How to Design an Office Fitout that Expresses Quiet Luxury

In high paced work environments one of the most valued aspects of a space can be a capacity for peace and quiet. Couple a peaceful atmosphere with a touch of luxury and you can easily find an office fitouts that ticks all the boxes for employee harmony and company image. So how exactly should you go about designing an office fitout that is luxurious but not ostentatious and peaceful but still charged with vitality?

• Acoustics

Well designed acoustics in an office fitout can go a long way in establishing a tranquil atmosphere that still harmonises with busy activity. A loud workspace can be modified through a design that utilises office partitions and specially designed suspended ceilings that absorb or block sound.

• Organic Design

Organic design refers to design practices that are inspired by the movement and flow of natural elements, such as water, plants or air. Using organic design in an office fitout is a great way to distance your office from traditional corporate designs that place an emphasis on angular, boxy environments.

• Natural Light

Natural light is one of the most important components of modern office fitout design. Using large windows and clever positioning to fill a space with natural light is the most healthy choice both for employees and for the planet, as it saves energy spent on unnecessary artificial lighting.

• Fluidity of Space

Contemporary office fitouts need to act as spacial chameleons, ready to provide privacy, collaborative working, relaxation or an intense working environment whenever the need arises. With fluid designs, it is possible to achieve luxurious working environments even when space is limited. Flexible office fitouts can be achieved with moveable office partitions or modular desking systems.

How to Choose the Right Material and Construction for Suspended Ceilings

Suspended ceilings provide an office with many benefits, such as increased thermal and acoustic insulation, hiding messy wires and duct systems and creating a more light filled workspace. Suspended ceilings are generally constructed through a grid system that is suspended on wires from the structural ceiling above, where each grid cell is filled with a lightweight tile. The tiles for suspended ceilings can be made from a variety of materials, including, plasterboard, wood, plastic or metal. Each of these materials offer different benefits and are suited to different environments.

Factors to consider when choosing the material for suspended ceilings are price, ease of modification, aesthetics and fire safety.

Plaster Vinyl Tiles:
Plaster vinyl tiles have a smooth, shiny surface and are suitable for factory or warehouse environments. Plaster vinyl is very durable and will continue to give your business a fresh and light image, as well as providing adequate insulation.

Flush Plasterboard:
Flush plasterboard suspended ceilings are the same type of ceilings used in domestic settings and are useful for reception areas and boardrooms.

Wood:
There are a variety of wooden suspended ceilings available that meet fire safety standards and ratings. Wooden ceilings also offer a warm and sophisticated look for an office ceiling, which can be a pleasing alternative to the conventional plasterboard.

Metal:
Metal is used in all suspended ceilings as the grid system which holds up the separate tiles.

All suspended ceilings provide a sophisticated ease of modification, to allow for new lighting systems to be put in place, as well as easy access to wires and heating vents hidden above the ceiling.

How to Develop Interesting Concepts for Commercial Office Fitouts

Commercial office fitouts are available in all sorts of shapes and sizes so there is no need to settle on a dull, conventional design for your workplace. Interior design for commercial applications must put a focus on functionality, but that is no reason to avoid interesting and engaging concepts for commercial space fitouts.
Indeed, the matching of beautiful form to function can be an exciting challenge for an interior designer when facing a commercial fitouts. Here are two tips to start your process of developing an interesting design concept for your own commercial office fitout.

• Consider the various areas of the workspace
Offices are not just collections of desks with computers. A standard workspace consists of many different parts, including the reception, meeting rooms, kitchen and break area. All these areas need to be considered in any commercial office fitouts, and some present extra potential for getting creative with the design. A break or lunch area that is designed to be cosy and fun, with the addition of comfy sofas or gaming areas, will add interest to the office fitout and improve the overall atmosphere of an office.
• Colours and Textures
Developing a colour theme to be used throughout the commercial office fitout is a technique that has been used widely, and rightly so as it encourages harmony and bring interest to the work environment. Developing a texture theme can be another great way of adding interest to the office design.

Texture is a design element that has largely been ignored in conventional office fitouts, but it is a great way to make a workspace more comfortable and homely, while still impressing visiting clients. Texture can be introduced through the use of textiles, many more materials and plants.

