Easy Guide to Calculating Space for Best Office Design Layout

Companies that operate smoothly do so not just because because goals are clearly aligned with the mission and a positive culture has been built.  They’ve been able to achieve and offer the best office design layout for their operations and employees,  Fortune magazine listed several companies in Southern California in their “Best Places to Work in 2022” roundup.

Tustin-based New American Funding was listed as the 18th best place to work in the United States. Other businesses included in the listing were the Cheesecake Factory in Calabasas, the Panda Restaurant Group out of Rosemead, and Scripps Health in San Diego.

Companies on the Fortune list are part of a certification program that includes looking at the employee experience.

How do you create a great employee experience?

You ensure that people know their purpose. They know why they’re part of a team. And they’re comfortable in their workspace which is planned effectively.

Let’s take a closer look at how planning an office design to create a great company culture can make a huge difference.

Define Spaces

Planning an office space isn’t just a matter of placing cubicles and workstations in the right places. Well-designed offices have a structure that allows for a smooth flow of information and employee collaboration.


Photo: AMQ Activ Height Adjustable Workstation

Most work gets completed at workstations, but employees who want to are encouraged to move around and work where they’re comfortable. Employees are valued for their talents and not just for following rigid protocols.

Inter-office communication is important, but spaces are also offered for privacy. Informal areas known as touchdown spaces allow for personal conversations and meetings outside of more formal or closed conference rooms.


Photo: OCI Seating Breeze Lounge Seating and Table

Touchdown spaces are created using the styles of modular lounge furniture that suit your surroundings. Add indoor plants for a green touch. This also welcomes remote workers who are coming in for meetings and gives them a place to operate from.

Let Light Flow for Best Design Office Layout

Natural light is a highly desired office perk. Sunshine flowing through the office lifts moods and helps employees maintain a healthy rhythm of waking and sleeping. Various lists show that the LA area, including Ontario in the Inland Empire, gets over 280 days of sunshine annually.


Photo: Loftwall Hitch Space Divider

To let as much light as possible spread through the office, use translucent floor-to-desk panels and dividers for desks and workstations like the Loftwell Hitch Space Divider. Ergonomic lighting solutions can pinpoint the amount of light needed and will reduce eye strain.

Apply Ergonomic Design

You want to fit your equipment to the work habits and physical needs of employees. OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) defines ergonomics as “The science of adapting workstations, tools, equipment, and job techniques to be compatible with human anatomy and physiology.” The goal is to reduce the risk of stress on the body.


Photo: Global Princeton Design Workstation

Use furnishings that promote the well-being of your employees like ergonomic chairs and height-adjustable desks.

OSHA doesn’t have specific ergonomic standards, but this overview of ergonomics describes the risk factors:

  • Awkward postures, or unsupported positions that stretch physical limits, can compress nerves and irritate tendons
  • Static postures, or positions that a worker must hold for long periods of time, can restrict blood flow and damage muscles

(Source from the Timber Products Manufacturers Association)

Fitting your employees with desks and other furnishings that support them shows that you’re investing in their well-being and it will keep them engaged in their work.

Know Your Colors to Achieve Best Design Office Layout

Bring a cohesive color design to your office using color schemes and fabrics that reflect your brand and meet the overall personalities of your employees. Choose to go bold and inspire passion with shades of red and orange, or for quiet and relaxation use shades of blue.


Photo: Senator Group Haven Pods Meeting Lounge

A creative design can use a variety of shades and colors to vary the atmosphere. See the 2010 Office Inspiration page to see the possibilities.

Some offices design their spaces using a local look and feel when possible. The offices of Google in Pittsburgh make use of a red brick interior to pay homage to the region’s industrial heritage.

We know how much urban sprawl there is from Santa Monica to Redlands, but nature is still on display. The mountains, oceans, and late afternoon sunshine offer lots of colors to incorporate into our office environments.

The Santa Monica Mountains and San Gabriel Mountains above Pasadena have a purple hue; the hills around Malibu and in Orange County have green and golden tones. Redlands still has orange groves and the Chino and Chino Hills area still has farmland, so tap into this dimension.

Incorporating local elements into your colors and overall office design gives your employees a sense of continuity. They’re not shutting the door on one place to enter another world but are blending the environments in a pleasing way.

Stay Flexible

Flexibility remains key to retaining top talent and making the corporate office a desirable place to work. Be flexible in different ways. Allow your team to take their laptops and phones away from their workstations and go to lounges if they decide they can work better there.

And if they stay at their desks, then encourage your employees to stretch once an hour and get up for a brief walk every couple of hours. Movement helps the blood circulate throughout the body and to the brain. This reduces foggy thinking and aids in clarity throughout the day.

Flexibility also means accommodating remote employees who split time between their home office and the corporate office. Have dedicated space for teleconferencing by using architectural walls like the OFS Obeya Architectural Structure.

Involve them on the inside, too. Ask members of your remote team to come into the office and lead meetings when appropriate. This way, they’re involved internally and feel as engaged as someone coming in full-time.

Plan for a Great Office Environment

Looking for help and guidance to create the beast office design layout? Contact the team at 2010 Office Furniture on planning your floor space and choosing the furnishings that are right for your employees.

Tap into more than a half-century of combined professional experience that 2010 Office Furniture has earned in assisting clients who are recognized as Southern California’s most distinguished corporations, universities, and small businesses.

Read Also: Easy Guide to Calculating Space for Best Office Layout
Main Photo: Senator Group Mote Workstation
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: AMQ, Global, Loftwall, OCI Seating, Senator

5 Ways of Developing a Positive Office Environment for Being Happy at the Office

Being Happy at the Office Trendway VoloWall

Finding content and being happy at the office is possible and it doesn’t mean you have to give up on your entrepreneurial dreams or other aspirations. Regardless of anyone’s circumstances, there are plenty of reasons to be upbeat and happy. Create a supportive environment and see how a happy office has a competitive edge.

