Space Planning Your Office

Whether you are building, renovating or expanding your business, planning the layout of your space is a big deal.

Getting the office layout to work for your team while keeping the work flow within the office efficient is a big investment of time and money that will pay off in the long run if done strategically.

After meeting with your architect, the next call is to visit with your office furniture consultant at the dealer of your choice, and also a designer if you plan to use one.

Make an appointment to visit with a furniture consultant who understands your needs and gets a feel for your business. If you feel they don’t understand what you are after or the connection is not there, ask to work with someone else. It is important to have the right help and suggestions all the way through the process and get the end result you want!

Someone who has been in the industry for years will make invaluable suggestions that can save you time and money. Have them visit your space and see what your plans are for the various rooms. They can then further suggest office furniture placement, room usage and how to be most proficient in what you are purchasing and how it will be configured. If you plan to add on later to some larger rooms, you can tell them at that time so that they quote accordingly with plans to expand later. Sometimes there are significant savings/group discounts when ordering all of the furniture at once as opposed to waiting until later especially if you are sure you will be adding on to the same types of workstations in that area. This is especially true with cubicles.

As they look over your rooms, discuss with them their suggested location for electrical outlets, phone/computer lines, and ask their help and recommendations with desk placement, so that as furniture if being quoted, these things are taken into consideration.

Most of the time they will want a file emailed to them so that they can drop furniture into the floor plan already drawn out by the architect. You can connect them with your architect for this information so that they can coordinate getting the right format, etc. This will speed up the process of getting layout and quotations back. It will likely also save you money if your architect can provide that information to the dealer so that the rooms don’t have to be re-drawn which will end up being another expense for you unless it is complimentary which is not typical.

These are just a few things to keep in mind as you proceed with your space planning. Use professionals who are easy to deal with and solution oriented so that the process is less stressful and the end result is a perfect fit… just like your office furniture will be with the right help!

How a little color can change your office environment

What a boring world it would be with out color!

Using a great color pallet can enhance the creativity of your workforce, and give new life to your business transactions.

Especially in marketing, design & media firms or technology driven businesses, a punch of color in the right places can reinforce your companies appeal as a place that is energetic & fresh.

Here are some ways to use color in specific areas-

Reception Area:
You can pick one or two accent walls for a pop of color and then go neutral on the rest. Consider a standard wood finish like Black or Light Cherry for the receptionist desk & end/coffee tables and then add your zing of color to the seating & artwork.

Another way to do effective branding is by coordinating with a prominently displayed company logo. You can tie the colors of the logo into an accent wall & then bring it out with some accessories. One client recently used their company’s yellow & black corporate colors to their advantage in their reception area with a black & glass desk and yellow lounge seating with coordinating black accent tables.

For a fresh look, another client, who was a media firm used white modern lounge furniture with silver accents to add pop to their aqua accent walls. Add a few throw pillows & some modern art and you have a pulled together look that is unique and interesting.

Conference Room:

Consider selecting neutral walls, and then going with dark wood for the conference table & buffet or bookcases. Add a fun print on the chairs. Tie in the colors of the chairs with accessories on the bookcases and an arrangement of vases or flowers on the table.

Or how about doing the room in a color, and add a 2nd coordinating color on the chairs for extra pep?

Offices:

Many workstations have a wide variety of finish options. What about ordering the desks in a color, and then going neutral in Black or Tan for the seating and Black & White prints for the walls?

Or if you prefer to keep the furniture a standard finish such as an Espresso (which is really hot right now), then add a punch of color with lime green or another color on the chairs & a patterned green tack board, and then frame art that ties in a few accent colors such as orange or aqua?

For traditional furnishings, try pairing chairs that have a streamlined design with old world styles for a look that is old meets new. Update the boring burgundy with tans and chocolates, and then add a rich red or deep purple for depth.

Who says your office has to be boring? Take a look at some office furniture design concepts to get ideas on how to improve your space. It will not only brighten the mood around your company, but it will show good design & great taste as well.