Do you want to modernize your office space but you’re not sure how?
A drab office can be terrible for morale. Who wants to work at or visit a space that’s uncomfortable, boring, and dated? It’s time to make a more attractive and appealing workplace for you, your employees, and your customers.
Decorating a modern office can be a lot of fun. You have room to flex your creativity muscles and it’s exciting to start something new. We have some modern office design ideas to inspire you.
Whether you work in a traditional office space, a medical office, a school office, or anywhere else, we have tips for you. Keep reading to learn more so you can start updating your office design and layout.
1. Open Spaces
Gone are the days of traditional and cramped cubicles. More and more offices are opting for a more “open concept” design to keep the “flow” of the office feeling open and fresh.
Instead of having every person stuck at their own desk, consider bringing in communal working spaces. These can look like conference tables or small working “pods” where people can work together on projects or socialize with people they wouldn’t otherwise be able to talk to.
When you allow people from different departments to work together, you encouraging a culture of collaboration. Employees can help each other and form new and interesting ideas that they may have missed out on when they were working independently.
This also means that you should try out flexible seating. While most offices have each person at their own desk, it may be better for productivity if you allow people to move around. Even if you don’t have a conference-style space, a change of scenery can help encourage new ways of thinking.
If you run a medical office, you have to take a few extra things into consideration. While an open floorplan is great for the waiting area or staff offices, you need some extra things in place for where you treat patients. Check out this convenient guide for more information.
2. Natural Materials
While plastic and chrome have been trending for a while, more people are opting for natural materials like stone and wood in 2021.
Wooden desks, wood walls, and wood floors give a calmer vibe to an office. The “rustic” look is in, even for high-tech companies.
It’s unclear as to why people are making this change, but it’s a welcome shift from the cold and artificial wave of monochrome minimalism that was trending before.
3. Outside Comes Inside
A huge trend in modern offices is bringing things from the outdoors into the workplace. There are a few ways to do this, and some are easier than others.
For people with a big budget and a full renovation planned, you could opt for an extreme structural change: building a courtyard in the center of the office. This creates a quiet space for someone to work outside or take a break without having to leave the work campus.
For those who aren’t ready for such a huge change, though, there are other options.
Why not try bringing in some plants? Indoor gardening is trending right now, and plants may actually encourage better mental and emotional health.
Speaking of mental health, while you’re bringing in plants, try to consider how you can let natural light into the office. Too much exposure to artificial light can be harmful to the eyes, and certain lights have sounds that could cause headaches or anxiety in sensitive employees and customers.
Natural light may make employees more productive, and it helps you save money on energy bills.
4. Bold Colors
While minimalism isn’t out yet, the all-white aesthetic is slowly fading away. Instead, people are opting for blocks of bright color to break up a room.
These color blocks shouldn’t have intricate patterns. There can be large geometric patterns, but most modern offices opt for simple designs instead.
If you choose to use bright colors, make sure you plan carefully. Not all colors work well together, and it’s important that whatever you choose isn’t abrasive to the eyes. Cool colors tend to work better than warm colors for a calming work environment while warm colors may be more energizing.
If you’re not committed to a full room of bright colors, start slow.
You can start by incorporating colorful furniture, or by having one bright accent wall in an otherwise neutral room. See how you feel about this change and determine whether you’re ready to commit to more.
5. Seating Nooks
Having multiple group seating areas is great for any kind of office. For your workers, it feeds into that “communal seating” idea. It allows them to collaborate.
It also allows employees to get away if they feel like working alone. Having a seating nook that fits one or two people can give your employee time to think and work on independent projects without being bothered. You don’t need the stifling and enclosed space of a cubicle.
Seating nooks are also great for customers. Having one large seating area where everyone has to sit together can be uncomfortable. Most people would rather sit with the people that they arrived with.
Small seating nooks and areas give your customers, patients, or clients a choice of where they want to wait to be served.
Which of These Modern Office Design Ideas Is Your Favorite?
Try out some of these modern office design ideas next time you’re doing an office renovation. Whether you’re doing a full remodel or you’re looking for small updates, these design ideas will help refresh and renew your space. Which one will you try first?
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