Develop Your Goals & Mission for Being Happy at the Office

Skilled leaders know how to set a tone that others want to follow by investing on their talents and getting engaged in the tasks at hand. Setting clear corporate goals, reminding people of the mission, and rewarding them leads to employee buy-in.

Make it clear where the company is now and chart the path forward with realistic goals.

Support everyone in their tasks by using furnishings that inspire them to do their best.

Being Happy at the Office HON Astir Chairs
Photo: HON Astir Chairs

Develop an Atmosphere of Inspiration

An atmosphere, or ambiance, is an intangible element but it’s quite real. Walk into a setting that’s either friendly or filled with tension, and you can immediately sense that something is happening—either good or bad.  You can feel right away if particular environment prioritizes their employees being happy at the office.  There are creative number of ways to do this.

Lay a good foundation by planning and designing your office with colors, fabrics, and furnishings that support your brand and mission.

The 2010 Office Inspirations web page lays out ideas to choose from.

What style of office design fits the personality of your company?

Being Happy at the Office 9to5 Lilly Chairs
Photo: 9to5 Seating Lilly Chairs

See how the Modern Industrial Office looks so different from the Upbeat Contemporary Office.

Being Happy at the Office Stylex Verve Chairs
Photo: Stylex Verve Chairs

Either one can set the mood and vibe you want and any design can provide an ambiance that assists your team in being happy at the office and doing their best. This is one part in developing a strong brand internally.

Setting expectations is another part.

Develop Attitudes of Expectation

Expect people to perform and deliver. Lay out and communicate goals, and encourage feedback, and adjust as necessary. Trust them.

This is important, especially in times of hybrid work environments where some employees are in the office for part of their time and then for the remainder of their schedule they’re working out of the home or another remote location.

Expect the best from them.

And in doing so, equip them to carry out their goals. This means planning the workflow and being concerned about their well-being through ergonomics.

Being Happy at the Office OFS Aptos Open Plan
Photo: OFS Aptos Open Plan Workstation

Quality seating, workstations, and proper desks contribute to setting the right expectations. Lighting and other accessories enhance the employee experience, and lead to them being happy at the office.

Develop Wellness to Promote Being Happy at the Office

Our professional and personal lives often overlap and that’s fine when everything’s going well.

But what happens when a crisis strikes like when an employee goes through personal loss or injury, or the company is hit with a shakeup due to external factors?

An atmosphere of wellness can mean discounted memberships to local gyms or even health plans with counseling options available. Personal issues often need to be handled outside of the work setting.

What happens if you need to talk in-house, though?

Being Happy at the Office Trendway Clear Wall
Photo: Trendway Clear Wall

Define a space either with architectural walls or conversation pods for greater privacy. Plan an informal setting using the Encore Clipse Lounge Seating arrangement.

Being Happy at the Office Encore Clipse Lounge Seating
Photo: Encore Clipse Lounge Seating

Group chats and debriefings don’t have to happen in a formal conference room. Modular furniture solutions can give a relaxed feel.

Develop a System of Small Rewards

Cash bonuses are great incentives, of course, and help for being happy at the office. But so are other perks like letting plenty of natural light flow through the office and providing free coffee and other drinks in the break room.

Being Happy at the Office ERG International Gobi Chair

Have plenty of bottled water and healthy snacks on hand. Fatty, high sugar treats like doughnuts can bog down the digestive system. Eating well is one of the key ways of staying healthy and being happy at the office, as noted by job placement agency Monster.com in 10 Tips for Staying Happy at Work.

Small rewards can help the office become a desired destination instead of a place where you have to go or else you’ll get in trouble.

Develop Ideas With Expertise for Being Happy at the Office

Need to refresh your existing office space or plan an entirely new office environment? The team at 2010 Office Furniture has more than 50 years of knowledge and expertise in helping corporate clients, leading nonprofits, and small businesses in Southern California.

Stay up to date on current office trends.

Get the input needed for effective workflow and contact 2010 Office Furniture with your potential project needs.

Read Also: Designing a Healthy Office
Main Photo:
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: 9to5 Seating, Encore Seating, ERG International, HON, OFS, Stylex Seating & Trendway

Why These May be the Best Office Furniture Trends Ever

Best Office Furniture Trends Stylex Trim Table

Professional offices are experiencing lasting changes after Covid shutdowns scattered employees who stayed connected through online meetings and other forms of technology. The office functioned outside the walls of the corporate headquarters. Hybrid work arrangements have become normal for many with the corporate office taking on a new role as a hub.  With all these significant work style changes, let’s examine the best office furniture trends, now not just for the main office but also for the home.

Companies in Southern California are adjusting well. In Culver City, Creator IQ allows employees to balance remote work with the main office being a supportive location where there are special times to come in and focus. Offices need to re-think spaces and create a desired destination spot instead of just being a place where people are told to work.

Is there an upside? Yes.

Companies are discovering the best office furniture trends ever. These provide comfort, allow for collaboration, and provide flexibility with hybrid work schedules.

Read on to get ideas to refresh your office, furnish for greater productivity, and give your team an inviting reason to be in the office.

Best Office Furniture Trends: Dynamic Office Spaces

A popular office furniture trend is allowing for inter-office movement.

Photo: Friant System 2 Workstations

Your team may begin at their workstations but decide to move to a more informal area with lounge seating or even the breakroom where they can work on their laptops or take personal calls. Formal conference rooms are giving way to informal group spaces.

Offices can certainly have defined space, but with open layouts and hybrid work arrangements, they’ve become dynamic. Support the changes using the best office furniture.

Best Office Furniture Trends: Collaborative Furniture

Photo: DeskMakers TeamWorx Open Plan Benching

Open office layouts were meant to spur collaboration, but the effort was met with mixed reviews. People need privacy, too.

Photo: OFS Staks Workstations

Cubicles that were seen as dull and gray were redesigned for small group sharing and privacy. One of the best office furniture trends is the ability to have collaboration while at the same time not disturbing others who are working.

Photo: OFS Aptos Open Plan Benching

Bench seating solutions can bring people together for a few hours—while encouraging movement to other areas as needed. Encourage an ebb and flow of work communication.

