How to create a good vibe in the office through interior design

Some organisations spend a lot of money and effort ensuring that their office interiors are just right. The top priorities for a refurbishment tend to include impressing clients and reflecting company branding, but what about staff needs and happiness?

Employees appreciate effort and money being spent on their working environment, as it shows that management cares about the space they work in. But just because a design matches branding and is the latest trend in interiors, this doesn’t mean that a space has the right ‘feel’ to make it pleasant to work in. In fact, newly refurbished offices can sometimes feel cold, clinical, artificial and even unpleasant to work in. These spaces are just missing that ‘good vibe’, which is something that is hard to pin down.

Calling in the experts :

This is why organisations often consult office interiors specialists like Penkeths. These experts have seen many examples of offices that score highly in the style stakes but just don’t feel welcoming, pleasant or even friendly. They can advise on how to soften sharper design schemes and to make offices feel good to work in. Here are just some of the areas they may advise on:

• Colour schemes and lighting :  The right colour palette can change a cold-feeling space into one that is warm and welcoming. However, it’s important to strike the right balance and to ensure the office still feels professional. You don’t want employees feeling too relaxed! Another crucial element is lighting, which can completely transform the colour scheme you’ve chosen. Colours look very different in different lights, and lighting can also play a big part in setting the mood in a space. Remember how awful I used to feel in my Harry Potteresque under the stairs office until I changed the bulbs to daylight light.

• Furnishings : This is another area in which designers need to strike the right balance between comfort and professionalism. It would be a mistake to give employees armchairs to work in at their desks (they’re definitely not ergonomic designed for one thing), but casual meeting spaces and breakout rooms should always prioritise comfort. You can also afford to be more stylish and colourful in these spaces, making a design statement that wouldn’t really be appropriate in everyday working areas.

• Greenery and natural light :  If something about the office space doesn’t feel quite right, it’s probably that there isn’t enough natural light. This makes a huge difference to how pleasant the working environment is, and you’d be amazed at the difference a few pot plants can make to the vibe in the office.

• Personality : Another reason your office design may feel a little off is that it’s too impersonal, too much like every other office space in the country. Rather than create an identikit design, however trendy or stylish this may be – why not make more of a statement with your interiors? Express the ethos of the brand and be more creative. You can even get employees involved in choosing artwork or colour schemes, so that they have a sense of ownership over the design.

Photo Credit | Shutterstock

This post complies with my Disclosure Policy.

Found this useful wondering how you can show me your appreciation? Well, there are some ways you can say thanks and support my website: ➡