MCI’s “Downtown Dogtainer” Wins First Place People’s Choice in Charity Dog House Competition / March 27, 2020 by Mackenzie Collier

The MCI crew recently took on a fun little side project designing a stylish, eco-friendly dog house to be auctioned off at this year’s Facings of America Design for Dogs fundraiser. We partnered with Structurology, a structural engineering company we work with at our co-working space The McKinley Club, to create a badass “Downtown Dogtainer,” and *drum roll* we’re excited to share our little pup palace won first place among voters!

Willo the Corgi works with us at the McKinley Club and just had to crawl inside this spacious pup palace!

Inspired by the surge of adaptable and reusable shipping containers throughout Phoenix, we designed a dog house any pooch would love to live in, and we dubbed it the Downtown Dogtainer. This dog-topia showcases a sustainable and unique concept that has been seen around the valley in unique and unexpected ways. There was also a focus on highlighting local Phoenix vendors, such as Tuft & Needle, Our Block Co., muralist Dani Hacche, woodworkers Taylor and Michael of Rhodes Creative, and steelwork by Resolute Performance Iron. This dog house pays homage to the heart and soul seen around the Phoenix community. We hope your pup can't get enough!

Design Concept by Mackenzie Collier Interiors

Designer Doghouse.JPG — Local Love

We partnered with local vendors to create this downtown dog haven that represented downtown Phoenix.

Phoenix Interior designer dog house.JPG — Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Wanting to focus on sustainability, we came up with the idea for a mini shipping container, similar to the Churchill in downtown Phoenix!

About the annual Design for Dogs event:

Hosted by Facings of America since 2015, the Design for Dogs event is a custom dog house design + build competition, silent auction, and most importantly, fundraiser! This dog-centric architectural event showcases one-of-a-kind dog house creations by local architects, interior designers, builders, and industry partners. The family-friendly event has something for everyone: food, music, beer and wine tasting, local vendor booths, learning opportunities for adoption and animal advocacy, a puppy kissing booth, AND... some lucky winners go home with cool, new custom homes for their furry friends!

Thank you Facings of America for this wonderful event and all the design teams for supporting the Arizona Animal Welfare League.

The Larder + The Delta Downtown Phoenix Restaurant Reveal / March 13, 2020 by Mackenzie Collier

Spotlight on design! Today we’re showcasing one of our favorite downtown Phoenix restaurants: The Larder + The Delta! For this project, our dear friend Owner and Head Chef Stephen Jones wanted the restaurant to have “an essence of the south with a touch of smoke,” blending the vibe of downtown Phoenix with his personal style. Together, we designed something unique, creative, and innovative to fit him. We are so excited to share this project and ready to take on another food and beverage project. Cheers!

Check out The Larder + The Delta at 200 W Portland St #101, Phoenix, AZ 85003.
(Pro tip: we recommend getting the crispy pig ear “cheetos” with a summatime sangria!)

The Larder + The Delta, Downtown Phoenix, AZ

Check out Phoenix Faces & Places feature Chef Stephen Jones and the interior of The Larder + The Delta!

downtown phoenix restaurant design murals — PHX Local Love

As designers in downtown Phoenix, we wanted to bring in that urban feeling while keeping it personal. Adding wall murals by local artists created that city flair while keeping the look cohesive. (Murals by Isaac Caruso)

Downtown Phoenix contempary restaurant.jpg — Fresh Perspective

Keeping the space light and airy with crisp white wall and a bright pop of color create a fun and inviting downtown space.

Pops of Color

The yellow Industry West bar stools are a staple at The Larder + The Delta. Having ample amount of bar seating so you can experience the process of watching the chefs create their masterpieces is a must.

Church pew in a downtown phoenix restaurant.jpg — Southern Comfort… with a Twist!

Chef Jones’s dishes evolve the rustic and make it new, and we wanted to reflect that in the design. Antique oak church pews paired with concrete tabletops (Porter Barnwood) create a unique look that does just that.

Larder + Delta Restaurant lighting DEZAART pendant lights — It’s Lit

A modern touch, these beautiful DEZAART wood pendant light fixtures add visual interest and warm lighting in a space with very high ceilings.

Downtown Phoenix Designers — Drinks on the Patio

A great space to gather for brunch or an after-work happy hour! We knew that The Larder + The Delta should capitalize on their perfect patio spot. A custom industrial style rail by local vendor 11th Monk3y Industries around the patio makes a nice statement while keeping the space feeling intimate.