Resimercial: The Personable Yet Professional Office

Make the office a home away from home. This has been one of the best office furniture trends taking place for the past few years, even before the Covid shutdown occurred.

Resimercial simply combines the look and feel of residential spaces with the durability and professionalism of commercial spaces.

Why is this popular?

Our culture has become more informal and relational while offices are less hierarchical than ever. Employees feel comfortable in a work environment where they can sip coffee while sitting on furniture that have the touches of home, including the fabrics.

Interiors to Brand Your Company

Resimercial isn’t the only design option, though. It’s possible to brand your interior in a way that reflects your company’s overall brand image and design. The promise made to customers on the outside can be made to employees on the inside.

2010 Office has an Inspirations page where you can easily see some of the best office furniture trends in use.

Photo: ODS Lift Height Adjustable Workstations

A minimalist approach is taken with the Scandinavian office while open offices can have a modern industrial look and feel.

Offices in Southern California and nationally make use of local flavors. In Pittsburgh, Google’s office design made a splash when it set up shop more than a decade ago in the 100-year-old Nabisco building. Designers kept some of the original brick, installed industrial-looking catwalks, and had a large picture of the Smithfield Street bridge.

Touchdown: Creating Office Spaces for a Breather

With people coming and going, offices need touchdown spaces. This is another trend where individuals can step aside from noise and distractions to focus or take a break.

Photo: Rouillard Blok Lounge Seating

Small groups of employees who want a meeting away from the formal conference room can use modular lounge furniture to accommodate just a few people, or if need be, make room for a larger group. Make use of moveable whiteboards for charting.

Remote workers stopping in for meetings can use touchdown spaces to work or collaborate while waiting for the official meeting to begin.

Integrated Technology

There’s no escaping our connected worlds and the rapid flow of information. Offices with hybrid schedules and remote workers are making greater use of video conferencing than ever before.

Set aside specific spaces like the OFS Obeya Architectural Structures that are tastefully designed and house necessary technology.

Natural Light and Ergonomic Accessories

Another trend isn’t furniture but it promotes well-being. Maximizing the amount of natural light in a space is proven to be an effective way to boost morale and aid in promoting a healthy sleep cycle for employees.

Use ergonomic lighting accessories to focus the right amount of light at workstations and reduce problems associated with eye strain.

Home Office Furniture Trends

Equipping the home office is another of the best office furnishing trends and has become more important than ever. Some remote workers are full-time while others split time between the corporate office and home office.

Work-from-home furnishings include items that corporate headquarters will have. Sit-to-stand desks and ergonomic chairs can be as useful in a remote office as they are in the home office.

Make sure printers are accessible but not in the way and that the space stays uncluttered with the proper amount of storage.

Stay Up to Date on Best Office Furniture Trends and Office Furnishings

Rely on the team at 2010 Office Furniture to keep you up to date with the best office furniture trends and to plan your office space so you use it well. 2010 Office staff have more than 50 years of combined experience and have served clients who are counted among Southern California’s most recognizable corporations, centers of higher education, and small businesses.

Contact them with your specific project needs and questions.

Read Also: NeoCon 2022 Trends: The Future of Office Furniture
Main Photo: Stylex Trim Table
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: DeskMakers, Friant, ODS, OFS, Rouillard & Stylex

How to Decide if You Should Buy Used or New Office Furniture in Orange County

Orange County Used Office Furniture Senator Group SetMe Workstations

Businesses in all industries face the same question: is It better to buy office furniture new or used?

No matter the company, from a digital marketing agency in Mission Viejo, a professional health practice in Fullerton, to a startup tech company in Irvine, one may wonder if you should invest in new or used furniture.

Read on to clarify your decision-making process.

Supporting the Well-Being of Employees and Visitors

Our physical and emotional health is a priority. The purpose of office furniture is to properly support your employees so they’re physically comfortable in handling their tasks.

Clunky chairs, tables that wobble, and height-adjustable desks with worn-out gears are a distraction and they can impact how you sit or stand.

Let’s look closely at office chairs. A chair that’s made well assists in good posture and has the necessary lumbar support to reduce strain on the lower back, knees, and elbows.


Photo: Friant Amenity Seating

Can the quality of used furniture match the quality of new?

You have to make similar comparisons. Not all office chairs that are branded as ergonomic are comparable in quality. 2010 Office Furniture will only sell quality new or used furnishings.

An office chair with an ergonomic design like one from Boss that’s on clearance is built to last and serves executives, mid-level managers, and freelance team members.


Photo: Boss B9471-GY Chair

The Herman Miller Aeron Chair that’s pre-owned is another example of quality used furniture that’s worth purchasing for startup firms or established corporations.

Quality chairs affect employee performance. If you can’t get good quality in a used model, then it’s worth purchasing new ergonomic chairs.


Photo: Rouillard Lead X Chairs

Guest chairs should be comfortable and supportive for a visitor waiting in a lobby or sitting in a conference room. Since a guest may only use the chairs for minutes or perhaps a couple of hours, then the impact on the body isn’t as profound as it is on employees.

The chair should look stylish and have a pleasant appearance to reflect your company’s brand and expertise.

Purchasing used guest or multi-purpose chairs can work just as well as purchasing new ones. See the available choices on the 2010 Office Furniture’s Used Office Chairs page.

Brands like 9 to 5 Seating Used Cydia Guest Chair with a cool, mesh finish fit well in offices for professional consultants, universities, or health offices.

Add a dash of color and a unique style to your office lobby or meeting room with the Cherryman Used Jade Guest Chair.

Sitting stresses our bodies. Purchase office chairs and guest chairs that benefit a person’s well-being.

Supporting Form and Office Functionality

Choosing a workstation, desk, cubicle, and other standard office items has less impact on the body than selecting the correct chair. However, they should fit with the overall style and function well.


Photo: Krug Latitude Height Adjustable Desk

Desks support work by offering enough surface area for reviewing papers or hosting meetings. Workstations and cubicles should be comfortable and welcoming in appearance.

