There are not many oceans or beaches in Central Missouri, however, an outstanding beach setting has been created by the interior design staff at Directions In Design, Inc. The interior design team at DID created a tropical-themed environment for Preferred Family Healthcare’s newly purchased three story facility in Jefferson City, Missouri. The renovation transformed the adolescent substance abuse residential treatment center into what Senior Vice President Ann Hutton says, “Is a dream come true”. Continually striving to offer the best possible treatment process and environment, the instructions to the design team were to create “something different, with a theme that can provide a great setting for teens and their family members”. The entire three story facility was addressed in the renovation. Upon entering the first floor reception area, the idea that this really is a different place is instantly conveyed by the fresh color palette of spring green/ocean blue with metallic accents and birdseye maplewood finishes. The backlit ceiling LED wall mounted mood lighting and colorfully patterned carpeting set the scene for an upbeat yet peaceful atmosphere. Also located on the first floor, are essential staffoffices, conferencing and group counseling spaces, staff workrooms, break rooms, and a largemultipurpose room equipped for multi media presentations making the space well suited for meetings and training sessions. A refreshment bar is much enjoyed by community visitors and Preferred Family staff. The second floor houses many of the spaces which facilitate Preferred Family’s hallmarkAchieving Recovery through Creativity (A.R.T.C.) program. Classrooms, group counseling and family therapy rooms are pleasant and well-lighted allowing teens and staff a pleasant environment to concentrate on recovery and progress.

 
On the third floor, DID designers created a tropical paradise for the living quarters and commons areas to encourage safe, supervised socialization. Realizing that finish materials and furnishings would need to be highly durable, the design team focused upon maintaining the theme with stain-resistant, environmentally friendly products. High performance floor coverings for very high traffic areas provide both non-slip and acoustical control. Flooring for the lounge area, bedrooms and fitness room are antimicrobial. Specialized lighting is vandal resistant and shatterproof to provide a safe environment. Contrasting flooring materials visually divide the areas into “land” on the lounge side and “sand beach” on the dining side. Permanently placed round tables with painted umbrellas inset on the ceiling sit next to a mural beach scene of ocean, palm trees and surf boards. A talented St. Louis artist also transformed the kitchen counter area to resemble a “tiki stand”.

 
Graphics on the walls in the lounge area emulate an underwater scene as round lights installed at various heights on the wall become bubble-like. Lounge furniture in vibrant, luster-finished vinyl allows flexibility in seating. Larger sectional groups arranged in a wave pattern encourages group activities and television viewing. More intimate seating groupings are interspersed to accommodate small groups. Bedrooms, located off the common spaces, are each named for a tropical island and strategically placed pillars, block site lines between male and female residents’ quarters. A full kitchen, laundry area, restrooms with showers and a fitness room are placed around the perimeter of the floor. One of the residents who moved from the old and into the new facility summed up his appreciation of the new tropical paradise by saying, “moving into the new building is like starting life over again with a new beginning”.