Wellbeing continues to drive the resimercial office

Break area industrial and resimercial combined

Employee wellbeing is continuing to drive a big trend in office design, the resimercial office.

Whilst productivity has long been the driving force of office design; a new wave of design trends, office layouts, and use of colours have changed the workplace beyond all recognition in the last few years. And while changes like the Activity Based Workplace may have changed the way we work, resimerical office design is trying to change our wellbeing.

What is resimerical?

The word itself is a portmanteau of RESIdential and comMERCIAL, and the basis of this design theory is that employees feel more comfortable with areas of their workplace having a homely feel. Whether this is a breakout area for brainstorming or a separate break room where staff can get away from work, being able to switch our brains away from work for a little while has great benefits.

Areas with soft couches and more subdued lighting can provide a stark contrast from a brightly lit office with its desks and office chairs; certainly much more comfortable, and certainly more like home.

With the rise of remote working, many office workers might have experienced working from home already. Resimercial design crosses the boundary between the office workplace and home working comforts, giving employees the chance to work in an area of their own choosing.

How to create a resimercial office

The key to creating a more relaxed zone within an office is to differentiate the areas clearly. Flooring is an obvious choice that can set out a boundary for this area and very much alter the feeling within it.

The new zone doesn’t have to be a lounge styled area either, you could consider:

• A kitchen and/or cafe area
• A library area
• A quiet comfy zone
• A colourful TV & console zone

A great way to separate these areas might be, for example, to have a carpeted office giving way to a wood-look vinyl flooring for the kitchen/cafe idea. Easy to clean in the case of the odd coffee spill and hard-wearing for those bar stools perhaps.

A library area might need to be carpet tiled to reduce noise, and possibly a single coloured floor to minimise distraction. A TV and games area, on the other hand, can be as bright and vibrant as you like. Something like the hexagonal tiles in our Hexxtile range can create a colourful and edgy zone to set it apart.

Industrial decor and feature elements

Bringing a homely feel to the workplace might seem like a reversal of the industrial home decor trend, as the use of industrial fittings for kitchens, and particularly lighting has been sweeping through homes. Wood effect vinyl flooring and some copper lights and fittings are an ideal way to transform an open space like an office.

You can even create some amazing effects with your own products. Newell Brands HQ has several feature walls, one made up of 26,000 coloured pencils and another of fishing lures, highlighting a couple of their brand products with their office decor.

Whether it’s colour or texture, decor or lighting, creating an alternative space within your office can boost productivity and the wellbeing of the employees in it.

Biomimicry in office design

Biomimicry - image of natural terrain flooring with plateau from window

What is behind biomimicry in office design

Biomimicry has been a design approach used in workplaces since the late 1990s, though its origins lie in much earlier decades. The art of mimicking colours and textures from the natural environment satisfies an innate human yearning to be close to nature.

Biomimetic office design aims to create a harmonious workspace by taking inspiration from natural forms and structures. Organic patterning is a classic element of biomimicry and its influences can be seen in the likes of Freedom Bark flooring.

Organic forms and colours evoke our primal longing for the outdoors. We know that flooring plays an important role in office design. Our first interactions with a space are, after all, visual ones and the floor takes up an awful lot of that space.

The finish underfoot interplays with our subconscious and impacts on how we interact with our surroundings. Bringing biomimetic influences into workplace floorings can, therefore, prove to be beneficial for office harmony, productivity and our ability to feel content in our indoor environments.

The outdoors meets the indoors

The fundamentals of biomimicry take us right back to our school days. Remember those biology lessons in which we were told that form follows function? The rule follows that elements in the natural world look the way they do for good reasons, simply in order to do what it is that they are ultimately designed to do. Animals and organic living things have evolved to fit the habitat in which they live.

Are we overlooking the power of Mother Nature?

Floors have to be practical and hard-wearing after all. But is there a tendency to think function over form and overlook the appearance of the layout and how we interact with it?