Used desks, workstations, and cubicles come in a variety of styles and colors. If there’s a brand or model you’re interested in, but don’t see on our pages then the 2010 Office Furniture Team will make every effort to procure the item you’d prefer.


Photo: Chessman Emerald Desk

Is buying used worth it? Yes, when the quality exists and the price is a substantial discount.

The AMQ Used Dual Height Adjustable Workstation is an example of a used product that was used on display in a showroom and is about 75% off the cost of the original price.

A conference table is another item that’s often worth buying used.

The Maverick Used Pacifica Conference Table is styled for any professional conference room setting at a fraction of the new retail price.


Photo: Maverick Pacifica Table

Plan Your Space Well

The furnishings you choose, how you arrange them, and the atmosphere you create will impact overall productivity and the employee mindset.

The team at 2010 Office Furniture offers space planning as a service because they’re passionate that a well-planned space will make your employees and visitors feel that you operate in a cohesive manner.

Once you’ve settled on the layout, then it becomes easier to choose the used or new furniture and storage solutions that will meet your needs.

This gives you a competitive edge among the many entrepreneurs and established professionals in Orange County while boosting your own confidence that your organization is run efficiently.

Rely on Our Experience

Trust 2010 Office Furniture to plan your space and meet your furnishing requirements based on our half-century of experience working with the most distinguished brands as our clients in Orange County, Los Angeles County, and the Inland Empire.

Contact us with your needs and we’ll gladly be of service.

Read Also: Plan Your Office Branding for the Employee Experience
Main Photo: Senator Group SetMe Workstations
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: Boss, Cherryman, Friant, Krug, Maverick, Rouillard & Senator Group

Design and Plan Your Office for Collaboration and Inspiration

Design and Plan Your Office for Collaboration and Inspiration AIS Calibrate Table

Elevate your office from the mundane to a setting that generates collaboration and inspires your team to do their best. The thought invested in planning spaces, choosing the right furnishings, and using color schemes that matter keep morale high and your employees working at peak efficiency. 

Tech companies around Los Angeles are known for breaking out of the traditional gray and brown industrial colors to use shades that represent the sun and surf.

Companies that have a break-the-mold business model such as The Honest Company, founded by actress Jessica Alba, maximize light and use sleek-looking architectural walls to frame meeting areas. 

Symbols also create unique experiences. At Red Bull’s headquarters in Santa Monica, a 420-foot skate ramp flows over storage spaces down the center of the office.

Read on for ideas that will perk up your office’s design, make the best use of your existing space, and boost goodwill among your employees.

Getting Started

Look at your goals and budget, then choose the need that best describes your situation:

  • freshening up your office
  • overhauling an existing space
  • planning a brand-new interior 

Consider what you want the end result to achieve, like creating more common spaces for office collaboration or deciding how to get the most from your current floor plan.

Look at your overall use of space, color, and light. Set the tone for the atmosphere or vibe by considering your company’s brand. Are the promises you make to customers carried into your office setting?

Plenty of options exist to give both small businesses and corporations vibrant settings that become valuable places for employees.


Photo: Arcadia Domo Lounge Chairs

You may want a minimalist design with clean lines and plenty of natural interiors, also called the Scandinavian office.


Photo: Stylex NYC Loose Lounge Sofa

A minimalist interior can also come in an industrial flair like the Modern Industrial Office using a brick- and-mortar approach. Or try a modern look with bold colors and eye-catching designs.


Photo: Source International Scape Lounge Sofa

Get Smart with Ergonomics 

Make your environment and equipment work in support of your team and their overall office collaboration – so they are more efficient while staying as healthy as possible both physically and mentally. 

Ergonomics is more than having a height-adjustable desk so a keyboard and laptop monitor are at the right height.


Photo: OFS Aptos Private Office Desk

Accessories are important but investing in furniture, lighting, and colors helps the overall environment by assisting the workers and boosting morale. You promote productivity, profitability, and goodwill among your team members.

Seating

Select chairs that are designed for long-term comfort and well-being so that team members can fully engage in their tasks. A quality ergonomic chair is sensitive to the user’s body weight and shifts effortlessly as the person moves.

Look into the 9 to 5 Seating Agent Chair for durability; the mesh technology in the Humanscale Diffrient World Chair; and the OFS InSync chair that’s customizable. 

Sitting for long periods of time stresses the body so use chairs that support different body shapes.

Desks and Workstations

Desks that aren’t chosen properly can make a room feel crowded and make the user uncomfortable. Decide how much surface space is needed and how the person likes to do their work, such as spreading out and then gathering things when finished with tasks.

Some desks will convey authority or fit in with the surrounding décor regardless of title and position.

Open plan benching and modular workstations accommodate teams performing similar tasks while creating personal boundaries. Use configurations that work the best for your area. 


Photo: Friant System 2 Workstation

Need face-to-face with privacy screens and mobile storage? 

How about clustering people in a group for easy sharing of ideas?

Your options are highly customizable. You can shape your setting in numerous ways and choose from colors that complement your office surroundings.

Movement

Allow for as much movement as possible in the office.  This is important especially to promote office collaboration and office wellness. Encourage stretch breaks every couple of hours. Provide lounge furniture and break areas inside or outside where your employees can sit comfortably to work away from their desks, have a focused discussion, or just take a quiet moment.

Moving keeps blood circulating and eases pressure on the lower back, wrists, and knees.

Design and Plan Your Office for Collaboration and Inspiration Arcadia Domo Bench
Photo: Arcadia Domo Bench Seating

Colors and Light

There is a science to choosing colors that inspire or soothe to create a pleasant background. Just for kicks, here’s a fun experiment from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Cal Tech in Pasadena showing how beads seem to change colors under different shades of cellophane. Different shades affect moods and emotions.

Aristotle believed all color was either black or white and related them to the elements of water, air, earth, and fire as described by the Smithsonian Libraries. His views were held for 2000 years until Isaac Newton studied how light changed when passing through a prism.

Now, let’s hear it for sunshine. Bringing in as much natural light as possible keeps people upbeat and emotionally sound.

