^ vintage spaces
upon “Mad Men” era inspiration, “was the catalyst for everything.” Martin’s glass-front office attracted onlookers who asked about the design work. That led to iWerx’s business partners agreeing that Newton should incorporate her eye for design throughout the entire 33,000-square-foot space. “It was all trust,” Newton said in an interview at iWerx. “No one ever sat down and said, ‘Show us your blueprint. Tell us what you think.’” Newton drew upon a Seattle coffeehouse and its comfortable feel for iWerx’s coffee bar and lounge area. Big spaces, she said, face the challenge of finding ease in comfortability so she drew upon rich tones and eye-catching decorative elements that would leave people feeling like they did not want to leave. Newton found her own big spaces, so to speak, immediately after high school graduation, and for the next 25 years, her career path took on a se- ries of twists and turns before she landed with design work. Just as iWerx’s 40 members are on the cusp of exciting growth, Newton’s business in the last year alone has taken a dramatic turn from solely residential work to professional co-working settings. Self-taught Gypsy Soul” Following her graduation from Grandview High School in 1983, New- ton said her “gypsy soul” led her to move to Phoenix, “to seek alternative grounds, to explore, to see if the grass was greener.” After a brief stint at an advertising agency, she returned to Kansas City, where she worked at Bernstein-Rein. All the while, the lure of venturing out on her own remained within Newton, as all three of her siblings also are entrepre- neurs. So, she started a wedding-planning business on the side, remaining attracted to creative ventures.
Pam procured an antique iron sew- ing base (circa 1914) from a flea market in Minnesota and enlisted her hubby to create the table top out of barnwood that was salvaged from Longview Farms in Lee’s Sum- mit. The leather bench and wool rug were finds from FB Marketplace. Sprinkle in some succulents along with a modern mirror and It all sets the stage for the perfect spot to powder your nose.
TOP: Recycled cobalt blue glass bottles tied with twine add a pop of color to a vintage bookcase hutch. BOTTOM: Throughout the year distinctive local artists display their work in the main lounge area, their showing culminating with a cocktail reception.
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