Indeed, when it comes to flooring, we often find workplaces with single-colour carpets in a neutral, inoffensive tone or simple patterns. Designing carpet tiles that mimic the apparent randomness of natural objects could help meet our need to be close to nature while also saving on time and expense. When patterned carpet tiles have no repeating pattern, they can simply be replaced by another with an equally random design on it. There is also a saving on installation time and wastage.

The random beauty of a forest floor is perhaps one of the most peaceful and aesthetically pleasing surfaces on earth. Mimicking subtle elements of the earth and sky makes a lot of sense, and in some small way enables us to reconnect our sense with the natural world.

A vibrant floorspace can increase morale

How a vibrant floorspace can increase team morale

Interior design is a great way to subconsciously influence people’s frame of mind at work. One of the most underrated ways of doing so is through the floorspace! More often than not, decorators view your flooring as something to be sidelined or not thought about; in actuality, the floor is a great tool to take advantage of. Read on to find out how you can use colour, shapes and current trends to encourage your employees to work harder – without them realising!

Colour

Colour psychology is an important part of interior design and then, by extension, how you plan for your flooring! For example, blue is generally received to be a colour to relax and soothe the brain, making it an ideal colour to use if your work environment is often stressful and high-energy. Contrasting this, if the office is often laid-back, then consider choosing a high-intensity warm colour carpet such as red, orange, or yellow, as this will stimulate the mind into working hard. For tranquillity, choose a green carpet or neutral tones, as this mimics the natural environment. If this point interests you, consider our blog post How to bring nature into the office.

Shapes

More and more contemporary office spaces are utilising shapes to lift their flooring. Whether it be neat, sharp multi-tonal square tiles, carpet planks carefully arranged or hexagon carpet tiles, the geometry trend is a great one to introduce an element of fun and quirkiness to an office that otherwise could feel mundane or uninspired. Using a funky floorplan can inspire upbeat personalities to shine. If this sounds like something you’d like to incorporate into your floorplan, it is worth considering Duraflor’s Hexxtile range.

Trends

If an office feels contemporary and on-trend, then employees will naturally feel better about working in it. We already mentioned in our latest blog how flooring can help employee retention. An organisation that shows attention to detail in its choice of office design, even down to choosing the right flooring, could potentially inspire employees to take a similar view to the work they produce. Here are a few examples of we found of very inspiring offices, of course you can still achieve so much, just by getting the simple things right.

Choose Duraflor flooring

Need more inspiration? Check out our gallery! Our friendly team are here to offer guidance on choosing the right flooring for your requirements, call 01592 630 030, we would be delighted to help.

Can flooring help employee retention and recruitment

Vinyl and carpet tile combine to create great first impression

First impressions – flooring helps employee retention and recruitment

First impressions do count when it comes to designing aesthetic properties. So why not choose flooring that matches the impact you’re trying to make, not only on potential customers but also on potential employees?

We’ve talked at length about why flooring can make a real difference to the productivity and even the morale of current employees in a workplace. No doubt investing in high-quality, colour-focused flooring can make a significant difference to the average working day.

We believe creating the right impression really does ensure flooring helps employee retention and recruitment.

Looks matter when it comes to your VIPs

Whether it’s important clients, visitors from head office or simply someone you’re looking to impress, the flooring is often one of the first things people notice when they enter a workplace. Making that good impression with thoughtful, open workspaces and inspiring use of decals or wall colour can quickly fall flat if you’ve not invested the same thought into the flooring in that space. This especially true for workplaces that choose to leave existing flooring alone, especially in older properties where dusty carpet tiles or well-worn vinyl can look shoddy. Investing in quality, attractive, and on-trend flooring is a fast, practical and above all impactful way to make those first impressions count.

