Beautiful and cozy spaces shouldn’t be limited to homes and hospitality establishments. They should extend to offices where we spend the better part of our days. Our workplaces must have an environment where creativity, motivation, and inspiration can be manifested. This means not settling for mediocre fit-outs, old furniture, and drab lighting.
Having a beautifully designed office doesn’t have to break the bank, as long as you know who to work with and where to source materials. In this blog, we’ll discuss how you can create a fresh and bright office space on a budget.
1. Work with a Reputable Interior Designer
Many people hesitate to hire interior designers because of the price, but these professionals help you save more money. Having their expertise on the table will ensure that you won’t carelessly purchase fit-outs that can turn out to be low-quality and unappealing.
Thus, work with a reputable interior designer and a commercial fit-out company in Australia. They can help you create a design plan that won’t go over your budget.
2. Consider Excluding a Reception Area
Reception areas have become a staple in all offices, but are they a necessity? Perhaps, if you frequently invite clients over for a meeting. But do you know that you can still exercise enough courtesy to your clients without a reception area?
The trick is to make your office space easily navigable. Provide markers that will help clients or job applicants easily find their way. They can be signboards pointing out the location of the conference room or color-coded bubbles that lead to the testing rooms. It’s a genius hack that ensures that no guest, client, and job applicant will ever feel lost in your office.
3. Focus on Comfort and Functionality
It can be tempting to prioritize aesthetics, especially if your design inspiration came from Pinterest. But when you’re on a budget, comfort, and functionality must come first.
Ask your employees about their workstations. Do they require ample legroom, plenty of storage, and ergonomic desks and chairs? Consider an open floor plan so that everyone can move around quickly and not feel suffocated.
If you want to ensure productivity, use affordable but high-quality partitions or makeshift dividers. They will reduce distractions, add privacy, and create a distinction between different departments.
And you can combine superb functionality and aesthetics. Swap a boring whiteboard for a chalkboard, which you can DIY using chalkboard spray paint. Cover an entire wall with it and let your employees use it to take notes, make a calendar, and doodle!
4. Decorate with Indoor Plants
Indoor plants win in functionality and aesthetics. They help clean the air and instantly add life to any space. Most of them are budget-friendly and low-maintenance as well. Fill the area with small potted plants you can place on top of desks. And if you have high ceilings, put down potted trees at the corners and other bare areas. With lots of indoor plants around, you no longer need to spend as much on other decors like paintings, prints, and sculptures.
Once you already achieved a functional and appealing office design, add more character to the space by allowing your employees to decorate their workstations. Bring some of your decorative stuff, too, and place them on focal areas like a big statement wall or picture window. An office should feel like a home, so don’t be afraid to add personal touches to the design!
