Can’t afford a coworking space, but love how their spaces are so beautifully designed? Looking to create an office where you can build your team culture and increase productivity?
Ace Houston, a former WeWork Designer and Design Consultant for private offices at Birdnest, shares these seven easy steps to make your private office look and feel brighter, cozier, and more productive.
1. Painting
A change in color is one of the easiest ways to give a space a new feeling. This can also be a straightforward way of taking your company’s brand and putting it right on the walls. I’d recommend looking into color theory for specifics on mood, but a good thing to always remember is how much natural light you have in your space. Darker colors will absorb light and lighter colors will reflect more of it into the space.
2. Plants
Plants have been proven to improve people’s moods and can also improve indoor air quality so it is the key for clean air and in turn a clear mind. I’d recommend a low-maintenance option like a snake plant paired with some taller plants like an indoor palm.
3. Abstract Art
Abstract art can provide a punch of color in a monotone office or provide a conversation piece for visitors and office members alike. Other good art choices include pop art and/or something related to the company itself.
4. Lighting
Our brains like variety and lighting can provide that. Usually, offices only have overhead (typically fluorescent) lighting which can be very dull. I’d recommend providing task lighting at each desk, or if the budget is tight, a showpiece floor lamp.
5. Breakout Space
The best offices provide at minimum two places, if not three: 1 – desks 2 – a meeting room 3 – a breakout space. This is because as an office worker sitting at a desk is fine for a few days, but sometimes a change in scenery is needed to get the creative side of your brain working. Providing a more casual space with a comfortable couch or armchair allows for more casual conversations, and sometimes the best ideas come from those spur of the moment conversations.
6. Something Soft
It can be a carpet, a plush chair, or even curtains. Soft surfaces add a bit of approachability to what is usually a fairly stuffy or rigid space. Also, open offices with wood floors, bare walls, open ceilings make every sound louder and distracting. Soft materials absorb sounds and can reduce the dreaded echo chamber.
7. Break It Up
For larger offices, one of the issues is that there are rows and rows of desks without any variety whatsoever. I would suggest using some of the earlier tips to create visual variety. It means office workers have different things to look at, and it keeps the brain active and engaged.