Tag: Office Refurbishment (page 5 of 10)

Benefits of Suspended Ceilings

Suspended ceilings aren’t just for hotels, they can be equally beneficial in all sorts of buildings including homes and offices.

Suspended ceilings may seem like a recent innovation but they have actually been around for a very long time. There is evidence of their use in this country from the 16th century in fact.

The suspended ceilings we see today have come a long way since then and offer a variety of benefits depending on where they are installed.

One of the key attractions of suspended ceilings are the way they can enhance a building. Installing one will completely change the look of a room. Not only will a suspended ceiling make a feature of an existing ceiling but it is also makes it possible to install lighting in new and creative ways.

Another benefit is affordability. If you want to make a significant change to your rooms and ceiling heights allow for this, this can be an excellent and cost-effective way to make a space feel homelier and inviting.

Lastly, a suspended ceiling acts as great sound insulation from above. This is why you will often see them in office and apartment blocks where insulating against sound from above can be difficult and expensive.

What You Need to Create A Healthy Office

If you own a business, you and your staff are going to be spending a large proportion of your waking lives working in the same office space. This makes it vitally important that you ensure that the environment is as healthy as possible to keep everyone motivated and productive. Here’s how to achieve a healthy office…

One of the first places to start in creating a healthy office environment is lighting. Too much artificial light is not good for the eyes and old outdated lighting can not only be inefficient but also add additional problems for employees already staring at laptop and computer screens. Where possible offices should make the most of any natural light available.

The second and most troublesome area is temperature control. It can be difficult to regulate temperature to everyone’s liking in a large office as there will inevitably be cold spots and warm spots. Spending extra on better air conditioning systems can make a major difference all year round.

When these basic areas are taken care attention can then be focused on areas such as providing easy access to drinking water and even exercise spaces for more progressive offices.

Brief Guide To Breakout Furniture

Ever heard of breakout furniture? If you haven’t then you’re probably not up to speed with the latest innovations in office furniture.

There’s a buzz word for most things nowadays and that includes a specific type of furniture called breakout furniture. Now before we go into breakout furniture we need to understand what a breakout area is in an office.

The definition is actually as the name suggests, a place to break away from the desk and hold informal meetings or take time out for a break.

So you may actually have a breakout space without even knowing it but for some or even most offices, the breakout space is little more than a battered old sofa someone moved from their house and a cheap coffee table.

Breakout furniture doesn’t have to be this way, however, when there is the opportunity to make these spaces livelier and engaging.

A well thought out breakout space complete with office pods or even booths where people can use their phones can make for a much more happy and relaxed work environment.

If you are planning to fit or plan a new office layout, give us a call today to discuss the options available.

There Is More Than One Type Of Office Partition

Office partitions allow you make the most of your office space as well as reorganise and create new workspaces. It is, however, essential to consider which office partition will work best in your particular environment. Here are some of the merits of each type…

Solid Partitions
As the name suggests these are more permanent partitions. These are most suited to office spaces where confidentiality is important. Solid partitions can always be mixed and matched with glass partitions to brighten things up.

Glass Partitions
Glass partitions are great for smaller offices where you want clutter kept to a minimum. They also create brighter more collaborative workspaces which tend to keep staff happier in comparison to solid walls which can create unnecessary barriers in some offices.

Demountable Partitions
These are highly flexible and easy to move around if your office space is more fluid. With many old town centre buildings being transformed into enterprise hubs and business incubators, demountable partitions can provide a way to create separation between work spaces and allow plenty of scope to change layouts at the same time.

For more information or guidance on installing office partitions give us a call today or look through the range of services we provide.

3 Ways To Make Workspace A Happier Place

Returning to work after the summer holidays can be a depressing experience for some people. You get used to all that sunshine and miss all that relaxation. Going back to work needn’t be stress however and there is a lot you can do to cheer up your work environment…

Add some greenery
Office plants are all the rage as people like to see a bit of nature in their workspace. Being amongst plants and trees is supposed to be good for us and it’s easy to bring a bit of that into the office with a few potted plants.

Get a personalised mug
Personalised mugs are great for adding personality and humour to your tea or coffee times. You can have your mugs personalised to your personality so nobody is left in doubt over who it belongs to. They also look a lot nicer on your desk than a plain old mug.

Tidy up those cables
Cables can take up a lot of space unnecessarily. You can banish this issue by purchasing some cable organisers so that they can all be tied up and stored out of sight. You could even invest in a new desk which has holes in giving the cables somewhere to go. So many desks don’t actually have this simple method of keeping cables out of sight.

