When New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) set out to enhance its main student gathering spaces, they needed furniture that would stand up to heavy use while maintaining a fresh, modern appeal. The project was particularly meaningful for Cynthia Bartley of McGlynn Associates, who is not only an Integra representative but also a graduate of NEIT’s Interior Design program.

Winning the Project
For Cynthia, this project was years in the making. She had long stayed connected with her alma mater—regularly participating in design critiques and presentations for students—and had reached out to NEIT’s facilities department multiple times over the years. When the Director of Auxiliary Services expressed interest in Integra, she was eager to support the team to be a knowledgeable resource to propose the best product solutions.

Although the initial request centered on Integra’s Rendezvous lounge seating, Cynthia saw an opportunity to showcase the Coffee House Collection as a better solution for this project’s needs. A sample was brought in, and the facilities team immediately responded. “He looked at it once and fell in love,” Bartley recalled. “He told me right after installation that we’d brought in the right piece—something he loved at first sight.”

The final scope of the project was meaningful—not just in scale, but in the impact it would have on how students engage with and use the space. NEIT installed a wide array of Coffee House chairs with tablet arms, complemented by several straight armless benches thoughtfully placed throughout the multi-level lounge areas surrounding the school’s open central staircase. One of the most compelling aspects of the project is that the final material selections were precisely the same fabrics and finishes the McGlynn team had used as samples from their showroom.