Getting an interior makeover for your company could be a big investment. You cannot afford to jump into it randomly because it could cost you a lot. Relocating or redesigning your office space could potentially slow down the productivity of your work force during the process or create unnecessary expenditure if you do not plan well ahead of time. There are so many interior design companies in the market today but you can only benefit from it if you plan ahead and plan carefully by taking the necessary steps.
Here are some important things to consider before getting an interior makeover for your office:
1. OFFICE DESIGNS THAT ARE CURRENTLY TRENDING
Before you commission any interior design company, you must do a proper research on the office designs that are currently trending. This will give you a good idea of what it is that you want for your office and how your workplace productivity will benefit from it. A popular layout these days is the open plan office but there are also now upcoming designs that focus on remote working, collaborative teams, and accommodating work groups in many of the forward thinking work places.
Here are some popular office design trends:
• Moving desks – Valve is a very profitable company on software and it has given all of its employees’ desks that has wheels. Employees can set it up anywhere in the office and work where they actually need to and with whom they want to.
• Standing desks – There is a dramatic boost to the overall health and the productivity among the workers who have standing desks that are convertible.
• Authentic design – There is an increasing trend where businesses “tell their story” by aligning the choices of interior design from design branding to materials. This is a bespoke process that actually requires a strong collaborative effort from all of the stakeholders in the entire process of designing.
• Go natural – A trend that is actually promoting the well being of the office includes the use of daylight and natural materials.
• Multipurpose spaces – The age old cubicles are increasing replacing the multipurpose spaces. Shared spaces and benches are now promoting inter office engagement and collaboration.
2. HOW TO USE YOUR NEW DESIGN TO IMPRESS CLIENTS
If you are in the business of facing clients, your office will sell your business just the way your staff does. The first impression will always count. Before commencing on the fit out project for your new office, you have to work with the blank canvas. Work this to your advantage and take into consideration all factors when it comes to resources and design in order to be able to deliver a work space that will impress all of your clients. Here are some helpful tips:
• Engaging and comfortable reception areas.
• Personal or public café spaces.
• Public thoroughfares and atriums encouraging others to walk past your office space and get a great feeling out of it.
• Design and architectural flourishes like indoor gardens, floating staircases, etc.
• Entertainment and recreational areas.
• Artwork – perhaps commissioned wall mural types by the local artists or hanging collections.
Study the type of customers you aim to attract or want to engage. Ask a design from your interior design company that leaves a lasting impression on clients who visit.
3. OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND OFFICE SPACE
While designing, always keep the future in mind. Few years down the line you might want to buy new furniture and equipment or increase your staff so always make sure your office design will adapt easily to accommodate more additions in the future. This will also eliminate the problem of relocation in the near future. Here are some important tips:
• Halls, aisles and exterior doorways to fit equipment and trolleys.
• Repurposing spaces with modular design.
• Expand office space without floor space with mezzanine levels.
Plan for more remote working, agile environment, and collaborative spaces because it may not always be possible to rent the upper floor or open out the office. This will enable you to expand in the coming future without spending too much on floorspace or relocate.
4. GOING GREEN
Sustainability in your company comes with a number of benefits. It will also improve your company’s reputation both among the clients and also among your staff. Here are some tips to reduce the carbon footprint in your office:
• Go paperless – Going paperless will reduce usage of energy in paper factories, reduce consumption of fuel and save thousands of natural trees. For instance, one tone of printing paper needs 24 trees.
• Solar technology – You can slash the power bills with solar power. It will heat water and power the lights. You can even sell energy into the grid and make some extra cash instead.
• Use the sunlight – Redesign your new office to benefit from the sunlight. Position the workstations in such a way that it is perpendicular to the overall east – west trajectory of our sun.
5. THE RIGHT COLOR CHOICE
It is common knowledge that certain types of colors can dramatically improve the feel and look of an office space. Consult your interior design company to creatively implement the following hues and tones for your benefit:
• Use high saturation colors to stimulate and low saturation colors to create a soothing ambience.
• If you deal with logical work like those of accounting, using the blue color will soothe as well as stimulate the mind.
• Stoke the ago, emotions and creativity with yellow. It will perfectly suit collaborative spaces, creative agencies and daring marketing strategists where sparks fly.
• Use the color green for breakout areas, signing documents or finalizing contracts because it triggers a sense of balance. Make sure not to use it incorrectly because it could also create a sense of stagnation or inert.
• Use red in physical movement, the body and work. Zoning areas where contractors work will benefit from high saturation red color while low saturated red will calm and soothe the body.
Get multiple benefits with the right combination of colors and achieve color sensitivity while keeping the design hues and brand colors intact.
