Bringing the outside in to create the best environment

Green space in workplace environment

Green spaces in the office can be a wonderful addition to make a business property more welcoming, more relaxing and more conducive to effective work.

Green spaces should bring elements of the outside in, but it can also be important to retain traditional office materials. A good style could therefore be a blend between the clean office environment and the rugged and natural look of the outside. We explore how to integrate green spaces into your office.

Has to be ‘green’ to be believed

The impact of a green space in the entrance to your office, or as you pass through a work-space can have the effect of inspiring individuals. Whether they are visitors or employees, the impact of meeting living and natural features inside the office is proven to improve mood. It also provides a great first and ongoing impression of your business. Creating a foyer with a large ceiling space, plenty of light and some living trees will result in an opening to a business that will be both welcoming and impressive.

Using natural materials

To get the best out of a green space it needs to transition naturally into the rest of the office, blending from the natural plants to the flooring and walling. This will extend the feeling of nature being present without having to go overboard.  Consider cork or envirowalls with living plants as an added feature, they are also credited with heightening productivity and creativity, boosting health and wellbeing, strengthening morale and saving energy. The added benefit of using these materials are that they will also absorb sound effectively and help to create a quieter environment, that is more conducive to productive work.

Continuing the theme

From your entrance way into your offices you can continue the theme of the green space using the flooring. Wood effect commercial flooring, for example, will allow you to extend the natural feeling into individual areas, yet still provide a hard-wearing commercial solution. While you may not be able to entirely extend the living green space through into the offices, extending the feel of the green space is possible with careful colour choices and office design. By continuing this theme into the office you can create a more relaxing environment that is far more comfortable for your employees.

Four ways to use industrial materials in office design

Image of office with industrial materials - lighting and exposed pipes

Industrial materials have never been more stylish when it comes to workplace decor. If you’re considering adding an industrial feel to your workplace, these suggestions will give you the perfect starting point.

From hardwearing types of vinyl to texturised concrete, these materials might seem like they’re best used in an industrial environment – but with modern design, industrial materials are seeing a renaissance for commercial properties. There are numerous ways that industrial materials design elements can be incorporated into contemporary office design to create a modern and minimalist finish.

Heavy duty lighting

If you’re looking to add recycled design elements to your workplace, heavy duty or industrial style lighting is a great way to start. When combined with high ceilings and minimal decor, modern-style lighting, utilising metals or piping, can be the perfect focal piece for your office decor. Exposed piping and ducts afford cost cutting when it comes to ceilings and panelling, allowing your industrial style to shine through

Concrete wall features

Concrete and concrete effect is a big thing in office design. To create a modern industrial feel, combining woods and sustainable materials with concrete or concrete effect wall panelling, can add much-needed texture and style to an office.

Industrial floor inspiration

For emulating the look of painted concrete or offering intricate pattern without the cost of more traditional flooring media, vinyl has long been a rising star in office design. Perfect for high-traffic areas without sacrificing design, using vinyl in succinct yet straightforward block colours can provide a feeling of openness and be used as a method to give the division of areas in an open office. Duraflor Axis and Momenta ranges are perfect example of on-trend vinyl flooring options that shout modern from the second you walk in the door.

Consider Concrete Light or a slightly darker tone with Concrete Mid Grey, or if you are going for a very different texture use Woven Graphite, all from the Duraflor loosely LVT range Axis. Plus if you want to be really distinct in bringing an industrial materials feel to the office, consider either Metallic Rust or Metallic Grey from the Momenta range.

Reuse and Recycle

From palettes to burnished metals, upcycling and reusing materials and furniture to create an attractive yet sustainable work environment is a staple of many start-up businesses, reducing costs while providing an eco-friendly edge. Many of the furniture staples that can be purchased for high-end prices – from metal-legged tables to palette-based shelving – can also be found or created for a lower price. If you’re looking to add an industrial touch to your office, furniture can be a quick and easy way to turn a minimalist environment into a stylish workplace.

Feature Image: See how Interaction met their brief by creating a ‘raw’ design with exposed ceilings and electrical works, that complemented the building and created an industrial and transparent look, choosing Momenta Mill Grey for this breakout area.