Knowing the result you want from your office environment, using the right equipment, and planning for an overall pleasing atmosphere will help your place of work become a desirable destination.  If done correctly, you will see obvious improvement in quality of work, team camaraderie, office collaborations and overall employee wellness. 

Koncept Splitty Lamp for Office Collaboration
Photo: Koncept Lighting Splitty Lamps

Call on 2010 Office Furniture

Planning an office that works for your firm requires a custom approach. Do you need a hybrid model with work-at-home solutions? How will your plan support flow of information and tasks?  Is it conducive to good office collaboration?

The team at 2010 Office Furniture has more than 50 years of combined experience working with clientele that are among Southern California’s most notable corporations, leading universities, and small businesses in all industries. 

Contact them with your office needs and questions.

Read Also: 3 Popular Office Layouts to Meet Your Office Culture
Main Photo: AIS Conference Table
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: AIS, Arcadia, Friant, Koncept, OFS Brands, Stylex and Source International

6 Types of Spaces Every Office Needs

6 Types of Spaces Every Office Needs Trendway Standing Height Table

Keep those cubicles up and the office lights on. Why? If you’re thinking work-from-home isn’t working for you and your company, you may be right.  Studies show that there are essential, different types of spaces that make for a productive and positive workplace, that working from home just doesn’t accommodate.

The corporate office remains important because we think more clearly and benefit from collaboration. 

The return to offices after COVID-19 showed that the office setting provides social interaction that individual remote offices can’t.

Researchers also learned that employees were productive in the home setting. 

In conclusion: the two environments don’t need to be mutually exclusive. 

Instead, plan to utilize spaces effectively so team members feel comfortable in the corporate office or the home office. Think through the types of spaces your office needs to help your team function productively.

Offer Welcoming Spaces

Home offices are often pleasurable because you feel welcome and comfortable in a space that you know well. It’s yours. 

Well-planned corporate offices can integrate the elements of home yet maintain an atmosphere where tasks are accomplished. 

Welcoming spaces include colors and furnishings like break areas that have a living room feel. Use bright colors or pleasant earth tones throughout the office space. Fabrics and accessories like throw pillows can give a down-home, be-yourself feel.


Photo: Encore Seating Chance Guest Chairs

Being at home is as comfortable as wearing a pair of old shoes while an office has more rigid expectations and requires equipment that gets the job done. Bring the personal and professional together with a variety of ergonomic chairs like the Friant Amenity Chair or the Humanscale Diffrient Smart Chair. Both have lower back support and adjust to the user’s weight and movements. 


Photo: Humanscale Diffrient Smart Chairs

Provide accessories that give workers support while using keyboards and well-lit desks.

Check our Inspiration Center’s Resimercial page to see how tables, lounge furniture, and specially designed chairs lend to collaborative conversations.

Bridge Distant Spaces 

We’ve been convening from long distances long before the pandemic hit, but with quarantine, media rooms have become even more of a necessity.

Provide a setting where your team can access the latest technologies needed for teleconferences and other forms of distance communication by using architectural walls that have character, yet maintain a clean, professional atmosphere.

Different Type of Spaces with Trendway Volo Wall
Photo: Trendway Volo Wall

Enhance Group Spaces

Trends show a continuing reduction in the individual workspace, but an increase in spaces for group work. How should you approach planning your space for either individuals or groups, like ad hoc groups?

Are informal meetings an important part of your company’s culture? If so, remote work can undermine it according to a 2021 article in the Harvard Business Review, Do You Really Need All that Office Space?

Managers “need to think carefully about what role informal interaction plays in their team and how working from home will affect it.”


OFS  Beck Table

Group workspaces can, and should, be welcoming spaces, too. Plenty of quality benching solutions are available. Keep it sleek and simple with the ODS Artiv Open Plan Benching, or create a group setting for personal privacy using acoustic panels with the DARRAN Honey Workspace. 

Different Type of Spaces with DARRAN Honey Workspace
Photo: Darran Honey Workspace

You can have a traditional meeting room or in an open office plan, designate an area for group discussion with the use of specific chairs and modular furniture. 

Mobile whiteboards, plants, and bookcases with artfully placed pillows and books help muffle the sound.

Use Clustered Spaces

An open office design can have a cluster of workstations with privacy screens and mobile or stationary filing cabinets. 

Use office plants to serve as boundaries between other workstations while helping filter the air and deflect sound waves.

Allow for Empty Spaces

Try reading a web page or printed page with huge blocks of text and no white space. 

Sound intriguing? Hardly. You’ll gloss over the page or skip reading it entirely. 

Think of office design like text and images on a web page or in a magazine. Layouts should attract the users and empty or open space has tremendous appeal if used correctly.

Desks and accessories that are simply squeezed together or scattered with no thought to flow or organization create an unappealing space. Concentrating is tough and so is finding personal space to reflect.


Photo: Darran Chameleon Workspace

Empty space can be a strategically designed space to give the office a clean look.

Personal Space

In an atmosphere with daily or weekly deadlines, it’s necessary to have spaces where employees can move away from their desks to work, take calls, or simply sit and refresh. Break rooms or lounge areas can fulfill this purpose for a change of pace.

Different Type of Spaces with OFS Tangent Lounge
Photo: OFS Tangent Lounge

Partner with 2010 Office Furniture – Create Different Type of Spaces

There are many ways to make the office a desirable destination for employees.  Creating different type of spaces is one important one.

The team at 2010 Office has over 50 years of experience advising and supplying the most distinguished corporations, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses in Southern California.

The team will show you how to create a pleasant and productive atmosphere. 

Contact them with your space planning and furnishing needs.

Read Also: NeoCon 2022 Trends: The Future of Office Furniture
Main Photo: Trendway Standing Height Table
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: Darran, Encore Seating, Humanscale, OFS Brands and Trendway

 

Choosing the Best Office Dividers and Filing Systems

Best Office Dividers and Filing Systems Allermuir Mollie Chair

People are social creatures, and a well-planned office with strategically placed office dividers will bring employees together, yet allow them the personal space they need in order to focus.