Make people want to work in your office before they even step foot through the door

Acquiring new talent and impressing potential partners is a must for many modern businesses, so it should come as no surprise that the first thing individuals will do when they find out the address of a potential workplace is look up your property online. The same is true for companies looking for new office space that matches the aesthetics of their business. After all, you’d do precisely the same given the chance. The visual appeal of a workplace is often massively overlooked when it comes to a digital presence. Still, some quality photos that make the office look great to anyone who searches for it is an excellent way to get off to a great start. Lighter flooring, excellent colour blocking or even the use of more dynamic shapes in carpet tile, such as hexxtiles and planks, are all fantastic ways to get those impressive shots, so the property doesn’t look dull or old-fashioned. Flooring is probably the widest surface area available, so why not show it off at its best?

Create an environment people want to work in

Bringing potential employees into a workplace, and even showing around potential renters for your office space, should always make them want to work for the company more, not less. Investing in quality flooring is a great way to show how much you value the workspace you manage, and the attention to detail and value you place into providing potential businesses and their potential employees with somewhere great to work. No-one wants to work in an old-fashioned office with curling carpet tiles and 70s lighting – you’re far more likely to impress with a workplace that’s just as modern as they are. Flooring is a fantastic way to show value, and vinyl, in particular, is both affordable and high-quality in appearance without being too high-end, striking the perfect balance for businesses that are more focused on younger talent.

If you want your property to dazzle when it comes to those all-important first impressions, then we are here to help. Tell us what you have in mind and we will help you find a solution to that all important first impression.

Want to read more about how office design can attract and retain talent why not read this interesting blog by Workspace Design & Build.

Making the right commercial flooring choice

Making the right flooring choice, combination on LVT and Carpet Tiles

Why making the right commercial flooring choice matters

You may think flooring is quite low down on the priority list when it comes to designing your office, but there are many benefits to making the right commercial flooring choice. Whether you need vinyl flooring, carpet tiling or entrance matting, your business will undoubtedly benefit if you spend a little time assessing your commercial flooring options. There are a number of simple considerations:

1. You need to consider the footfall

One reason you need to make the right flooring choice is because of footfall within your office space. While all Duraflor flooring products are for heavy commercial use, some additional research may be required if an area is for particularly heavy footfall. In the case of Vinyl Flooring look for a wear rating Class 33 as a minimum – heavy wear commercial, but note Class 34 is for very heavy wear, and should be considered for multi-purpose halls and department stores.

With Carpet Tiles, again we recommend you ensure you have a Class 33 product rating as a minimum, but keep in mind that yarn structure is also important. Antron in a detailed document about yarn construction, state it is a commonly accepted industry practice to recommend 100% loop pile styles for heavy traffic installations. That isn’t to say that cut pile is not suitable for widespread commercial use, but cut pile carpet tiles are more ideally suited for boardrooms and meeting rooms, in addition to general office environments, as they will provide a softer more luxurious feel.

2. Climate is important

We mention this for a couple of reasons, firstly Carpet Tiles are a good insulator. The fibres are natural insulators with low heat conduction values. In addition, the surface pile of carpet with its millions of tiny fibres traps air and further increases its thermal insulation. Secondly, the UK is notoriously wet and the weather unpredictable – so whether the choice is vinyl or carpet, we highly recommend suitable barrier matting at the entrance to any building, if you wish to extend the life of the flooring and maintain its appearance.

3. You need to make a good impression

The way your floor looks could be key to creating an external impression of your business. If you bring clients into the office, they won’t be impressed with a dirty or scruffy floor. This in one respect means considering the life-time cost of your flooring and making a suitable upfront investment – considering guarantee length, ease of maintenance, colour resistance, wear ratings etc. – but also how well the floor is designed. There are a number of considerations here and it partly depends on message – for inspiration take a look at our Case Study pages. Sometimes you want to make a statement about your brand, other times you might be looking to help workflow and create zones, more often than not, you want a contemporary floor covering that will not easily date.

4. Consider your employees’ wellbeing

We advocate both our Carpet Tiles and Vinyl Tiles when it comes to employee wellbeing.

There are obviously sound insulation benefits to carpet tiles – carpet can reduce the sound of walking by 25 to 34 decibels (whereas laminate flooring for example reduces surface sounds by only 1 to 6 decibels). It is worth noting using underlayment with Vinyl Tiles significantly reduces sound transmission between floors and also makes them an excellent solution for sound insulation. However, carpet is still very much a go-to surface, when discussing the overall impact on acoustics within a space.