Three basic features that all office fitouts must include

Finances can be stretched when putting together new office fitouts. Computers, printers, lighting and security systems, carpets, doors, suspended ceilings, heating and air-conditioning systems – the costs just keep adding up. And that's before you've even begun considering how you are going to cater for the human element of your office – add to that list all the things that will be necessary for the comfort and productivity of your employees. Freaking out yet? Well, don't.
While your business is sure to boast some of the most cutting-edge office fitouts sometime in the future, not all of that's necessary right now. For office fitouts to be functional for your employees, they really only require three main features to begin with:

1. Workstations: Office workstations are hands down the most essential feature of office fitouts in order for any work to actually get done there. You should select workstations that include furniture and accessories that can be modified to meet each employee’s personal needs. Keyboard trays, footrests and seats that can be adjusted for height and angle will increase the functionality of your office fitouts in the long-term, as well as providing a greater level of comfort for your workers on a daily basis. Eventually you may also want to consider consulting an ergonomics expert who will work with each individual employee to adjust the workstations according to their specific needs.

2. Partitions: Office partitions are an essential element of office fitouts because they serve a range of critical purposes in ensuring the efficient operation of the work place. When placed in between cubicles, partitions provide privacy and sound proofing in open-plan settings. There is a large range of partition styles suitable for  modern office fitouts, including plasterboard, glass, full or half height partitions, or personalised one-off designs that may be created according to individual business requirements. The selection of office partitions is so huge these days that it can prove useful to narrow down your selection by noting what colours, materials, styles, heights and widths will best suit your particular needs.

3. Storage Facilities: A clean and tidy work space is critical to ensure that your business is efficient and productive, so effective office storage really can make all the difference to the success of your company. Impressive office fitouts allow for the interaction and activity of staff without too many obstacles. A work space that offers ease of movement can be achieved through the use of mobile storage facilities. Consider mobile pedestals which are ideal storage devices for busy offices because they provide each employee with a personal storage space. The more standard hinge door cupboard and locker style storage systems are also always available in an extensive range of heights to suit a variety of office fitouts.

How office fitouts can improve productivity

What’s the most important decision you will ever make in terms of your business?

While your mind is racing forward to future investments, mergers, new products and material innovations, stop for a moment and backtrack to right at the start, when you were first setting up the office for your business, because that’s where some of the most crucial choices for your future success rest.

To be blunt, making money is the object of any business, and productivity is the key to making money. What’s the key to productivity? A comfortable and functional working space. That’s where quality office fitouts fit in. When employees are given a well-designed space in which to work, they will tend to concentrate and stay on task. When your employees are happy and applied in their duties, you will be left with more free time to concentrate on managing and expanding the scope of your business. If you’re just setting out in a new business venture, or are an existing business owner who is not receiving the expected results and growth, it’s certainly worth considering how office fitouts can improve productivity.

Of course, the most appropriate office fitouts will be different for every business. The office fitouts most conducive to productivity are those that take into account the specific activities carried out in the office, alongside the goals of the company, which will be unique to each industry. However, although each company has its own set of specific office requirements, office fitouts that efficiently boost productivity will always display attention to comfort, workflow and ease of communication.

It doesn’t take a lot of thinking to see that the more comfortable employees are, the more productive they will be. From the width of hallways to the height of windows, shape of desks and positioning of partitions, all the specifics of office fitouts can have a lot of impact on the comfort and thus the productivity of employees.
Office fitouts conducive of productivity also pay attention to improving workflow. Effectual office fitouts allow interaction of staff without obstacles. This can be achieved with the introduction of mobile workstation furniture and spacious open plan rooms. Consider featuring sliding doors in your office to stylishly separate areas and create the illusion of space. In case of multi-level workplaces, installation of an elevator is recommended.

Ease of communication is essential for a productive working environment. Office fitouts that favour an open plan space and abolish individual rooms for employees will mean less barriers to communication between employees, as well as enabling easier supervision, and encouraging collaboration between staff. Where partitions are an essential feature of your office design, consider using glass for an open feel that will also enhance the diffusion of natural light.