Images: Monica Milewski

Old Town Scottsdale Office Space Reveal / November 14, 2019 by Mackenzie Collier

Leather Sofa Photo by Roehner + Ryan — Leather Sofa
Photo by Roehner + Ryan

To reveal our latest design, we asked our Senior Interior Designer, Aleah Carr to answer some questions about her design process for this project. Here are her thoughts on the design challenges, inspiration and how to create a “resimercial” space for our client within a church that was built in the 1950’s!

What was the inspiration behind the design?

Inspiration for this space came directly from the state of Arizona. Our Tel-Aviv based client specifically asked for a space that had a residential vibe and felt like home. They wanted to create an environment so nice it would inspire their employees to not only respect the space but, ultimately, get them excited to come to work. We layered a lot of natural materials wood, rattan, and marble then amplified the impact with bold hues and unusual textiles throughout. We also aimed to make a big impact with found objects, vintage mid-century pieces, organic textures and design features created by local artists.

Vintage SofaPhoto by Roehner + Ryan — Vintage Sofa
Photo by Roehner + Ryan

What was your favorite space and why?

My favorite space definitely has to be the entry. The rope feature created by the very talented local textile artist, Taylor Crockett, makes such a huge impact before you even get the chance to see the rest of the space. The idea here was to separate the spaces in an unconventional way without obstructing the view. The bold patterns and hues of the rope feature immediately catch your eye and get you excited for what’s to come on the other side. In addition to the rope feature, we created small seating areas within the entry that truly give you a residential vibe which was the exact direction we were heading. I’m dying to have that leather chair in my own home now!

Taylor CreativePhoto by Roehner + Ryan — Taylor Creative
Photo by Roehner + Ryan

Leather ChairPhoto by Roehner + Ryan — Leather Chair
Photo by Roehner + Ryan

What was the greatest design challenge?

The biggest challenge at hand was definitely the mixing of commercial and residential design. How do we create a space that has a residential aesthetic without sacrificing the quality and durability necessary for a successful commercial setting? We found a perfect balance between the two by finding some pieces that were commercially rated but had a residential look. We also opted for more durable fabrics like leather and performance velvet rather than going with textiles that wouldn’t stand the test of time. It was definitely difficult to curate, but I think we were successful.

MuralPhoto by Roehner + Ryan — Mural
Photo by Roehner + Ryan

Tete-A-TetePhoto by Roehner + Ryan — Tete-A-Tete
Photo by Roehner + Ryan

Why did you choose to incorporate vintage pieces into this workspace?

Have you ever seen a piece of furniture and just knew it was the one? Well that’s how I feel about MOST vintage furniture and we were lucky that our client totally agreed. Not only is it a unique way to incorporate sustainability (reduce-reuse-recycle), but the quality of vintage furniture is so much better than that of newer items making it last so much longer so you can share it with the world for a long time. I hold a very special place in my heart for vintage pieces, especially after having learned so much about them in college.

What does the term “resimercial“ mean?

Resimercial is a totally new term in the design world. It means to blend two opposite design appoaches— commercial and residential. In my mind, resimercial design is where the two worlds meet to create workspaces that are homey and cozy but still functional and professional. It’s a more casual way to work that also increases productivity and, in the long run, gets people excited to come to work. You do spend more time at work than at home, so why not make it a space that you are thrilled to be in?

Voyage Phoenix Magazine Features Mackenzie Collier Interiors / April 25, 2018 by Mackenzie Collier

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Mackenzie here! Last month, Voyage Phoenix Magazine interviewed me for a local feature, and the article is live on their site!

Make sure to check out the article here: Voyage Phoenix

I wanted to take the time to thank Voyage Phoenix for the write-up and getting to know my story and how my business has evolved over the years. Hope you guys enjoy!

Mackenzie's Mood Board / February 28, 2018 by Mackenzie Collier

Hey guys, it's Mackenzie!
I'm changing it up this week from the normal Friday Fav blog post and pulling inspiration from my personal pinterest board. As well as producing really awesome designs, I am planning a trip to Bali and I can't wait to get even more inspired by the beauty of Indonesia. I can't talk about my Pinterest without showing at least one of the beautiful pictures of what I I plan to be immersed in this Summer!

Now that my obsession of going to Bali is out of the way, we can focus our attention back on interior design and various products and ideas I am all about right now!