The often natural look of vinyl, especially wood-effect, can create a more natural looking environment for employees, yet provide an easy maintenance alternative to natural wood. However, there are plenty of nature inspired carpet tile ranges, including our own Natural Terrain Collection and Freedom Collection.

With regards allergens and carpet tiles we have touched on this before. Many studies suggest that carpet retains dust particles, unlike hard surfaces, where they regularly become airborne. If carpets are regularly vacuumed, these dust particles and associated allergens are removed. But, no matter which choice you make, we strongly recommend a good cleaning and maintenance programme.

Bold colour in the office

The power of bold colour in the office

Modern offices are a far stretch from the magnolia walls and brown carpet tiles you might remember from decades ago. As growing research supports the idea that colour in the office can help boost productivity and staff morale, companies are using colour in their offices more than ever before.

Make offices fun and engaging

Bright colour splashes, comfortable seating, flexible layouts and creative meeting spaces are replacing dull and uninspiring interiors in offices across the country. In the 21st century, many modern businesses are choosing to make their offices a fun, engaging and creative space, where their employees enjoy working and want to spend time.

Staff happiness and wellbeing are increasingly crucial to businesses, from tiny start-ups to major international corporations. There are many ways forward-thinking companies are changing their spaces to get the best out of their staff, from co-working spaces to smoothie bars and to new commercial flooring, that clearly reflects the activity of the space. Many office managers are making use of bold colours and shades, which are taking over the interior design world to create an office that boosts mood and enhances performance.

The value of colour

The value of colour and design in office spaces has also been proven in several scientific studies. Research has shown that 80% of office staff in the UK think that the colour of their surroundings plays a significant role in both their emotions and performance. However, despite this, 67% of participants thought their offices were drab and dismal and 98% disliked modern offices with a high-tech look, with white walls and tinted glass windows. With this in mind, its important businesses try and avoid bleak, corporate and uninspiring spaces and embrace colourful design and imaginative design solutions.

Design can play a crucial role in attracting the best and brightest new talent. A modern, colourful office is essential for creative businesses like architects, marketing companies and tech businesses. If staff productivity is a concern in your business, it could be worth looking at introducing new colours. Blue has been shown to enhance mood and aid brain function, and green interiors have been used to calm and soothe for many years. Mood-boosting colours like orange and yellow can also help with promoting creativity.

How Duraflor can help

One great way of introducing colours to the office is a bright and bold floor. At Duraflor, we have a stunning range of colourful commercial carpet tiles which are perfect for a modern office. Our new hexxtile range is a great choice, with a modern, geometric design that appeals to millennials and modern businesses.

With commercial carpet tiles, you don’t have to settle on just one colour either. Different colours can be used to demark spaces, like meeting rooms and break rooms in an open-plan office. A pattern can be created with geometric floor tiles to introduce pops of colour, creating a unique and inspiring look. The design scheme of an office is increasingly important as your business grows and takes on new staff. Getting the basics right, like a colourful commercial floor and bright feature walls gives your employees the best chance to enjoy their surroundings and work to their best ability.

Call us to discuss your project today.

Flooring safety tips

5 Flooring Safety Tips

Here are five easy ways of reducing the risks of slips, trips and falls in the workplace for both workers and visitors. It all begins with effective floor safety practices.

According to an accidents report by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), trips, slips and falls are the leading causes of non-fatal accidents in the workplace. These types of injuries result in losses amounting to thousands of pounds through settlements, compensations, and other expenses. Below are five tips to observe floor safety.

1) Encourage basic housekeeping practices

Maintain a neat and well-organised workplace to reduce the number of potential tripping hazards on the floor and pathways. Many tripping accidents occur when the victims encounter an unexpected obstacle along their path. Some of the common culprits include cables, open drawers, work tools, misplaced furniture, and litter.