The Do’s and Don’ts Of Office Fitouts

Did you know that a quarter of the space in most office isn’t used at all? This can not only contribute to an inefficient use of space but also cramped areas and low morale among uncomfortable staff. You can solve these problems by having a professional office fitout, but keep these do’s and don’t in mind before going ahead.

Do have a long think about what you want from your office
Refurbishing an office can sometimes be done in a rush to save time and disruption. Unfortunately, this often ends in poorly planned layouts so it pays to have a good think about what you need before hiring a company to do the fitting.

Don’t forget about planning
Planning an office fitout takes time and is best done by a professional using the latest technology so you can see what the result will be before the work starts.

Do keep an eye on trends
Like anything else interior design fashions come and go but some are enduring. In today’s technology age provision should be made to future proof your spaces and prepare them for the technological advances of tomorrow.

Don’t forget about health and safety
Health and safety might be boring but it is so important to stick to the rules and avoid introducing anything that could result in you getting sued by someone for neglecting health and safety during works and afterwards.

How To Keep Your Staff Motivated On Hot Summer Days

Most of us look forward to some hot sunny days in the summer but when you’re in the office it isn’t much fun at all particularly if you are working all day. So here’s some advice on how to improve the office environment to keep your staff motivated and productive.

Ensure Everyone drinks enough water
It might sound obvious but drinking plenty of water can limit the effects of heat. Access to clean cool drinking water is something every office should have. Mood, memory and energy levels can all be affected by dehydration which is something you may want your employees to avoid.

Keep the work place bright and airy

Nobody wants to be stuck in a dark stuffy office on a hot day and the type of furniture you choose can make a big difference to how bright your office is. Ensure enough natural light is allowed into the spaces around your offices and open windows if necessary.

Arrange some outdoor time
Why not arrange some time out of the office for your staff in prolonged heatwave conditions. A bit of team building will keep things interesting and if it is held outdoors, staff won’t feel like they are missing out on the sunshine.

Why Office Carpet Choice Matters

How many offices do you go into with drab looking or worn out carpets? Carpets say as much about a business as walls and furniture so it’s important to pay attention to the quality and colour of your carpets is you want to project the right image of your business to clients and customers.

Of course not every business owner will have control over the colour of their carpet. If an office is rented it can be hard to convince the landlord to change the carpet but if you do have the freedom, then a new carpet is a great way to start transforming the look and feel of your office.

If for example your business is involved in websites or graphic design, you might want to select bright bold patterns whereas if you run an accountants, then a neutral toned more conservative carpet might be a better choice.

Pattern is also important. Plain office carpet can be dull and boring so having some kind of pattern even if it’s subtle can transform an office space. The carpet can even match your company branding.

Today there are no hard and fast rules on carpet choice and lots of inspiration available on websites such as Pinterest

Is It Time You Had An Office Refurb?

In business you’re either growing or you’re shrinking so it’s important to always be moving forward and that includes the design of your office.

Taking care of the office, however, often ends up low on the priority list during busy periods or when a lot of effort is being put into growing a business. Yet appearances should never be ignored and your office will provide prospective clients and customers with their first impression of your business when they walk through the door.

If your office is looking a bit tired and dated, then refurbishing your office can freshen things up and inspire confidence. It is often the smaller details that contribute to business growth and a well maintained modern office can create the kind of lasting impression that provides a good return on your investment.

Also with the holidays fast approaching staff are likely to have their minds on their next holiday and if their surroundings are dull and drab this will only hamper productivity. So there you have it. Refurbishing that tired old office might actually pay for itself with all the benefits it provides.

If you would like to find out more about our office refurbishment services, give us a call today.

Mezzanine Flooring Need To Knows

Mezzanine comes is derived from the Latin word for in the middle and installing this type of floor means you can make better use of what would otherwise be unused space in warehouses and other large buildings with high ceilings.

This means that if you install a mezzanine floor you will not only be increasing your storage capacity but also boosting the profits you make from the extra good you are able to store. However before going ahead and installing a mezzanine floor there are certain things you may need to consider first.

Most of these concern fire protection. This is not to say that all mezzanine floors need to have fire protection incorporated. If the flooring is less than 400m squared and only used for storage then fire protection may not be necessary but for all flowing above this measurement, a fire rating is essential.

If mezzanine flooring forms part of a suite of offices and you own the building, then it is important to ensure that the flowing does have a rating so that staff are protected and also your investment in the building itself in the event of a fire.

To summarise, fire protection for mezzanine floors will be required for the following:
A total flooring area greater than 400m²
More than 3 staff members will be on the mezzanine floor at any given time
The edge of the floor is more than 20 continuous straight metres
The floor covers more than 50% of the size of the room in which it situated
If you require more information on installing a mezzanine floor, contact us today.

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