Your office space can make a huge difference in the success of your business. If you and your team are constantly cramped in a dark, unorganized space, then you can’t hope to get very much accomplished. But if you create a comfortable, aesthetically pleasing office that’s unique to your business, you can give your business a much better chance.
To create the best possible office space for your business, take a look at this list of office decorating ideas below.
Office Decorating Ideas
Make the Most of Your Natural Lighting
Lighting is one of the most important elements of a well-designed office. You can have the most organized space, unique furniture and beautiful color scheme. But you can’t see all of those elements clearly if you don’t have good lighting. Natural light is best. So try to keep any window areas unobstructed to make the most of the light that your space gets.
Get High Quality Artificial Light
But chances are you’re still going to need at least some artificial light to keep your office illuminated throughout the day. So opt for high quality lighting like lamps and indirect light instead of generic fluorescents.
Designate a Welcoming Entryway
Your entryway is going to be the first thing that you, your team members and your clients see when you walk into the office. So you should carefully consider the impression created right when you walk through the door. Your furniture and decorations in this area should be clearly welcoming to your staff and visitors.
Fill Your Space With Plants
Plants can also be a great way to create a more welcoming space. Potted plants can help you separate spaces, provide natural accents and even improve air quality in the office.
Use Light Colors for Big Spaces
Color can be one of the best ways to make your office stand out. But don’t jump right into painting every wall all of your favorite colors. Whites and light neutrals can make your space feel larger and more airy. So it can be a good idea to save those dark or bright colors for accents, furniture or other decorations.
Integrate Your Brand Colors
When you are choosing a color scheme for your space, it can help for you to consider your brand colors so that you can create a space that really upholds a consistent style.
Stimulate Productivity Using Color
There are other ways to use color too. For example, you might consider using warm tones to stimulate productivity in the actual workspaces of your office.
Designate Relaxing Spaces
Likewise, you can use cool tones like blues and greens to create a more relaxing environment. So in spaces like your break room where you want team members to relax, you could utilize those colors in the decor.
Create a Color Story
No matter what colors you choose, you want to make sure they are at least somewhat consistent and complementary. So plan it out by creating a color story and checking to make sure all your choices look good with one another.
Outline Different Spaces With Rugs
If you have a larger space with multiple different areas, you might want to separate some of those different spaces with different elements. Rugs can be a great way of outlining spaces without creating physical barriers.
Color Code Your Supplies
You can also use color to organize your office supplies. And color coding different items and containers can also help you make sure that your space looks more organized and cohesive.
Put Up Large Works of Art
Art can also help you make your space look more unique and interesting. To make your space look as large as possible, you can opt for large scale pieces instead of multiple smaller ones.
But Steer Clear of Corporate Art
It’s also a good idea for you to pick out some art that’s actually — you know — art. Generic corporate posters or stock artwork can just make your space look sterile and impersonal. So choose a style and get some actual paintings, photos or other items that work with your space.
Support Local Artists
In fact, you can use your office decor as an excuse to support some local artists. Check out galleries in the area or do an online search to find artists from your area who create artwork that fits with your office style.
Consider an Accent Wall
To add a bit more color to your space without overwhelming your senses, you can paint just a single wall with a bright or accent color and then leave the rest light or neutral.
Insulate Sounds from Separate Spaces
When decorating your office, it’s not only about how everything looks. You also have to consider some of the other senses, like sounds. For example, if you have a meeting area where team members are likely to talk and collaborate, and then a second space where people can work quietly, you should separate them somehow. If you don’t have a physical barrier in place, or can’t put one there, then use other items like plants to insulate some of that sound.
Let Employees Personalize Their Spaces
Each individual team member is also likely to have their own taste and personal style. So make sure they know they can decorate their specific cube or space to fit that style. Encourage them to integrate the elements that are most likely to keep them motivated throughout the day.
Get Input from Your Team
You can also get input from your team when it comes to decorating the rest of your space. If you’re considering a new conference table or other major piece of furniture, you can let employees vote on the options. Or you could even set up a board or other area where employees can add their own personal touches.
Choose Comfortable Furniture
You also shouldn’t discount the importance of comfort when choosing furniture for your office. If you buy a chair or desk just because it looks nice but then find that it really isn’t practical, productivity is likely to suffer. So invest in ergonomic models whenever possible or at least try out furniture before taking the leap.
Consider Adjustable Desks
Another way to increase comfort in the office is by allowing your team to actually get up and move throughout the day. Instead of just sitting in one spot all day long, you can invest in adjustable or standing desks so that people can work however they choose and even change it up.
Repurpose Older Items
When buying furniture and other items, you don’t have to just opt for mass-produced corporate options. You can buy more unique items at antique or secondhand stores and then update them with paint or upholstery.
Use Minimalist Furniture for Small Spaces
If you’re working with a small space, you don’t want to fill the whole thing up with a bunch of bulky furniture. So opt for smaller models that don’t take up as much floor space to make the area feel less cramped.
Utilize Vertical Storage
You can also make better use of small spaces by utilizing tall shelves or vertical storage so that it takes up less floor space.
Have a System for Avoiding Clutter
Even if your office is well designed, if it gets cluttered over time then it isn’t going to look great. So when designing the space, make sure you have outlined areas for things like files and other potential clutter.
Make Sure Supplies Are Centrally Located
You should also ensure that the things people use every day like the printer or copier are located centrally so that people can access them quickly and easily.
Hide Unattractive Cords
Even though many offices are going cordless wherever possible, you’re still likely to have at least some items that need to be plugged in. But those cords can be unsightly and burdensome. So you can invest in some covers or other methods for keeping them mainly out of sight.
Highlight Attractive Views
On the other hand, if you have attractive views outside your office windows, highlight them by making sure the windows are unobstructed or even getting some unique window treatments that call attention to the views.
Don’t Forget About Smells
The smells in your office can also make a huge difference. So invest in some air fresheners and make sure that the air circulation is up to par.
Create an Intentional Space for Your Home Office
Even if you have just a home office, you still have to create an intentionally designed space. At the very least, make sure you have all the essentials and a designated space that’s just for work.
Rearrange Regularly
Once you have a space you’re happy with, the work still isn’t over. It’s still a good idea to refresh the space with new artwork, furniture and even paint colors regularly. This can help you make sure that everything is up-to-date and as personalized to you and your team as possible.
Office Decor Photo via Shutterstock
This article, “30 Office Decorating Ideas for Your Small Business” was first published on Small Business Trends