You want an office that both communicates company values with visuals and is a functional, productive space for employees and clients. Great office design can help not just invigorate and motivate but even act as a selling point for prospective clients; environment matters.
Let’s make this year the year you can’t wait to get to work each day. Below here are 6 places to start your office decor upgrade.
While your office walls are likely not a place for anyone’s wedding photos, a wall of everyone’s most embarrassing kid photos in the lobby adds an element of fun. Shadow boxes can be easily updated and feature client features, products etc. Repurposing wood or other elements from a previous office design creates continuity between the old and the new, and can reinforce a brand value of sustainability.
Research has shown that exposure to natural elements like wood, stone, water, and plants can act to
counteract a number of the negative effects of the modern workplace. Using these natural elements
within an office, such as a wooden business card holder with a succulent can be the perfect antidote
to technology, whilst also increasing productivity and contentment of the workforce. Even with no
outside space to convert into a patio area for meetings outdoors in good weather, natural finishes
and even faux grass add a special touch.
Plants are always a good idea, with faux plants looking particularly realistic if you think you will kill a live one. You can even use flowers that will last forever, like eternity roses, that add a touch of class
and glamour. Alternatively, arrange desks to look outside or frost the glass so natural light gets in
without the need for blinds to stop any glare.
It’s important to brand your business interior so that it stands out from other premises. It is generally agreed that branding your office is just as important as branding your website.
You want your company’s philosophy, attitude and services to be obvious, at the most basic level, so think about how to incorporate company value statements as artwork. You can even download a poster print, or scan in an excerpt from a book – there are companies that can craft these in wood or other materials that you can attach to the wall if you want something to stand out more than a matte framed print. From making that first impression pop to standing out from competitors, embrace bold branding.
While you’re at it, why not create a logo wall for Instagram? Having a logo on a feature wall or a step + repeat is a simple way to create visual interest and inspire tagged photos (hey if it can work for your local coffee shop it can work for your business!).
You may have a favorite color or brand colors and that’s a great place to start. Color psychology is also a fun way to intentionally create unique spaces within your office layout. Here are a few traditional definitions of color meaning to get you started.
Yellow: Intellect, Knowledge, Optimism, Youth
Red: Passion, Anger, Energy, Love, Courage
Green: Wealth, Energy, Healing, Success, Growth
White: Purity, Innocence, Healing, Perfection, Clean
Black: Formal, Luxury, Secrecy, Power
Purple: Royalty, Spirituality, Imagination, Mystery
Blue: Trust, Wisdom, Calm, Peace, Cool
Orange: Creativity, Vibrant, Unique, Stimulation
Grey: Balance, Neutrality, Sophistication, Dependable
In public relations, you’re staring at a screen for most of the day; there should be no scrimping on comfortable office furniture. A cheap chair can cause back pain and require breaks to stretch, which immediately puts the breaks on flow. A movable monitor that puts the screen at eye level will reduce neck pain and easy storage and cable organization keeps work areas clean and neat.
Communication companies are grounded in great ideas. The whiteboards are great for meetings, presentations and project planning, but chunky framed whiteboards are not particularly attractive.In the 1960s, the first dry erase boards were made of steel, and it still works today, as long as the
metal is not painted. There are also now other dry erase options you can paint straight onto a wall, which gives the option to choose your own size and shape. Whiteboards also don’t have to be white as there is now transparent whiteboard paint you can add to any colored wall, or perhaps a digital print. This paint can also be used on desks, which can be great for to-do lists. Whiteboard wallpaper can even guarantee there will be no yellowing, or marks remaining on your surface after they are wiped off, often an issue with regular whiteboards.
With a few tweaks you can fully embrace your brand identity and create a workspace that inspires both you and your team.
Developed in partnership with Eternity Rose