Implement the 5S (Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardise, Sustain) system of housekeeping to declutter and organise things in the workplace. The 5S principle is an easy-to-follow system for keeping your workplace clean, tidy, and safe.

2) Clean up spills immediately

Spills are a common cause of most slipping accidents, especially on non-carpeted smooth surfaces and tiled floors. Occasional spills of drinks, food, and other material are unavoidable. Whenever this happens, it’s always best to clean up the mess immediately to prevent its spread and avoid accidents. Besides, some spills can penetrate deep into the flooring material and cause permanent damage if left to sit for a long time.

Enforce a strict procedure for handling spills, and keep fast-drying cleaning supplies handy to clear away slip hazards quickly. We have written a couple of useful articles on cleaning carpet tiles and vinyl flooring.

3) Maintain proper lighting

Keep the pathways, aisles, stairs and other critical areas well lit to improve visibility. Unlikely obstacles can easily be hidden in darkness and shadows. Installing floor lights, spotlights, and even luminous or reflective guide tapes goes a long way in helping individuals identify and avoid potential slipping and tripping hazards.

4) Signage

Mark the floor appropriately to call out potential hazards if there are any. It could be to a slippery surface, loose surface, gap, raised floor surface, or missing step. The signs can be portable cones or stickers and markings on the walls and floor. The most important thing is that the signs are well labelled and clearly visible to draw attention and guide movement around obstacles.

5) Repair damaged surfaces

It’s essential to run regular floor care and maintenance practices to prevent and remedy various flooring defects that develop over time. The defects and maintenance methods largely depend on the floor type and floor loading.

With these simple flooring safety tips you can reduce risks. Get in touch with us to learn more about our commercial flooring options.

Best flooring for restaurants

Identify the best flooring for restaurants

The best flooring materials suitable for a restaurant include vinyl sheets, carpet tiles, and vinyl tiles. Here, we explore these materials in more detail. There are multiple things to consider as the floor must be appealing to target customers, whilst being safe and practical.

1. Vinyl Sheets

There are different types of vinyl sheets available and each should be considered for their durability, safety properties (slip resistance), and stain resistance. Vinyl sheets have the lowest porosity compared to other materials which makes them easy to clean. The characteristics of vinyl make it suitable for dining areas and commercial bathrooms and especially relevant for kitchens. A key consideration for choosing vinyl sheets for kitchens is there are less joints (with it usually being purchased in 2m rolls). Vinyl can last for over twenty years if well maintained. Many safety vinyl floors contain anti-microbial properties. For a kitchen area where there is a greater risk of slips, we recommend a slip rating of at least R10.

2. Luxury Vinyl Tiles

Vinyl tile is another material that is an ideal flooring for restaurants. The components of the vinyl material have high that enables it to withstand footfalls of high pressure. Vinyl can be cleaned easily, ensuring any spills are easily removed to prevent a customer or employee slipping. A key benefit is the luxury feel that can be achieved in either wood or stone effect, which has much of the authenticity of the natural product but major advantages in terms or maintenance. For very fast and easy installation a looselay such as AXIS could be considered. With vinyl tiles you also have opportunities to zone areas, perhaps defining convenient sections, such as bar standing areas and more evident walkways.

3. Carpet Tiles

Carpet tile is another material that is very convenient in terms of durability, installation, and cost. They also usually come with very strong sustainability credentials. Carpet tiles exist in different shapes and colours, which allows them to fit in any dimension of a project. They have acoustic benefits and have the ability to lift a room. Again they can provide an excellent way to zone off an area. Maintenance of carpet tiles is also quite easy. Carpet can create a warmer, cosier environment but should not be used in the kitchen workspace, as spills can not be cleaned as easily as vinyl.

How to bring nature into the office

Keypad and mouse among greenery - bringing nature into the office

How to bring nature into the office – a different perspective

There are many things that affect productivity and wellbeing within office design. Colour is a major factor that many designers will naturally consider. And, we have previously looked at shapes in office flooring, and how that impacts moods. What is also well documented by ourselves and others, is of course the benefits of biophilic design on both wellbeing and productivity.

