Over the last few years, office design has undergone a fairly radical shift. More and more organizations have embraced contemporary styles with a focus on workplace ergonomics and productivity enhancements in addition to aesthetics. Here are some of today’s most popular office design styles:
Modern Minimalistic
The minimalistic office design has a clean and sleek look that exudes a relaxed environment. It is characterized by a simple color scheme, ample storage and plenty of space and light. The absence of clutter is meant to make employees focus on things that are most important.
The style involves the use of a few furniture pieces and little ornamentation. It attaches great importance to storage and function. Stylish filing systems and bookcases are used to enhance an office’s clean and spacious look. Lighting is achieved through natural light and small light fixtures, concealed lights or simple hanging lights. The design sticks to very few colors, usually white, black, gray or other soft colors.
Open Office
The open office layout has been gaining popularity in the last couple of years. It has no clear-cut rooms, and its spaces are not fully enclosed. Instead, workstations consisting of repeated desks, chairs and lamps are positioned together to form rows. The rows are often linear. Workstations may lack partitions or may be separated by short panels or screens. The entire office space is visible to increase collaboration, communication and a sense of community.
Modern open offices tend to incorporate collaborative spaces. These spaces encourage socialization among employees of different departments. They feature clustered comfortable sofas, lounge chairs and funky accessories such as Foosball tables and hammocks. As long sitting hours are becoming a health concern, companies are increasingly incorporating healthier desk alternatives such as standing desks.
Contemporary
The contemporary office design is a mix of aesthetics, subtle sophistication and function. Chairs and sofas are exotically upholstered and have exposed legs. They are covered in textured natural fabrics. A contemporary office lobby has sophisticated furniture, spacious seating and neat surfaces.
When it comes to color, the contemporary design is characterized by eclectic color schemes and high contrast materials. Energy efficient lights like LEDs and motion-sensing lights are commonly employed. Modern art pieces are included to add some glam. Glass partitioning is extensively used to separate workspace areas, create offices for senior management and rooms for meetings and presentations.
High-tech style
The high-tech style design involves a lot of innovation and futuristic items. Furniture pieces are sophisticated and have strict geometric shapes, mostly square and rectangle. Desks have advanced features such as built-in data ports and plug-ins for devices. These give employees the freedom to work wherever they want to. Stylish lighting and sleek plastic, metal and glass surfaces are used to visually increase space and elegance. Functional zones are separated by glass walls and lighting barriers.
If you’ve been thinking about giving your office a facelift, consider adopting one of the above popular office design styles. That simple act can have a positive impact on your productivity and that of your employees.