walk into work and take for granted that the lights are on, the heat is up, and that thing that falls

Breathing New Life Into An Old Building
HUB International refreshes their Boise building by the Train Depot In 2013, locally owned and operated insurance firm Premier Insurance was at a crossroads. There

Six Hybrid Work Challenges Human Resource Professionals & Organizations Face Now
New research finds key hybrid work issues to resolve before they put business at risk. “The Great Resignation” is causing upheaval in organizations everywhere. Despite

Going Above & Beyond
Anyone driving by the Scentsy Headquarters in Meridian, Idaho, knows how impressive and beautiful the campus is. They may not realize the work and planning

A Force For Good
Cascadia Healthcare in Eagle, ID makes a difference. Nate Hosac is one of four friends who started Cascadia Healthcare, a skilled nursingcompany caring for those

Working From Home, Peaceful Paradise
I worked from home the other day to keep an eye on my daughter, who had just had surgery. Sounds like paradise right? Wrong. I

Blueprint for Inclusive Workplaces of the Future
How to create compelling destinations where everyone can contribute How, when and where people work is evolving rapidly. There is a need for the workplace

Seeing Potential in Reinvention
How this woman-owned, women-led marketing firm is developing a culture of creativity and flexibility in the workplace. If you have ever received a business card

Working Through Change
WaFd Bank’s Approach To Change Washington Federal Bank has 10 regional buildings and 250 branches throughout the western states. At any given time, there can

Creating a Hybrid Culture
5 Things Employees Need Now Throughout the pandemic people have changed how they shop, where they live, how they learn, and, for many, how they

Rebellion to Renaissance
Lombard/Conrad Creates An Inspiring New Office One fateful day in 1972, architects Joe Conrad and Ernie Lombard were fired. Why? Because their employer found their

What’s Happening In The Commercial Market?
A Discussion With Cushman & Wakefield | Pacific Commercial Realty Advisors What trends are there in the Retail Market? “[At Cushman & Wakefield] We have

Just Add Sprinkles Or Goats
My wife has been putting sprinkles on the bananas so my son will eat them. I know this isn’t probably the best idea of all time,

Stodgy To Stunning
In 1998, the three principals of Buffington Mohr McNeal (BMM) opened their doors with a promise to be their client’s advocate. McNeal says, “We help

Vertical Construction
Founder and President of VERTICAL Construction Todd Weltner did not expect to become an entrepreneur. However, after working in the industry for a few years,

Six Tips for Etiquette + Protocols in the Hybrid Workplace
Develop more explicit norms to set hybrid teams up for success. As more organizations return employees to the office, many are also allowing more flexibility

Hybrid Collaboration Is Hard
The future of the workplace is hybrid and so is the future of collaboration. Sixty-eight percent of global organizations are planning to experiment with hybrid

Back In The Office
OEC talked with Architects and Designers about their experiences returning to the office. What do you like about being back in the office? The collaboration.

Putting Down Roots
Pets are a big part of our lives in the U.S. They make us laugh, comfort us when we cry, share in our vacations, and

Casino Night
Message From The President I’m constantly reminded why space matters. A few weeks ago OEC hosted a Casino night at our downtown Boise office where

Reviving The Trades
“Passion for your work will follow your working hard at something and achieving mastery in it.” – Mike Rowe For years, students preparing to graduate

Keys To A Successful Hybrid Workspace
Many people can’t wait to return to the office and work side-by-side with their colleagues again and organizations are taking every precaution to make sure

Designing Interiors That Inspire
“Design creates culture. Culture shapesvalues. Values determine the future.” -Robert L. Peters As we have learned over the last year and a half, the spaces

Spokane Conservation District
In 1935, a black blizzard descended on Washington D.C. It happened just as Hugh Bennett, the Director of the Soil Erosion Service was testifying before

The OEC Process For Your Project
OEC builds amazing spaces where employees love to work. However, we know that there are a lot of steps between your vision for your project

The Chair That Saved My Business
Message from the President A decade ago, sometime during the great recession, I owned a computer repair company. One year after having a modestly successful

Learn Better
It’s time for a fundamentally better learning experience Even before the pandemic, education was undergoing a transformation that will go on long after the virus

Upping The Game On Architecture
Rafanelli & Nahas What sets apart real estate development firm Rafanelli & Nahas? They create incredible buildings and manage them for the long haul.