But don’t fear the gray cubicle.

Plenty of cubicles are designed with workstation dividers with storage for filing, and free-standing partitions, bring color and serve to unify work areas rather than actually separate employees into an impersonal environment.

Photo: Friant Novo Modern Workstation

Office dividers and filing systems should be part of a complete office floor plan.

Photo: Rouillard Agora Credenza

Why Use Office Dividers

Dividers that are modular or are easily movable bring balance for employees, giving them a space to focus on tasks while allowing collaboration. Permanent walls create separation and often act as a barrier to an organic flow of ideas and problem-solving conversations.

Employee well-being is another reason to use partitions. Privacy screens that attach to open bench seating plans and work pods, along with larger partitions, can reduce the spread of germs from concerns surrounding viruses like Covid, the flu, and the common cold.

In open office floor plans, sound reverberating unimpeded is an irritant. Employees often retreat through the use of earbuds or headphones, but they block out possible opportunities for communication.

Specialty panels like the Snowsound Baffle Ceiling Panels or the Nevins Ariel Acoustic Hanging Panels act as sound barriers while letting light flow from one part of an office to another.

The many different types of dividers available help make the office a welcome place.


Photo: Nevins Ariel Sound Panel

& Photo: Snowsound Baffle Sound Panel

Options for Office Dividers

Modular workstations come with dividers in an array of colors and fabrics. Choose styles that reflect the brand and the temperament of the office. Bold colors like red can speak to leadership qualities while softer blues provide quiet inspiration.

Plan out the use of dividers from the entryway to the individual departments.

Need a meeting space?

Architectural walls define places for group conferences or smaller meetings. Aesthetically pleasing areas can be established to hold online meetings with employees who are remote or working a hybrid arrangement by switching between the home office and corporate office.

Photo: Trendway Clear Wall

There are other types of office dividers for use with floor plans.

Try to guess what they are.

How about indoor plants?

Hanging baskets of plants, tables with arrangements, potted plants, and greenery dividers using succulents define workspaces from common gathering spots like break areas or lounges.

Fabrics can work, as well. Decorative pillows stuffed in bookcases can fit within many office designs like resimercial styles, the modern industrial office, or a minimal office like the Scandinavian layout.

Your creativity in how you divide office space can be like an unsung hero in making the workplace comfortable.

Filing Systems

Another way to break away from traditionally dull furnishings is to re-imagine the use of filing cabinets and drawers as office dividers. Now, this isn’t to knock those heavy-industry style metal filing cabinets.

They’ve served companies well and continue to do so, but there are more attractive counterparts that look less intimidating and don’t need WD-40 to grease the tracks.

Different filing cabinet options are:

  • Vertical
  • Lateral
  • Fire Resistant

And remember that modular is in because it’s practical and flexible.

Consider OFS Hitch Shelf and Storage, a modular unit, “using a simple system of blocks that clip together for a shelf with endless configuration possibilities.”

Low profile cabinets like the DeskMakers Catalina Cubbies can be used for work or storing personal items. This flexible filing and storage can be stacked to provide a sense of room separation without feeling like you’re blocking someone out.

Want to make a statement?

Go bold with Bella Shelf Storage, a fun, circular design. Want to know something unique? You don’t need any tools to assemble this since “The inner panels of Bolla coil in, and natural compressive force holds the system together.


Photo: Scale 1:1 Bolla Shelf Storage

Why plan your filing and office storage systems? Because they help keep the office clutter-free while having potential to enhance the overall ambiance.

Get Answers

If you need help choosing the right office dividers and filing system, or have questions on how to get maximum productivity from your team — connect with us! The staff at 2010 Office Furniture is more than happy to share our knowledge based on a combined half-century of advising and providing furnishings for clients that rank among Southern California’s most distinguished corporations, nonprofits, and small businesses.

Contact us and share your needs.

Read Also: Ways to Help Create Social Distancing in the Office
Main Photo: Allermuir Mollie Chair
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: Allermuir, Friant, Nevins, Rouillard, Scale 1:1, Snowsound & Trendway

Your Guide to Office Feng Shui for the Best Office Environment

Your Guide to Office Feng Shui OFS Riff Table

Creating the best office environment isn’t only about arranging furniture and equipment, it’s also developing an ambiance that has a positive flow of energy. Consider laying out your workspace using office feng shui.

Imagine the benefits:

  • Having a workplace with reduced stress
  • Using appealing natural elements
  • Maximizing employee comfort
  • A cleaner and organized office

What is Office Feng Shui

The word feng shui means “wind” and “water,” and is based on the concept that we’re impacted by our surrounding environment. The most productive offices are planned and laid out with purpose and aren’t arranged in a haphazard manner.

Office feng shui design is meant to bring harmony between people and their surroundings. Nature plays an important role.

Finding Balance in Office Feng Shui

Feng shui incorporates five elements that create a balanced atmosphere when they’re used well together. This can be accomplished in an individual home office or in a corporate setting.

See how each element plays a role and blends with the others for a balanced and harmonious work setting.

Wood

Wood represents creativity and includes growth, birth, strength, and flexibility. Trees, plants, or green objects can represent wood. Feng shui practitioners don’t define wood as hard surfaces, but they look at what flows out of wood like greenery and flowers.


Photo: Nevins Leaf Living Wall

Now, let’s add boldness and energy into the mix.

Fire

As you might imagine, fire represents passion, energy, boldness and change or transformation. Natural light, candles, and the color red bring the fire element into a space.  Feng shui practitioners say this element promotes leadership.

Now think about combining this leadership with inspiration.

Your Guide to Office Feng Shui Stylex Metrum Lounge
Photo: Stylex Metrum Lounge Seating

Water

The element of water is linked to emotion and inspiration. Colors in shades of blue represent water. The incorporation of water in office feng shui balances personalities and temperaments, and encourages ideas and inspiration.


Photo: Stylex Free Address Table 2.0

Certainly so far, each element has a universal quality. Let’s look at strength as a foundation to build on.