However, there are many creative ways too bring nature into the office design, so we decided to put a slightly different spin on all this.

We consider the importance of shapes in more detail

Research has found that shapes can have a profound impact on productivity levels. The greatest criticism is that today’s modern offices are rather clinical in their design.

However, that doesn’t have to be the case. Studies have shown that people are drawn to and inspired by shapes that can be found in nature. A beautiful example of this is with the Moose Toys Offices located in Australia. On first entering their office, you can see a tree with a treehouse in it. The natural beacon is stunning and matches their brand’s values and core competencies.

We look at how might you build shape into your office designs

1. Decorate pillars as if they’re trees

Feature walls are popular, especially living walls, but they don’t have to be the only green area. Consider both through plants and graphics, extending trees out of pillars in the office. You might be able to create a natural forest feeling in the office and break down some of the clinical straight lines that define many offices. Green is also a great colour for enhancing moods within an office.

2. Break up the ceiling space with hanging plants

Hanging plants are a great way to break up square designs and are an effective way to introduce nature into the office. A few hanging up around the office space will break apart the unnatural look of square roofing.

3. Add small trees to the sides of doors

There is little you can do about the shape of a door, but you can hide how square it is by putting trees either side of the frame. And for windows, you can use window boxes full of plants to break up their design.

4. Change the furniture

Look around for desks that have curves or designs that look more natural. You can also incorporate more natural materials, this can be wood or stone for example.

In Conclusion

Using natural shapes in design is an important aspect of office design. Research has shown that it can help relax workers in the building and creates a more positive environment. In addition, it is great for improving the productivity and quality of work.

Using flooring to match brand identity

Consider using flooring to match your brand identity

To establish and communicate a strong corporate brand identity, companies need to consider a wide range of passive marketing methods.

You may have carefully crafted a robust brand for your organisation and all the positioning statements and identity guidelines that surround it. And now, it might be worth considering how to reflect the branding in your passive communications, such as staff uniforms, vehicle livery and head office interior design. This could include weighing up the pros and cons of putting in new flooring to match your brand identity.

Do workspace floors matter in passive marketing?

Buying commercial carpets or tiling in complementary colours to your chosen corporate colour scheme can make a strong statement.

It’s not just about showing a well-orchestrated and proud corporate identity to your visitors. Having your brand reflected in your workspace sends a message to staff too. It can position your organisation as highly cohesive and shows pride in your brand positioning.

Well thought out office interiors can also show staff that you want to create a unified organisation, all working towards the same bold vision.

It’s sometimes the little details that say the most about a company. That includes showing how creative and consistent your organisation is, by promoting your corporate identity right down to the ground!

How easy is it to match flooring to brand identity?

Fortunately, thanks to the creative modern flooring designs available, it’s possible to select from a wide range of options, to ‘brand’ your building. This includes a colour palette of both Luxury Vinyl Tiles and Carpet Tiles.

If you have deep enough pockets you could commission flooring that has your corporate logo woven into it. That is not only expensive but also makes updates and repairs tricky, and holds you to ransom if you decide to change your brand identity!

It’s far more cost-effective and flexible to choose commercial flooring in the correct colour scheme to complement or reflect your logo.

At the very least, having white or grayscale vinyl floors, or using neutral carpets and carpet tiles means bold use of corporate colours on the rest of your interior design really stands out.

Other ways to use flooring to match your brand identity

If your company wants to show how organised and well-structured it is, using different types and shades of commercial flooring can help you to zone your workspace. For example, a company with a strong emphasis on collaborative culture could have warm, relaxed flooring in breakout areas and more business-like floor designs around workstations. Or, you could have a separate floor covering for your different project groups, to engender team spirit and unity.

You could ever create a rather zany and colourfully memorable floor if your company is positioning itself as a corporate maverick!

However you play it, flooring can be an easy and impressive way to send a message to anyone who sets foot in your business premises.

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