Office design can often be overlooked as an important factor within a business. At home or on holiday you wouldn’t choose a living space that was unattractive and drab, so why put up with an office like that?
It is crucial to use office design to reinforce company culture, to inspire creativity and improve the overall working environment – keeping your staff motivated. Let’s find out how to use furniture creatively in your office.
You’re probably under the impression that you need one desk per team member, but this idea is not necessarily correct. Mobile technology has changed the game completely. Despite typically being the main furnishing item in offices, you may actually get away with getting rid of a few, which means that business owners can spend that little bit more on creative design space.
Zoning is a concept used in restaurants and even cities, but it can work in office buildings as well. If your employees want to talk, then they can stand in the kitchen, because that’s where everyone talks, or if you need privacy you can do something as little as pulling two couches together. You get the idea. It’s about creating spaces for specific activities, even if your office is on the smaller side.
Obviously making the most of the layout of your office can be difficult during the start-up years, which tend to be spent in shared offices, co-working spaces, or even coffee shops, but there are small layout adjustments that can be made.
When choosing furniture, people will mainly think about colour schemes and dimensions, but the aesthetic design of office furniture should not be overlooked. Obviously you don’t want to pick items that are too bright and over the top. However, there’s nothing wrong with adding a splash of colour to liven up your workspace.
It should be made aware that picking your furniture design in the office can have an impact on the mindset and mood of employees, therefore it is important to decide effectively when purchasing.
Plants, natural materials and light are a few of the small changes that can pay big dividends. In fact, studies show that natural light especially has beneficial health effects – it can also boost creativity amongst workers.
Hopefully this post has given you an idea and a bit of inspiration to encourage the use of furniture creatively within your office. If you ever need a helping hand then don’t hold back from contacting us here at Apteriors!
After a BA in Industrial Design at IUAV University of Venice, followed by an MA in Design at the Linnéuniversitetet in Växjö, Sweden, Mike gained experience in Italy, prior to moving to London. Before joining Apteriors, he worked as an interior design at IPT Architects, focusing on modular construction and particularly its sustainability.
Since joining our team, Mike has been part of the key team working on gaining our BIM Level 2 Certification. He has also worked closely with the rest of the design team and our suppliers, focusing mainly on educational & commercial spaces.