Design strategies for going green

Aspect Rockface carpet tiles in green office environment

Why go green? If you want to improve the productivity and quality of your workplace, here are some ways design can make an impact. We consider the findings of a recent Health, Wellbeing & Productivity in Offices report.

No matter what business you’re in, three elements that are essential for any good office are the health of employees, the level of productivity in their work and the wellbeing of everyone working there. According to the Health, Wellbeing & Productivity in Offices report by the UK Green Building Council, multiple elements can be changed in the average office to be greener, more efficient and overall promote better health.

Here are a few design strategies that an office can put in place to ‘go green’:

The benefit of a view

Gone are the days of closed-off offices and one window per room; with the evolution of the greener, more workforce-friendly office, the ability to see the outside world has become more critical than ever. Utilising floor to ceiling windows – or just larger, airier space with natural light, lets in that all-important sunshine that’s far better for productivity and mood than unnatural strip lighting and the glow of monitors. If there’s a view already there, utilise it as a way to increase your employees’ focus.

Agile working

Taking influence from modern working methods, developing an agile workplace involves readjusting the design on an office based on a more fluid and efficient way of working. In many offices, on any given day at least some of the desks won’t be used – and by choosing to work in agile teams or more fluid groups, with no permanent workstation, you can promote better productivity for everyone. Design elements such as comfortable flooring that supports active movement and an open layout can help to develop such an environment.

Improving light

For a greener environment, getting rid of old lighting and closed-off designs is vital. An office that is designed to make use of natural light, as well as lower-cost and lower-usage lighting compared to harsh light bulbs such as LEDs, can both establish greener frameworks for design and a more comfortable working atmosphere. Light can be intrinsic to excellent design work and is grounded in both psychology and the design world as ways to elevate offices to a more positive place.

Look & feel

From sustainable and green materials such as cork walls, living walls  or even the placement of desks to windows, the feel of an office can go a long way to improving the atmosphere. Replacing the flooring with hardwearing vinyl in a natural wood effect (designed for heavy traffic), increasing the amount of art or even changing up the colour scheme of a room can significantly improve the workplace. Consider starting small with changes in colours and work upwards.

Flexibility

An essential element to strategising for office design is the ability to be flexible. Offering multiple ways of working, from open office design to meeting rooms and agile desk structures, allows your employees both a productive place to work and adaptations for individual productivity and development styles. Open-mindedness should play into the design of a green office in the same way it does in other policies; offering small choices and options to give your staff their individual sense of control.

Redesigning your office to be green from the ground up might sound daunting; but breaking down the approach into a tight list of design considerations can really help. The UK Green Building Council Report can really help with this, as well as providing compelling evidence as to why these considerations are important.

 

Feature Image: Many of these design strategies were considered by Interaction on a recent project, which highlights making the most of natural light, how a view improves the working environment, and the importance of flexibility of workspaces.

How to use flooring to improve your office feng shui

Using commercial flooring for feng shui

Want to know how to improve the energy in your office? Then follow our top feng shui tips to create a space that will get your creative and commercial juices flowing!

The ancient Chinese art of feng shui posits that we can improve the positive energy in a place by altering the layout of it. Although this principle has traditionally been applied to the home, it can also be put into practice in professional spaces, and commercial flooring can have a big part to play.

This is because it has a major role in shaping the visual impression of an area. The right choice and placement of flooring can affect the whole aesthetic and essence of a room, which is why we’ve written this article.

If you’re considering having a play around and trying to build a more positive vibe, here’s what we suggest…

1: Choosing your materials

The idea of feng shui might seem a little abstract, but whether you believe in it or not, we’re sure you’ll agree that the vibe of a room can have an impact on productivity and personality. That’s why a lot of it comes down to common sense rather than any slightly silly cosmic principles, such as the sort of materials you should choose. More than anything, this ought to be determined by the location of the flooring and its surroundings. Cold buildings, for example, will benefit from carpet tiles that seek to insulates the area and helps to create a cosiness that’s lacking; wood effect Luxury Vinyl Planks, on the other hand, can help to open up a small, stifling space and create a sense of size and spaciousness even where this doesn’t exist.

