In the ultra-competitive market of home renovation and construction, TreeHouse sought to do what others did not—to sell exclusively sustainable and environmentally sensitive material and systems. With that same ethos in mind, Overland worked closely with the client to deliver a holistic and humane approach to the customer experience in their maiden retail space.
Most homeowners have made their fair share of trips to a big box home improvement stores. The overwhelming, exhausting experience has become so common, it is often the subject of parody and satire.
What should be simple is complicated. What should be obvious is obscured. Help is nowhere to be found.
For homeowners seeking to make environmentally responsible choices, the process can be even more overwhelming. Not only does the homeowner have to evaluate competing claims and environmental ratings, but often they have to decide what kind of premium they are willing and able to pay. TreeHouse’s goal is to be a safe and educational place for homeowners to make those choices.
Obviously, TreeHouse’s own building needed to model the systems and products promoted within. This was a challenge as they took over a conventional space inside a strip center in south Austin. Overland opened up the ceiling with skylights and included solar panels and rusted steel banding into the exterior signage. From the moment clients walk into TreeHouse, the philosophy is on display all around them.
Their model worked, proving that homeowners really are hungry for best practices and genuine customer service. TreeHouse survived the Great Recession that immediately followed their opening and is preparing to grow into new markets.
