In the past, the word ‘office’ often conjured up images of a white-walled, drudgery-inducing space punctuated by stark, impersonal cubicles. However, with employees now spending more than half their lives in the office, offices have begun to take on a cosier approach as pioneered by corporations such as Google.
It’s important to strike a balance between fun and professionalism; workspaces shouldn’t have to be dull and strictly business. A comfy office helps boost staff morale, contributes to higher levels of productivity, promotes emotional wellness, encourages creativity and may even help boost the numbers when it comes to employee retention. Need to take a break in between crunching numbers? Set up a room with fun office games for employees and watch productivity soar after a break session!
With the decline of the economic situation and the rising cost of rent, businesses have (almost) no choice but to resort to smaller offices and simpler design ideas. Nonetheless, you shouldn’t let space get in the way of your dream fun office space. Read on for some fun modern office design ideas that are perfect for small spaces.
Theme Time
Start by deciding on a theme for your office, as it makes everything else easier. Are you looking for a minimalist, zen-like space or a fun and vibrant atmosphere? Would there be an emphasis on personal space or would you prefer a more communal setting where your employees can get together to brainstorm often? What kind of industry is it built for? Creative industries tend to have more leeway when it comes to interior design as opposed to suit-and-tie types of businesses such as law or auditing firms; so it would be wise to take that into consideration when planning the layout and décor. For instance, having a wall-hanging whiteboard around the office might prove useful, especially during brainstorm sessions.
Colour Play
Scientific studies have proven that colours can help or hinder productivity levels. Warm tones such as reds and yellows are energy boosters and therefore suitable for areas where everyone gets down to business. Cool tones such as blues, greens and purples can help to create a relaxing environment, making them ideal for places such as break rooms or private work rooms.
If you’re not keen on the idea of accent walls or bright bursts of colour, subtle pops of colour via colourful furniture will work just as well. Opt to integrate your brand colours via unique pieces with customisable colours such as the Zum Low Back. With several customisable colours, seat options that can be tailored to fit your space constraints and a built-in coffee table, it’s the ideal piece for sprucing up a lounge or reception area without taking up too much space. Need more colour in your waiting rooms or a casual break room? The Josiah Coffee Table should do the trick, especially since it comes in 5 different colourways. Replacing the conventional plain white conference room table with one that has colourful legs such as the Maxi Conference Table can also instantly bring life into the room.
Creature Comforts
Office workers spend up to 8 hours per day, 5 days a week on their office chairs, which is an inordinately large amount of time spent on that one piece of furniture. Ergonomic stools that encourage motion such as the Yao Yao Stool and Boffo Stool offer flexibility and motion that conventional office chairs don’t, thus giving office workers the chance to move around more while seated to get their blood circulation going. Not only will the stools encourage natural sitting postures that are better for the back and hips, but they’re also colourful and more fun to bounce around on too, which are perfect for employees that love playing fun games in the office like musical chairs! If typical office chairs are too mainstream for you, opt for more casual and fun looking swivel chairs like Luster or Blot as a replacement in conference rooms for an all-in-one workstation solution.
There’s more to office ergonomics than just stools. The Amp Sit/Stand Desk Riser, for instance, is a dynamic laptop stand that’s height-adjustable. It has five different height levels, making it a universal solution that’s usable by people of varying height. If you want to know how it works, we’ve created a simple tutorial video!
Space Savers
There’s no fun to be had when you’re too busy sorting through office clutter or bumping into bulky furniture at every corner. Multifunctionality and flexibility are key factors when designing for a small office space.
Waiting rooms and break rooms can benefit from modular sofas such as the Zone Modular Sofa or modular stools like Seed Modular Stool. If you are aiming for a more unified-looking seating option, browse through our myriad of modular sofas – the Rio Collection would be your best bet! Put them together or take them apart to serve as separate seats, customise the number of seats or even the layout of the room with them – the possibilities are endless and their space-saving qualities make them perfect for small office design ideas.
While space may be a concern, it wouldn’t do to sacrifice privacy for the sake of it either. Divide a space into several areas or break up the layout of a room with the Kinpi Sofa, a high back 3-seater that helps create a private, cocoon-like environment that ensures employees get the privacy they need while lunching, working on new projects, or when they require a power nap. If a 3-seater is too space-consuming for your office, do consider the Houston Highback Sofa or Oat Highback Sofa that comes in both 1-seater and 2-seater variants.
Depending on the type of office you plan on having (private or communal space), desk designs vary as well. Desk designs for small spaces often feature longer tables as opposed to having individual desks for each person as this provides a larger overall working space. For the best of all worlds, opt for space-saving yet spacious workstations like Intel and Maxi. The former is made for the common office workspace, while the latter made for private, standalone rooms.
Back To Nature
Greenery helps to inject a subtle and calming spot of colour into any room without being too flashy and it can even double up as a divider of sorts. Include some artificial grass, planters or even a skyforest planter into your office space for a breath of nature in your working space. Some say that looking at such decorations may even help improve your mood!
There are plenty of modern office and desk design ideas for small spaces but these tips should help you get a head start. For more fun and functional pieces, visit Comfort Furniture and browse the extensive collections available. You’re sure to find something that suits your ideal theme.
