7 Ways to Spruce Up Your Office Space Without Breaking the Bank!
The psychology of office space is a popular topic of late, and so in talking about ways to spruce up your workplace, we’ve taken the modern approach to workplace environment and creating office spaces for happy employees.
Employing just a couple or all of these tricks will leave you with a better, fresher and more engaging office space!
- Fresh coat of paint
Whether you add a splash of colour and create a feature wall, or tone down the office with whites and neutrals – a fresh coat of paint is an affordable way to freshen up an office without expensive structural changes or new furniture. When choosing a colour for your walls, consider the energy you’re trying to achieve in your office space and consult some articles by experts on the matter so you can get the most out of your office pain job! Also consider any existing natural fibres in your workspace like wooden furniture or floors and choose shades that best complement them.
- Indoor Planters
It can be amazing the new life a little indoor greenery can give to a tired office space! Even if your office is compact, consider just a few potters, hangers or wall plants to simply liven up the office. Plants like peace lilies and succulents are easy to look after, and for those with no green thumb at all, good quality fake flowers in the right situation can look great!
- De-clutter + storage solutions
Sometimes we accumulate so much ‘office junk’ that it becomes impossible to know where things live anymore. For a truly fresh office space you want to be able to create more space, so organise the clutter and find suitable storage solutions out the way of your desk cubicle and keep a ‘minimalist approach’ when de-cluttering the whole office. Keep your office from becoming a mismatched museum of bits and pieces and take the time to sort through everything and cull down and decide what ornaments/ furniture you REALLY like and what can go to ‘bits n piece’ heaven. Less is more. The Konmari method is a great way to determine if an object should be kept.
Ask yourself:
Does it spark joy? Is it necessary? Does it work? Does it have a designated place to live? If the answer to all of these questions is no, then it might be time for it to find a new home.
- Re-furbish
Breathing new life back into an old piece of furniture or existing cabinetry is a great way to freshen up a room without buying something new. Sites like IkeaHackers are a great way to look for other people’s ideas on how to dress up pre-loved furniture, and Pintrest is also abundant in tips on how to properly go about DIY furniture refurbishment.
- Move the furniture around
As is often the case, when you look at anything for too long you start to see flaws. Sometimes the best way to make a room seem nicer is just to play around with the location of everything! Move the facing direction of the desks to the other wall, swap the art around on the walls, rearrange the knick-knacks and coffee table and just SEE how it feels. You might be surprised yourself with how different the office space can look and how much space you can create after moving things around! And the best part about this trick is that it costs no money at all, and even if you don’t like it you can always move it all back!
6. Rugs
Area rugs can be an affordable and fantastic way to spruce up/ change a room dynamic, particularly if your office space has polished concrete floors like so many do these days, something like a jute rug can be just the natural textured touch the room needs to create a warm workspace! Rugs have the amazing ability to define a space, and they have a number of other benefits including floor protection, insulation, and sound and dust absorption. The trick with rugs is to always go as large as the area permits. If you have a rug in the office common area try to find a rug that spreads to at least under the front legs of the surrounding lounges or one that can fit your whole desk and chair in it’s perimeters.
- Mirrors
It’s not often common in inner city offices, but we think it should be – Its the age old trick that never goes out of style in homes, and its much more affordable than any piece of art you could get! Depending on the style of your office, strategically placed mirrors can work really well to make your office feel more open, which makes a world of difference, especially in small office spaces. Consider their placement carefully and think about what they will be reflecting – artworks, feature lighting and views of the outdoors can really help to create a more engaging and pleasant office space, but views into bathrooms and bare walls, not so much. When hanging mirrors, try to hang them so that you can see your reflection when you’re standing up but not when you’re sitting down; it can be a bit un-nerving to be sitting at your desk and keep spotting a person out of the corner of your eye.
Get Started Today
At Total Fitouts we specialise in office fitouts, so if you think your office space needs a little more TLC than a re-shuffle and a spruce, we’re here for you. We have experience in small businesses, display offices, corporate office, legal and accounting firms and more. Learn more about our office fitout services here and get started on your dream office today!