2: Choosing your colours

Choosing the right flooring materials to create a positive feng shui vibe comes down to little more than common sense, but there is more of an art to selecting uplifting colours that will improve your aesthetic and energy. The best choices are reputed to be earthy options because your flooring represents the foundation of your space and is thus associated with this element. That’s why classical wood tones can work wonders for creating a feeling of light and brightness. The same rule applies to whatever materials you use: keep the shades and tones natural and neutral to create a positive, uplifting energy that will soothe minds and help your employees to leave any distractions at the door.

3: Choosing your shapes and layout

Shapes are central to feng shui, as the five elements are believed to express themselves through these. Where you get your shapes and layout right, the effect is to encourage positive energy and increase productivity. The way your flooring is placed is thought to have a significant impact on this, determining where the chi is directed – this means that if you have wood effect vinyl planks, for example, and these terminate in a window or a door, all of these good vibes will exit immediately. Whether you hold any store in such suppositions or not, it’s still true that applying basic feng shui principles can help to enlarge and open up spaces, creating a feeling of light and brightness that’s conducive to positive results in and of itself.

It is worth a little consideration, no matter what you actually believe.

The problem with commercial flooring trends

Freedom Pavement carpet tiles - on trend for offices

Companies often fight to be as ‘current’ as possible in order to appeal to clients and create an on-trend environment for their staff.

When seeking a design scheme to achieve the right look, as a designer you might look at current trends and visit the newest places to get an idea of what’s hot, and what works. The competition to have the most up-to-the-minute commercial space can be fierce. For end users the trends that arise are often taken very seriously, with the advice being that if you have things that aren’t working for your space, then it’s time to change.

The pursuit of the latest trends can have those responsible for the office design obsessing over potential changes without having the budget to actually make them. But it is important to remember that trends come and go, and if you always aim to be up with the latest trend in office design or commercial flooring, then you will have to keep shelling out money to update everything as trends inevitably change.

A little perspective

If we take a glance back at flooring trends from 2014, one of the more popular and stylish ways to go was variations on wood flooring that offered a somewhat rustic look. Hand scraped wooden boards that showed the variation and knots in the wood were very desirable, giving character to rooms and helping complete a classical look. We also saw a proliferation of wider planks for the traditional laminate flooring, and even wood floors with nothing but an oil finish, further cementing that classical rustic look.

Wood commercial flooring was trendy, and it served as part of a wider design fixation on spaces that looked clean and welcoming with a hint of old-fashioned charm, bringing a degree of warmth to a space that is ultimately designed for work. When you look at design trends for 2018, just 4 years later, there has been quite a drastic shift.

The commercial space of this year favours tight lines and precision, particularly with recent improvements to vinyl and carpet tiling. Luxury vinyl tiles are coming to the fore, as are high quality carpet tiles and porcelain tiles that feature digital printing for a sleek and shiny finish.

The rustic look has all but died off, and we are now seeing extremely modern chic in typical design trends. Style-wise, commercial flooring is being geared to fit a contemporary look of neutral colours in precise lines juxtaposed with features that rock bright jewel tones or pastel colours.

A trend follower not a trend setter

There will never be an end to trends in everything where design is a factor, and commercial flooring trends will come and go. At Duraflor we keep a close eye on the trends we think are more likely to stand the test of time better than others, and look to offer products that reflect those to our clients. The new Duraflor Freedom Collection, we believe are a good example of this because the patterns draw from nature and the urban environment, elements that will continue to surround us and meet the need to be in harmony with our surrounding. Our colour choice, as with many of the Duraflor portfolio is based on popular colour combinations that are fresh when launched, yet stand the test of time.

The Freedom Collection includes the following ranges – Bark, Rainfall, Storm, Pavement and Compound.

Are you in a reflective office – or nice and quiet

Progression Black Ice with Bright Ideas Ultra Sound carpet tiles

Distracting noise from conversations, feet and furniture can all make for an unproductive environment. But there are ways to avoid putting your foot in it by considering the impact of reflective and absorbent materials.

