Office Design Ideas

As the hub of your business, your office is where your employees spend the majority of their time while at work. The space needs to promote not just productivity, but innovation and collaboration too. In an ideal world, all office spaces would do just that. But, a lack of planning or the changing needs of the business over time means your office design could be unsuitable as it currently stands.

If that sounds familiar, in today’s post we are here to inspire you with some of our favourite office design ideas.

It’s a common fact that we’ve mentioned a few times before, and with good reason, and that is humans spend approximately 90% of their time indoors. We can’t stress enough the importance of making sure your office spaces make the best use of the natural light you have. Or, to consider creating more by increasing your window sizes or even adding skylights. The more your employees are exposed to natural light, the higher their productivity levels will be.

As humans, we need exposure to sunlight. Being in a dimly lit room makes us feel sleepy and can even promote eye strain. It’s just not what nature intended! By placing desks in generously lit areas of your office, you will promote employee happiness and well-being. From a design perspective, the added light will enhance your existing decor and will make any feature walls or design pieces pop. Even when paired with a clean colour scheme, your office will feel far more inviting when it is well-lit.

Every single office space has unique features that give it character. This is especially the case in older buildings or those which have been converted for other uses. If you want to inject some personality into your office design, then work with the natural quirks of the building. For example, exposed brickwork, stripped back floorboards or any other interesting features you can workaround. Such original features are a snapshot of time’s gone by and can set your company HQ apart from other brands.

Another way you can go about working with the history of the building is to source reclaimed materials to use within the space. Coffee tables, sofas, lamps and retro posters are just some of the ways you can go about this. By fusing the old and the new, you can create a unique office space that captures the heart of your company. So before you rip everything out and start again, see what is salvageable first.

Your office design is a chance to show you’re not just another run-of-the-mill company. Whether you invite customers into your office space or not, it’s where your business not only functions but continues to grow and develop. So why make somewhere so important boring and void of personality? Implementing brand personality can be as simple as adding your company colours to a feature wall, or adding themes to different rooms. There’s no end of ways you can customise your office space so that it’s professional yet also on brand.

If you’re planning an office redesign and you’re not sure what direction to go in, a good place to start is to have a chat with your team. After all, these are the people who spend the majority of their time in the current space! Find out what they’d like to see within the new office design, in terms of what works and what doesn’t. You can then look to implement your brand personality within the ideas you all come up with.

Many tasks take place in an office, and so you need to provide spatial options for each of these scenarios, not least when it comes to collaboration. Having key zones around your office helps encourage teamwork, especially if employees don’t feel chained to their desks. If the space also has more seating and surface areas, it can help explain projects in greater detail. It’s also ideal for introducing new members of the team. In short, collaboration zones are invaluable areas of the office and can come in the form of meeting rooms, quiet zones, kitchen areas or outdoor spaces.

So what makes an effective collaboration zone? Firstly, there should be some segregation between noisy or high-traffic areas. This can be achieved through the use of walls or shelving. When it comes to the seating, it helps if the break-out zones are comfortable so it creates a change of scene from desk setups. Ensuring this is the case will help encourage open positive body language which is essential for good communication and the building of work relationships.

Another avenue to explore within your office design is to implement lux touches. High spec design can be achieved in several ways, and it can even be done on a budget just by using the right colours and finishes within your materials. The above example has channelled its interior design background within the office design. A similar mantra can be followed for any company, and if done right will create a spectacular impression on your clients.

Modern design features include glossy wall or floor tiles. Paired with sliding doors and big open windows the look will become very chic. You can also add natural materials such as wood or stone to break away from the traditional white desks. Instead of industrial strip lighting, mood or motion sensor lighting would add a much classier touch to your office design. If you get creative here there are endless ways you can add lux touches to your office.

The average employee spends 40+ hours at work. If your current dining/lounge space is lacking in design (or is even non-existent!) then it’s time to create spaces where your employees can relax. Remember, your employees are human and there are times when they need to step away from their desk, especially if they are stressed or need time to think about a brief. Creating relaxation areas provides the perfect area to take a breather, and can also help encourage bonding with other employees too.

While some companies opt for pool tables and beanbags – in reality, there are no rules here. All that counts is that your employees have a comfortable and relaxed space that’s a change of scenery. It’s also an opportunity to play with colour schemes too, especially as employee-only areas will not be accessed by your clients. So, don’t be afraid to get creative! Make it a place where break times will be well spent so that your employees come back to their desks feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on their next task.

We hope the above ideas have inspired your next office design, especially as changing things up is a golden opportunity to carve out your brand identity. Most of all, it’s a place where your employees will spend most of their time, so it pays to ensure your office is as inspiring as it can be. Listening to your employees about any current pain points can be hugely helpful, as it’s important the office design works for everyone to encourage company growth and overall employee satisfaction.

Feeling inspired? If you are interested in updating your office design then ACI is here to help. We’ve been helping businesses reimagine their office and commercial spaces since 2009. Based in Nottingham, we cover the whole of the UK including Derby, Birmingham, Leicester and Manchester. From small re-fits to something a little more ambitious, drop us a line on 0115 939 7572 with your project enquiry and we’ll be in touch.