What is mural and environmental design?
Murals are more than just vibrant visuals on a wall; they’re powerful tools for storytelling, community identity, and brand expression. They turn ordinary spaces into places of meaning, sparking conversation, inspiring pride, and making art accessible to everyone! Whether elevating local organizations or creating art for the community, murals bring life to public spaces.
Environmental design is the intentional creation and organization of spaces, both interior and exterior, to shape how people interact with their surroundings. It blends elements like murals, furniture and fixtures, and visual art to build environments that are functional, creative, and reflective of brand identity.
How does it make your business stand out?
Curating a branded, immersive space for your business or organization is crucial in ensuring YOU stand out! People who come into your space will remember how unique it is, and that leaves a positive impact.
Environmental design, like custom murals, furniture, and signage, creates a visual identity that’s instantly recognizable and deeply memorable. It tells your story before anyone even says a word. It helps your brand feel cohesive, intentional, and alive.
When your space is thoughtfully designed, it shows professionalism, care, and creativity, all things customers want to associate with your brand. It becomes a photo-worthy environment people want to share, tag, and return to. It turns visitors into fans!
In a world full of templated beige and boring spaces, yours becomes unforgettable.
Telling a story through art.
NMCO has had the awesome opportunity of working with many businesses, organizations, and community projects that feature mural and environmental design work. From one-stop mural projects to full-scale environmental design endeavors, every creation impacts the client and their space.
Small Projects
Amador Health: Mural
As part of our 2024 holiday campaign “12 Days of Giving,” Amador Health won a custom mural giveaway! Our team created a mural of their heart logo. Placed in a high-traffic area, the mural now greets staff and patients every day with color and care.
La Pinon: Mural and Vision Posters
La Pinon came to NMCO for a rebrand and website refresh. We collaborated with their team on videography and photography projects, as well. To align their physical space with their new visual identity, NMCO painted murals in their lobby space and made heartfelt vision posters. This shows visitors their unique brand and voice as soon as they enter the building while inciting a place of care to those who need their service
La Vida Project: Entryway mural and posters
Simple solutions can make a big impact. NMCO partnered with the La Vida Project team to develop vision and mission posters that help activate the space. The team also requested a painterly, abstract “neon sign” mural for their House of Kahlo room. Additionally, we transformed their entryway with a colorful, rainbow-themed mural that spills over the door, featuring plants and animals leading the way to the entrance. It’s a showstopper when walking down Main Street.
Las Cruces Counseling Center: Mural
Our Kind Heart, Fierce Mind and Brave Spirit mural is the inspired reminder to anyone needing the counseling centers services. After LCCC came to NMCO for a logo design and graphic design, it only made sense to add those thoughtfully crafted designs onto the entrance.
Larger Projects
Visit Las Cruces: Multi-media lobby with custom made signage
We partnered with Visit Las Cruces to transform their Visitor’s Center into a vibrant extension of their new brand. The refreshed environment includes large-scale murals, vinyl decals, neon signage, acrylic cacti, and carefully selected furniture. We even developed a looping video with stunning footage displayed in their lobby to help show off their brand. The result? A space that feels exciting, on-brand, and uniquely Las Cruces, inviting visitors to explore all that Las Cruces has to offer. Visitors ooh and ahh every time they stop by.
FYI+: Wayfinding, murals and more
After a successful rebrand, the NMCO team worked to completely revamp the FYI+ building through thoughtful designs and careful planning. We introduced colorful murals in offices and lobbies, branded wayfinding vinyl, window wraps, and more. We crafted a space that not only visitors can feel welcome in, but staff feel energized and proud to work in.
Sendero: Murals, signage and more!
Following a brand refresh, Sendero Prep needed their school to feel exciting for students, staff, parents, and potential partners. Our team took a deep dive into creating a photo opportunity mural for students, large panoramic mural in the lobby, painted signage, vinyl decals on the entrance windows, interior and exterior painting, and building signage. Through these changes, Sendero is able to enjoy their space with an updated look reflective of their new identity. The NMCO team finished just in time for the students to see the transformation before the first day of school!
Other Projects
Lady of Las Cruces
Some mural projects carry a larger message. The Lady of Las Cruces was a community-focused project that invited the public to take part in its creation. The design, thoughtfully crafted by our Co-Founder Christina Ballew, is a testament to the beauty of Las Cruces and the people that live here.
NMCO Studio
Naturally, we needed murals and design in our own space too! When we moved into our current studio, we knew we wanted a space that reflected our team’s energy and personality. From our bright orange couch to our team character mural, each element was curated to show visitors our culture and give our creatives a space they love to work in.
What does it take to transform your space?
Every great environmental design project kicks off with extensive research, planning, and collaboration. Working with the client on what is best for their budget, their ideal expectations, and their design interests is integral to starting the project off right!
The NMCO team moves forward with wireframes, digital outlines of the space with design ideas mocked up. This gives the client an idea of how the proposed design will look in their space. From here, we research and price out options for furniture, light fixtures, art, and other elements that will make up the new space. This information is always cohesively and thoughtfully presented to the client to figure out what works best for their end goal. We also create and add mural designs to the space within our wireframes, ensuring every element compliments each other.
When we have a clear plan set in place, it’s time to get production started! We will begin with purchasing necessary items, contracting out for wall painting and other elements we need to build, and project mural designs. This stage is where things get exciting; the client can see their wireframe mockup come to life! After murals are painted and every element is in its place, the space is fully transformed best suited to the brand and reflective of the people who compose it.
Make your lobby unforgettable
Whether it’s a bold mural, a welcoming lobby, or a full-scale branded environment, environmental design is an opportunity to tell your story in a way people won’t forget. At NMCO, we believe every wall, hallway, and corner has the potential to inspire. Our work blends strategy with creativity to build spaces that reflect who you are and what you stand for. Let’s turn your space into something unforgettable, because design isn’t just decoration; it’s experience.