Flooring choices for back office or administration areas are generally made on appearance and functionality. The sales office in a building housing an engineering firm may have a simple domestic carpeted floor to separate this space aesthetically from the workshop area. However, flooring can’t decide who stands on it. So the engineer who wanders in may get a telling off from the office manager and be directed to the cleaning materials. In this case, cheaper carpeting was a poor choice. It succeeded in defining the administrative area, but failed to provide a practical solution to a mixed environment, as it was so easily damaged. Instead, a harder wearing commercial carpet tile would be more easy to clean and maintain its appearance long-term. It also doesn’t have to be an compromise, hard-wearing commercial carpet tiles can be inexpensive and still have strong designs. Duraflor Progression is probably one of the company’s most popular ranges for just those reasons. There are however other considerations when deciding on the best flooring for a busy administration area.

Considering reflective and absorbent surfaces.

The acoustic properties of carpet are commonly known. Carpet provides a deadening effect in a room, as sound waves are either absorbed or reflected by any surface. Ceilings and walls are generally hard surfaces and so reflect sound. If the floor is not carpeted the noise level in the room will be more apparent; the waves of reflected sound in the room will have more energy and so the room will appear to be noisier.

Hard flooring can still be a good choice.

The practical advantages of a hard floor in a commercial environment are apparent. A hard floor is often easier to clean, more hygienic and can be easier to work on. Vinyl is available in lots of different finishes including wood and stone finishes, and is a very durable covering for areas with heavy wear. However, if sound is an important consideration, but vinyl is the finish that is desired, it is worth remembering that you can use other surfaces to absorb and reduce sound, such as soft furnishings and wall and ceiling finishes.  You can also use a looselay vinyl such as Duraflor Axis, which will give a better acoustic performance than a standard vinyl.

Nice and quiet.

A quarter of injuries reported by employees are related to noise in the workplace. A quieter workplace is less stressful and more productive. It is worth considering when designing a busy back-office what can be done in terms of not only the flooring but all the materials used, how best to minimise unnecessary sound and create a productive environment.

Inspired design for an inspiring reception

Inspiring design for reception area

Your reception area is the first thing visitors and potential clients see, in this blog we look at how flooring design can help make that great first impression.

A new customer or a visitor who could potentially become a client is going to see your reception area first when they enter your building.  The whole room should be optimised to tell that person what you want them to know about your business, without saying a word. There’s a huge amount you can get across with the design of your space, and practical ways you can lay it out for the best impression.

From the type of flooring, to the texture, to the pattern – there shouldn’t be a square inch of the floor that isn’t designed with some purpose in mind. Whether that’s to hint at your ethos, to wow them with the strength of your branding or to get them in a certain frame of mind for your meeting.

Your personality

Commercial flooring is available in so many different materials, styles and colours that there is no excuse for a boring choice. From carpet tiles to vinyl, there are options to suit whatever design choice or budget you happen to have. In order to have your reception flooring match your company’s personality, it’s important to think what you want to convey. If you’re trying to give the impression of a clinical, corporate organisation – muted tones in carpet tile or vinyl are a good idea. However, if you’re trying to show a quirky side, or you want to demonstrate your commitment to traditional values, a wood or stone patterned vinyl can be a more effective choice.

Humans are visual creatures, and it’s surprising how much difference it can make to have their first contact with your organisation exude so much of your personality. If they start off with the impression that you want to convey, it’s much easier to convince them of that fact later on – an opportunity wasted with an ordinary, uninspired space.

Zoning

While it’s good to show off your personality through flooring, don’t assume that a space decked out in your flooring of choice will cut it. You want to get as much out of your space as possible, and carving up your floor space for different functions can be a great way to maximise your floor’s potential. From a practical perspective, it can be useful to have entrance matting system or a barrier tile immediately at the entrance, to deal with the wear and tear of the outside world. After that, carpet tiling or luxury vinyl tiles signals to the visitor that they’ve arrived, and utilising your corporate colours in your flooring can add to a sense of immersion when visitors are standing at the reception desk.