Earth

Stability and strength are found in the earth element. Rocks, carpets, old books, decorative pottery or other items that are brown or tan in color capture the tones of the earth and provide stability and strength. Now, let’s focus and bring everything together with the next element.


Photo: Source International Lore Lounge

Metal

Metal is a unifying force with all the elements. It promotes focus and order. The colors of metal are white, silver, or grey.


Photo: Arcadia Worksmith Meeting Tables

Ideas for Using Feng Shui in Offices

Feng shui identifies and eliminates stress points and is compatible with biophilic design, or using natural elements at work. Basic initial steps are to get rid of unnecessary clutter and have good air circulation.

Browse ideas from 2010 Office Furniture’s Office Inspirations for ways to use colors and furnishings so you reach a result that promotes well-being among your team.

Discover how the elements blend together in green offices with an emphasis on nature. Or, combine the properties of residential and commercial spaces with a resimercial layout. The industrial space promotes strength while a minimal office lets you use the elements in subtle ways.

You can also decide how many of the feng shui elements already exist in your current layout and decide how many of each are needed.

If an office feels lifeless or drab, then use office feng shui elements to generate freshness and vitality. Is there an overabundance of one element, like wood and not enough of fire or water? Too many elements related to earth can create a sense of boredom or dullness.

Too many bold designs can be overwhelming.

The Use of Elements in Offices

If fire is related to leadership, then use red tones in specific workstations and executive offices. Blend with the needed strength and flexibility.

A graphics department, marketing, or other area needing a creative boost can decorate with blue and teal.


Photo: Source International Lore Lounge and Clever Plane Tables

If the office space has plenty of natural light but creates glare, don’t use heavy draperies or dark shades to block the light. An idea from Workplace Design.com is to use material that diffuses light so it shines in but reduces the stress of glare.

Feng shui will impact how furnishings are arranged. Desks have a power position when facing a door from the furthest spot in the room. Workers also need support. In feng shui, this can be conveyed behind a desk with  solid wall and plants.

The elements of feng shui can also be found in the furnishings and brought together in one space. A helpful summary from Work Design.com shows a conference room with a large communal table that represents Earth.

A variety of light fixtures and natural light from the windows can bring in fire. Wood can be represented by using the material in communal table and chairs. A glass top on the table will introduce water, along with any blue chair, bench or sofa seating. Also, wall coverings that depict the image of gentle rain evokes the water element.

In the conference room, metal may be represented in the furniture finishes of the table, chairs, light fixtures and other objects. Wall treatments and art or photographs can represent metal, as well as the other elements.

Bring in Plenty of Plants

Plants contribute greatly in office feng shui.  It’s said that bamboo conveys health, happiness and long life.  Peonies help soothe emotional problems.

Succulents are seen as power plants, as they collect water in their stems, leaves, and roots. Feng shui practitioners believe the best places to set them are on desks, sunny terraces, and near windows.

Get Expert Input on Office Feng Shui

For further advice and input, contact our team at 2010 Office Furniture about feng shui and its benefits for your office.

The team members are experienced in office designs and space planning for corporations, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties. 2010 Office Furniture also serves the Inland Empire.

Contact us with your questions and project needs.

Read Also: Checklist of Wellness Activities for 2019
Main Photo: OFS Riff Table
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: Arcadia, Nevins, OFS, Source International & Stylex

Your Guide to the Best Training Furniture for the Office

Your Guide to the Best Training Furniture OFS Maren Chairs

You need employees to learn new products, review sales procedures, or keep certifications and licenses current. Bringing everyone together for training is the answer.  And it’s important to consider the best training furniture that will work for you and your company.

This raises questions like what type of desks, tables and chairs are best?

All office needs require planning the space to know what furnishings are best. Let’s plan and equip a training area.

Know Your Goals and Needs for Training Spaces

Let’s look at basic fundmentals like why you need a training area, and how often trainings are expected to occur. Will the set-up be permanent, and can the room be used for other purposes?

Keep this in mind: you want information to flow easily between the presenters and attendees.

Is there a set-up that’s best?

The answer is whatever helps your team learn, retain, and put to use what they’ve seen and heard.

Training in companies and larger corporations usually happens in classroom settings with desks and chairs set up in rows, just like school. Create an atmosphere that’s more relatable where employees can work in smaller groups and tables can be arranged to face each other.

Check products like the Krug Revo Training Table that’s easy to reconfigure. Have groups of five or six together in a huddle, or circular seating, to solve customer problems or get insights on new products.


Photo: Krug Revo Table

If space is tight, then consider tables that fold, have sturdy casters, and can be easily rolled to a storage area or one side of the room.

Once your purpose and needs are clearly established, then you can choose the furnishings.

How Training Furniture is Unique

Most tables and chairs used for training purposes have a distinct look and function that’s clearly different from executive desks and workstations. Check out the many options available for conference tables.

This is fine if your office schedules regular trainings for clients or employees.

But if bringing people together only happens occasionally then use tables like the Desk Makers Training Table that can double as an everyday work surface.


Photo: Deskmakers Newport Training Table

 

Photo: Krug Nuvo Conference Table

For some, conference tables can also be the best solution for employee training purposes.  The conference room by nature brings people together to facilitate sharing and exchange of information and ideas.  It’s very common that conference rooms double as training rooms for many companies.  For ideas on what may work for your company and office culture, you can explore options for conference tables.

And who says tables have to be boring or only have one primary use?

Check out the Scale 1:1 Nomad Conference Table that:

  • Is useful for trainings
  • Is useful for conferencing
  • Serves as a whiteboard
  • And offers a surface for social activities like a Ping-pong match

Photo: Scale 1:1 Nomad Conference Table

Best Ways to Arrange Training Furniture

If you have a dedicated corporate classroom, then you’re set. But if you don’t, get creative with how you set up the furnishings.

