Crosby Law –
Law Firm Office Design
Legal Office Interior Design Pictures
Crosby Law
A Legal Den with a Personal Compass
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Client
Crosby Law
Location
St. Paul, Minnesota
Space Type
Law office — collaborative open-concept suite with exposed brick character
Scope
Design of a highly personalized law office blending the attorney’s adventurer personality with a functional open workspace for up to five staff — incorporating artisan bike-inspired lighting, antique courthouse furniture, large-format adventure photography, a refinished heritage table, exposed brick restoration, and sustainably sourced materials.
THE SPACE BEFORE
The office suite had raw potential — exposed brick walls with real character hiding under years of mineral buildup. But the space itself didn’t say anything about the person working inside it. For an attorney whose life is defined as much by bike treks through Montana and explorations of Machu Picchu as by the cases he prepares, that disconnect was significant. He and his team work collaboratively, and the space needed to function as an open office for up to four support staff. But function alone wasn’t the brief. The space needed to feel like the attorney who runs it.
THE DESIGN DIRECTION
The challenge was personal: bring the attorney’s adventurer spirit into the office without turning it into a themed space. It had to be a serious, functional law practice — a place where clients feel confident in their counsel — while also reflecting the personality, curiosity, and experiences of the person leading it. Think of it as a legal den: a place where the big cases get tackled, but where the walls, the light, and the details tell you something about the person behind the desk before the first handshake.
WHAT WE WORKED WITH (AND AROUND)
Bike-inspired lighting that tells the story from overhead.
The attorney’s passion for cycling became the lighting concept for the entire space. An artisan-crafted chandelier made from tire rims, gears, and bike chains anchors the waiting and lounge area. A wheel-inspired fixture highlights the conference room. Whimsical gear-based pendants illuminate the galley break room. And modern circular fixtures layer in ambient light that ties it all together. The lighting isn’t novelty — it’s a design system with a personal signature running through it.
Adventure photography as windows to the world.
The attorney had years of stunning photos from his travels — mountains, trails, landscapes — all living on his phone. We enlarged them to window-sized prints and placed them throughout the office. They serve double duty: conversation starters with clients who want to know the story, and a visual spark of energy for the team while planning the next case or the next voyage. The same move we’ve used in other projects — creating views where the architecture doesn’t provide them — but here with deeply personal content.
Exposed brick, uncovered and lit for drama.
The brick walls were there all along — they just needed attention. We addressed the mineral buildup to reveal the natural texture underneath, then added hidden track lights to highlight the brick and create dimensional drama. What was previously a neglected surface became one of the most compelling features in the room.
Antiques and vintage pieces that earn their place.
The attorney brought a collection of pieces with real history. Antique jury chairs from the old St. Paul courthouse added gravitas and charm. Worn leather pieces were incorporated throughout, underscoring years of experience in a way that new furniture simply can’t. And then there’s the table: a damaged vintage piece that we refinished and topped with the attorney’s family coat-of-arms — which also happens to be his new firm logo. What might have been discarded became a true heritage piece and the emotional anchor of the office.
Modern open workspace that respects the vintage character.
Five open desk workstations were designed to offer modern conveniences — power, connectivity, layout flexibility — while working harmoniously with the vintage pieces throughout the suite. The balance between old and new is deliberate: the modern elements let the team work efficiently, and the vintage elements remind everyone that this practice has personality and history.
THE OUTCOME
Walk into Crosby Law and you know exactly who you’re working with before the attorney says a word. The bike-chain chandelier overhead. The mountains of Montana on the wall. Jury chairs from a courthouse that’s been part of St. Paul’s legal history for generations. A coat-of-arms on a table that’s been given a second life. Every detail is specific to this attorney, this practice, this story.
The design was sustainably crafted — repurposing pieces that might have been discarded and using commercial flooring with high recycled content. But the sustainability isn’t the headline. The headline is that this is a law office that feels nothing like a law office, while functioning exactly like one. Lawyer meets adventurer on two wheels — and the space tells that story beautifully.
RECOGNITION
Second Place, Commercial Office — ASID Minnesota
Featured: Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal — Cool Offices