Seeing The Unseen
And other amazing talents of modern day architects In an era of HGTV and DIY projects where anyone can design an impressive space, we interviewed

Smith System Guides
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, Congress passed stimulus legislation to help the economy (CARES Act). INcluded in this Stimulus funding

The First Wave of Workplace Change
While some headlines suggest the office will go away as people embrace working from home almost exclusively, the research identifies a more nuanced, hybrid future.

Standing In The Light Again
2021 Commercial Outlook After talking with three commercial agents about their outlook for the future, we have determined that the Treasure Valley is a fantastic

To Better Serve The Community
When Police Chief John Dyer interviewed for his position at the Lake Stevens Police Department (LSPD) in 2016, a new facility was already in discussion.

Three Life Lessons From Running A Marathon
I ran a marathon a few weeks ago. Here are three life lessons I learned. “I signed up to run a marathon in February”, I

PETIQ Sneak Peak
PETIQ is building its new headquarters in Eagle, Idaho. The building will finish in June of this year. Thanks to Matt Huffield and Ian Hoffman

A Conversation With Matt Huffield Of Cole Architects
As the exciting new PetIQ Headquarters rises in Eagle, president of OEC, Scott Galloway, sat down with the president of Cole Architects, Matt Huffield, to

Improving The Community Through Architecture
“We feel it is critical to be stewards of society, to leave things better than we found them, and to create places that improve the

Job Postings
Office Environment Company (OEC) is a leading contract furniture and specialty contracting company based in Boise, ID for the past 30 years. We are looking

An Interview With Mark Heazle: Partner At Lombard Conrad
Mark Heazle and his team at Lombard Conrad were the architects behind the new ICCU Member Service Center West. They have worked on multiple projects

Work Better
It’s time for an experience that’s fundamentally better The pandemic has reshaped many aspects of our lives, including where and how people want to work.

Children’s Therapy Place
Children’s Therapy Place provides a variety of therapy services to children of all ages. We interviewed the owner to learn more about the business and

Interview with ICCU CEO, Kent Oram
Idaho Central Credit Union has recently completed their new five-story, Member Service Center West building in Meridian, Idaho. To learn more about this exciting project

A Look Inside ICCU
The new ICCU Member Service Center West is a beautiful, 5-story building prominently set within the Eagle Landing Development. With full glass walls, the building enjoys panoramic

How To Work From Home… Without Going Crazy
Over the last several months, millions of Americans have been forced to adapt to many changes. For many, working from home has been among those

4 Tips To Make Your Workplace Safe For Employees
At OEC, we are in the business of creating amazing spaces that help companies attract and retain talent. That looks different for each business with

Poised For Growth Again
When ICCU began serving its community in Boise, Idaho, as a small, state-chartered credit union, it had only 22 members and $300 in assets. Since

Message From The President
January 2021 Edition When I sold my talent development company in 2018, my brother started asking me if I was ready to come work with

Introducing SPACES
OEC’s New Publication Featuring Original Content We are excited to announce the release of SPACES, a new publication by OEC. SPACES is a collection of

Height Adjustable Desks
Are you suddenly working at home for extended hours? Height adjustable desks for your home office starting at $549.

A Little Fun at Work
Each month we have an all-employee meeting where we do various activities. One of the traditions we have is to play some sort of silly game.

IDI Fiesta & CEU
Attention IDI Members! You are invited to attend the official IDI event for October 2019 at OEC for an awesome CEU and a luncheon Fiesta!

I am a Spartan
Many of our employees participated in the Boise, Idaho Spartan Sprint this last Saturday. The Spartan Sprint is a 5K race with 20 events the participant must complete along the way. Some events include the atlas ball carry, the spear throw, the rope climb and a

Planting Willows Service Project
Thanks to all the OEC employees who showed up for our company service project. Our team volunteered for the foothills habitat restoration project. Work involved digging, raking, shoveling, pullling, and hiking! Planting willows is a physically rigorous activity so

Introducing Steelcase Flex
Last week I was visiting Steelcase headquarters and was given a sneak peak at the brand new Flex collection. The idea behind Flex is to enable teams to reconfigure their working spaces “on the fly” by themselves. Everything, including the height-adjustable desks,