Dear Editor, Based on your article “Designing Your Practice” that appeared in the May 2010 issue of Canadian Chiropractor magazine, our office became motivated to make some design changes of our own. I am a chiropractic assistant working for Dr. Larry Smith, a DC who has had a successful practice in Parksville, B. C., since 1987. After years in the same space, he decided it was time to finally undertake that dreaded task – renovation!! Although the property had been well maintained, the inside of the practice really needed the “extreme makeover” version to re-energize the space, and to bring it up to date. It needed treatment. It needed a “design adjustment.” The design project was offered to me since I have prior experience in interior design. I developed the overall plan; chose the colour palette; collected estimates from the various trades and sourced out the new elements to be installed. I also sourced out a company that does “etched” glass signs and had beautiful and very classy looking signage done on the full front window, and as a border Around the glass door. This one element alone has caught the eye of passersby and is often commented upon. In a perfect world of renovating, prior to beginning, the space is totally emptied of all people and things and the project proceeds along a very well-plotted-out timeline. However, when renovating a business/commercial space that must remain open for business throughout the project, the timing factor is a much greater issue. Apart from being the first step, painting the entire space was by far the biggest, messiest and most timeconsuming part of the project. It would definitely require that the office be closed for business and cleared out as much as possible prior to painting. It was decided since the Christmas holiday was a time when the office would normally be closed, this would be a good time to do some painting. We added an additional two days to the closure – this gave painters 17 days to complete the job. That is, if painters could be found who would work over the Christmas holidays! But, the painting got done; the practice was open for business on January 3, and for the next three months the contractor was there outside of office hours to complete all the other tasks: new crown and baseboard moldings throughout; new light fixtures throughout; washroom re-do; new wall-hung shelving; new chairs and other furniture. The furniture and the finishes were carefully Considered for functionality, simplicity, comfort, ease of cleaning and durability. The comments from the majority of patients have been very positive. They find the colour palette to be soothing, the lighting to be softer and the overall design feels more spacious, fresh, relaxing and professional. A well-adjusted space in which healing can occur. There are still a few “touches” to be added to the space: a large mirror, some artwork, one or two large plants and perhaps some cabinetry. But that will come over time – after all, the spaces in which we live and work are, like us, always evolving. I have included some pictures to illustrate what a difference a “Design Adjustment” can make. Sincerely, Nancy Anderson, Chiropractic Assistant Parksville, British Columbia