Common arrangements cited in Room Arrangements for Training Sessions in the dummies series are:

  • Single square or round tables
  • Conference tables
  • Classroom style with an aisle between tables or surfaces for long rows
  • Clusters of round or rectangular tables
  • V-shape
  • U-shape

According to the author, u-shape arrangements are good for groups of 12 to 22, while conference seating is good for about 8 to 12 people.

Table clusters can be used for 16 to 40 attendees.


Photo: Arcadia Flirt Chair

Revisit Your Goals and Available Space

Training sessions will often tackle different topics, so decide how you want your team to respond.

Will your team be focused with eyes toward the front with little or no small group interaction? If so, then tables and chairs can be arranged in rows or at angles with the right proportions that fit the room.

Do you expect break-out sessions, or will small groups stay in huddles throughout the training?

Who says training furniture has to fit a specific mold?  Sometimes the best training furniture don’t.

Certain types of lounge seating options can bring a focus that traditional tables and chairs won’t be able to do. A u-shaped solution like the Rouillard Blok Lounge Seating gives attendees a view forward while making it easy to stay together and learn or brainstorm ideas.

Keep in Mind

Choose your office furnishings to support and aid your staff, whether that’s selecting workstations, break room equipment, or training tables. Know the various ways people learn so you can bring out their best with the tables, chairs and how they’re arranged.

Your Guide to the Best Training Furniture Allermuir Kin Chair
Photo: Allermuir Kin Chairs

We’re Here to Help

Get further advice on the best training furniture as well as space planning and design for your office and home office needs. The team at 2010 Office Furniture has more than 50 years of combined experience providing the right equipment and laying out spaces for maximum productivity.

2010 Office Furniture’s clients are leading corporations, universities, and small businesses in the greater Los Angeles area, Orange County, and the Inland Empire.

Contact us with your questions and office needs.

 

Read Also: How To Set Up An Office Space
Main Photo: OFS Maren Chairs
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: Allermuir, Arcadia, Deskmakers, Krug & Scale 1:1

Design Your Office Space for Residential Comfort and Professional Results

Design Your Office Space for Residential Comfort and Professional Results

An office is a place to tackle your work, and the office environment impacts how well you’ll do your job. This is important to note when you design your office space. The trend in resimercial design is a way of making employees feel comfortable, boosting their creativity and creating an environment to increase productivity.

But how do you know a new design can work?

Let’s look at the science behind the merging of commercial and residential design.

Look around your office and what do you notice?

How much natural light flows through the space? What colors are used?

These elements have been proven to be important in different ways when you design your office space.

In the mid-1980s, a researcher, Roger Ulrich, wanted to see if there was a relationship between the environment in health facilities and patient well-being. He was exploring if beauty, including the design and mood, affected emotional well-being and physiological stress.

He separated participants in two groups with some participants staying on one floor of the hospital and the other participants staying on another floor. One group looked outside their room and saw trees while the others had windows facing a brick wall.

Patients who saw the trees and not the wall needed fewer medications and reported a greater feeling of well-being than those who had the brick wall for their view.

Various elements in your surroundings will impact mood and energy levels.

Design Your Office with Colors

Colors play a key role when you design your office space.  There’s subjective opinion about which colors affects moods, but there are also universally accepted colors. Blue is one of the most popular colors around the world. So if you have an office with a diverse cultural mix, then blue can be a unifying color.

The London Image Institute provides a useful color chart and describes the emotions that the colors evoke. Blue is the color of trust, serenity and peace, while green evokes harmony and nature. Red is associated with emotions ranging from love to anger.

Photo: Friant Dash Workstation Table

Design Your Office with Lighting

Lighting is key in both corporate and home offices.

In a garment factory, improved lighting led to a 10% increase in production and one-third fewer errors. When you design your office space, let your team have as much access as possible to natural light. Lamps and other lights at workstations should have their light focused properly so there’s no glare or feedback.

Another benefit of letting natural light flow throughout the workspace is that it actually helps people sleep better at night.


Photo: OFS Tangent Lounge

Design Your Office with Layout and Movement

At home, rooms or areas are clearly designated for specific purposes. A kitchen has an obvious purpose and so does a bedroom. Some rooms don’t have clearly defined purposes. There are dining spaces but not as many formal dining rooms as there once were. And in today’s world, living rooms and family rooms blur in their use as well.

The home office is for doing work, especially if an employee is using the space to work remotely.

Yet, we also move naturally from one room to another depending on what we need. You can take calls in the office portion, but you may feel more comfortable sitting on the sofa while reading a report.

Traditionally, in an office setting you’re expected to sit and work at a desk for several hours a day. You do your work in one place and you remain stationary except for eating lunch and taking restroom breaks.

An office setting can be planned to have home-like qualities so that the environment is inviting and motivates people to do their best.


Photo: Friant My-HiteWorkstation, Allermuir Kin Chairs and Source International Laze Chair

When you design your office space, Consider the Abstract Modern Office with a variety of bold colors. Everything from a touch of mid-century modern to the newest décor can fit with this design. This is great for playful brands and companies that want to infuse a touch of energy.

More subdued colors are possible, too, even in an office that has open benching and cubicles since modular furniture comes in a variety of colors.

Layout options are flexible. Consider having workstations for each department in one area while lounge seating is available in a central area. Or, depending on the office size, there can be a lounge area in a central space like the hub and workstations on the perimeter.


Photo: HON Empower Height Adjustable Workstations

If you’re going to re-design your office or make substantial improvements, then let employees know and ask for their feedback since they’re the ones being affected.

Architect Donald Rattner, author of “My Creative Space: How to Design Your Home to Stimulate Ideas and Spark Innovation,” says address issues of durability and safety. Use products that have the residential appeal but are made with commercial manufacturing standards.

Let 2010 Office Furniture Help

Get your questions about office space planning and layouts answered by 2010 Office Furniture. The team has more than 50 years of combined experience, serving corporations, universities, and growing enterprises throughout Southern California.

Contact them with questions about your potential projects.

Read Also: Resimercial Office Furniture
Main Photo: OFS Ani Soft Seating
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: Allermuir, Friant, HON, OFS & Source International