Usually, your visitor will be directed over to a waiting area where they can sit down. This is where they will spend the majority of their time in reception, and where they’ll pick up the most cues about your business, so use this opportunity to tell them what you want them to know. Impress them with your cool design credentials and use a concrete-effect vinyl, make them feel warm and cosy with a wood effect, or give off a vibe of corporate sophistication with a sleek and shiny surface. Your reception area is a blank canvas – so use it wisely for maximum effect.

 

Feature Image: A great example from the design team at Office Principles

Colour schemes for a productive office environment

Variety of colour schemes in office environment

When designing your office environment, it’s important to understand the effect colour can have on employees. Consider the atmosphere that will help staff to be as productive as possible, then choose paints and commercial flooring to stimulate them.

The colour of one’s surroundings can profoundly affect emotions and behaviour. Centuries of artistic and design experiments with different colours have enabled an understanding of which hues can influence human reactions. These principles can be applied to designing office space; colour can stimulate greater creativity and cooperation amongst employees.

A basic understanding of colour psychology can help with designing office space that really gets the best out of the staff who work there. The following is a guide to harnessing the power of colour to maximise office productivity.

Blue colour schemes inspire the most productivity

Studies have shown that a predominantly blue colour scheme promotes the greatest productivity from workers. Blue calms people and has been demonstrated to lower blood pressure and heart rate, which reduces stress levels. It is therefore best to apply a blue colour scheme in a busy, high-pressure office environment.

Having said this, keep in mind that the colour blue is often associated with feeling sad, so too much blue might generate feelings of depression and compromise workplace morale. Furthermore, blue is generally associated with cold, and temperature can impact productivity. Perhaps opt for blues in brighter, more uplifting shades rather than deep and dark tones, or introduce blue flooring rather than walls.

Green is helpful for getting through long work days

The colour green is closely associated with nature. Green is a symbol of growth, harmony, rejuvenation and equilibrium. Using a pleasant shade of green to decorate an office can assist in lowering anxiety and helping both staff and visitors feel more at ease.

Green has also been linked to improvements in creativity, so when innovation is important, green can be a real boon. What’s more, as the human eye is able to perceive green without making complex adjustments to its components, it doesn’t contribute to eye fatigue and can help people whose eyes feel strained from staring at a screen. This way, green can help employees get through long shifts more easily.

Red is good for physical activity

Red can be helpful to energise people by increasing the pulse rate and respiration. When the colour red is perceived, humans generally become quicker and more assertive. This is a great feature for environments that are filled with physical activity, like a gym, but a red colour scheme may not be so helpful for desk-based office environments. People will develop pent-up energy with no release.

However, employees who perform detail-oriented work such as proofreading may benefit from the increased focus red can impart. Memory retrieval can also be improved in a red environment. As a side note, red generally draws attention – if you want to make something stand out, paint it red.

A neutral hue can help to accent colours

White, cream and grey colours for floors and walls are not a particularly stimulating choice by themselves, but they are great at accentuating brighter colours. A monochromatic environment can result in employees losing focus, but white walls with coloured commercial flooring and other accents can be incredibly stimulating.

An abundance of natural light can also work well with neutral tones to create a sense of space. This makes a place seem larger than it really is, and it also imparts a sense of cleanliness to both employees and visitors.

The design of an environment is always intended to have an effect on the people inside it. For an office, promoting qualities like productivity, creativity and innovation are essential to getting the most out of your staff. Consider what type of colour scheme in flooring, paint and furniture will get the right results from your next office design project.

Three things to consider when choosing commercial carpeting

Freedom Pavement Boulder commercial carpeting

Choosing the right commercial carpets can be difficult. With practical considerations having to trump personal preference, we take a look at what you need to think about if you want to make the perfect choice.

When it comes to outfitting an office with new furnishings or design features, there is always a lot for you to think about, and this is no different with your flooring choices than it is with your desks, doors, or desktops. Although colour and aesthetic may well play a role in the selection of commercial carpets, it’s not as easy as just picking out the swatch you like best; you have to consider the practicalities too.