Top 5 Tips for comfort in Office workstations

Most people are under significant pressure at work to perform according their targets, meet tight deadlines and give their clients and customers the results that they need. All of these responsibilities place enough mental and physical strain on employees that they shouldn’t also have to deal with an uncomfortable office workstation for the average seven to ten hours a day that they spend at their desks. Fair enough, right?

There are many ways in which office workstations can be made more user-friendly, ranging from the design, to the furniture choice and adjustable accessories. Here are our top five tips for making your office workstation a comfortable and productive place:

1. Make sure that your office workstation provides enough desk-top space to position the computer monitor directly in front of you. If your office workstation is cramped and you are forced to turn to one side to view your computer screen, you are likely to experience extensive muscle stress and possible headaches or permanent muscular damage when you are at your desk for extended periods.

2. Your office workstation should provide enough space and mobility to ensure that you do not have to lean in too far or strain to see your computer screen. As a general rule, the monitor should be placed around 16" from your chair to prevent unnecessary eye strain.

3. The desk-top and below desk area of your office workstation must allow enough room for the hard drive unit of your computer to be placed within your easy reach. This will allow you to insert CDs, USB sticks and memory cards without experiencing unnecessary strain.

4. In a properly designed office workstation, your desk should be at a height that allows your legs adequate room to fit comfortably below it. Your feet should be flat to encourage you to maintain a straight spine and enable a relaxed flow of blood to your legs and feet.

5. To prevent repetitive stress injury, your office workstation should incorporate a chair that is adjustable for your height to ensure that your computer keyboard is positioned at an appropriate level. This level will vary between individuals, but should be a height at which you are able to type while maintaining relaxation in your upper arms with your elbows at right angles and your wrists as straight as possible.

These top tips are a great way to start making your office workstation in Melbourne a comfortable and efficient space. However, at the end of the day, nothing will beat an office workstation that has been ergonomically designed with precisely you in mind. If you are a manager or in charge of work safety, you may consider consulting an office workstations ergonomic expert who can work with each employee individually to build their office workstation according to their specific needs.

How to cut energy costs with suspended ceilings

When you were setting up the office of your company, you probably spent a great deal of time choosing the most comfortable, stylish and appropriate office workstations for your employees and paid a lot of attention to the kind of decor that would reflect the values of your business and be impressive and welcoming to customers. Of course these are necessary priorities in the set-up of any business, but establishing a new office can also be expensive and contain a lot of hidden costs. The answer to cutting down on continuing costs in the running of your office could rest in a part of the office space that you never even considered during its refurbishment: the ceiling.

While the appearance and functionality of your office is of utmost importance to the reputation and productivity of your business, by simply choosing to install suspended ceilings it is possible to achieve an ongoing and effortless conservation of excess costs that may otherwise result from overuse of heating and lighting systems.

So, can a suspended ceiling actually save you money? At first it may sound like an unnecessary renovation that is likely to cost you more than it will save, but, in the long-term, you will find that that’s not the case.

Firstly, suspended ceilings are actually more quickly and easily installed at a much lower cost than plaster or ‘tongue and groove’ style ceilings. They can also can be more easily modified, rearranged and repaired for ease of access to internal pipes and wiring.

Secondly, suspended ceilings are just that – a series of panels that are installed to hang in a grid below the existing ceiling structure, meaning that, once a suspended ceiling is in place, the ceiling level of your office becomes significantly lower. Since hot air rises, a lower ceiling provides a natural method of thermal insulation by retaining heat within your immediate environment. In addition, a layer of air is trapped between the main ceiling and the suspended ceiling which acts as an effective secondary insulator. It’s not rocket science to see that this natural conservation of warm air will reduce heating expenses significantly.

Another cost-saving advantage of suspended ceilings Melbourne is their capacity to provide optimised light reflection through the use of bright white panels which allow for the transmission of natural light deep into the workspace. Not only will an increased amount of natural light lessen the need for installing extensive and expensive lighting facilities, it will in turn cut down your electricity costs and create a more comfortable working environment for your employees.