Covering the three most important bases, should provide you with a handy point of reference when it’s time to make your decision…

1. Traffic

Commercial carpeting often has to withstand a large amount of wear and tear, which is why we suggest you have a good think about the likely level of traffic in your office before making your selection. Don’t just consider numbers, but the type of footwear too.

It’s not just foot traffic you have to bear in mind, but also the furnishings and equipment that will be in the room. Desk chairs, for example, are best suited to smooth, flat flooring, to allow free movement and reduce the incidence of unsightly indentations.

2. Colour

Just like the paint you choose to use on your walls, your carpet colour will massively impact both the mood and aesthetic of your office, so it’s important to choose wisely. Creams and other pale palettes can be a quick and clever way to enlarge a space, but admittedly they’re not always practical. A recent blog we wrote considers the psychology of colour and its impact on productivity.

3. Style

Plain or patterned? Certain carpet tile styles for instance are particularly suitable for hiding stains. It is also worth considering the yarn used if carpet tiles are a consideration, a good example is the new Freedom Carpet Tile Collection from Duraflor (including the popular Bark, Storm ranges) that uses antron® 6.6 nylon with its patented soil resistance technology.

The same colour throughout your office or various contrasting areas? Here’s where you get to be really creative. You need to choose something that looks professional but isn’t boring, so as long as you keep your lines clean and your colours harmonious, you have plenty of room to experiment. This was also a consideration for the new Freedom range, choosing popular colours, then ensuring they worked across 5 inspiring designs, so a seamless transition could be made to different areas of a floor scheme or whole office plan.

One enterprising way to use your commercial carpeting to the benefit of your business is to use the style and colour of it to create ‘breakout areas’. We recently wrote an article on great breakout design. Many of our clients have used a great combination of different types of floor, lighting and furniture to create areas for employees to relax, for more inspiration see some of our case studies.

The Freedom Collection is made up of 5 designs – Bark, Storm, Rainfall, Pavement and Compound.

Nature-inspired, tech-enabled and privacy on-demand – The future of office design

Office design providing privacy on-demand

Office design gives you the opportunity to create a productive and effective working space. From the floor up you should create a nature-inspired, tech-enabled and privacy on-demand office space.

Office design is about far more than couches in the entrance and workspace furniture. A well-designed workspace can boost employee productivity, happiness and ultimately benefit the bottom line of your organisation. So here we explore the trends of office design so that you can maximise your workforce output in comfort and style.

Nature-inspired

Humans have a fight or flight response to environments that induces stress and this develops into anxiety that can grind their efficiency to a halt. Using nature inspired materials to construct your office space can reverse this trend, however. We considered this when introducing feature walls to our product portfolio, cork durawal can bring nature into your office with a range of added benefits too. This sound and heat insulating material is completely renewable, recyclable and beneficial to your employees, providing an inspiring, natural feel to the workplace. Installing commercial flooring that has been inspired by natural habitats can also help to make the workspace far more comfortable and engaging. By using nature inspired materials in your office design you can make it more comfortable and more practical at the same time.

Tech-enabled

Office design should also be about the technological functionality that you are able to offer to your employees. Designing your new space with wireless charging capabilities, multi-functioning surfaces and creative spaces can greatly improve the productivity of staff and their ability to grow and develop your company. Remember that sticking an employee behind a desk literally restricts their creativity and design a space that allows freedom of movement and engagement with a wide range of technologies. With freedom of movement and the technology they need you will be able to watch your employees achieve far greater creativity and productivity.

Privacy on-demand

In any office space it is important to remember that privacy is also important. You must remember to create spaces where staff members can retreat to have private conversations on particular points of development. Designing these spaces into the office is far easier than adding them in later and you can create clear delineations within the space using commercial carpet tiling and agile partitions that can be used to create the required space as and when it is needed. Having these pop-up private areas allows the perfect blend between collective productivity and private detailed consideration that is simply not possible in tradition office environments.

The trend for office design is moving towards a more fluid and welcoming environment that allows employees to be more relaxed and peaceful at work. Enabling this through your office design from the floor up will helps employees to find better satisfaction and will ultimately improve the bottom line for the company because staff will be happier, will work better and will be generally more productive.