Design Trends - Top 9 Signals Your Office Space May be a Real Turkey!
We all have had great experiences when we walk into a retail business, office, and hotel or resort especially if it screams Delicious! However, all interior spaces are not created equal. Here are some tell-tale signs your office or retail space can use an upgrade, facelift or extreme make-over.
- The “Apple Store” Experience – The latest trend is open, light, bright and with simplistic lines. If your offices or stores are dark, dreary and dimly lit, this is the #1 signal your space is in need of a change. Lift the spirits of your customers and employees and make the change to light & bright!
- The Furniture Blues – You have all seen the magazines…A perfect space or room with a blend of matching furniture, and fabrics and accents that create a WOW effect. If you have mismatched, hand-me-down, chipped, worn and broken furniture, this is the #2 sign your store or office needs a make-over.
- Color me bad! – There are hot new color trends that come out each year including the hottest colors for fashion and interior spaces. Sometimes colors even come back into fashion and “retro” can be all the rage. BUT, if your colors are in fashion because you have not changed them since 1986, and you’re thinking to yourself “Hey, these colors are back in style”…… Think Again. This is the #3 reason your place needs an extreme makeover – like now!
- Things are looking up? – When you look at your ceilings, what do you see? You should be looking at clean ceiling tiles, fixtures and the overall appearance should look new. Clean lines at the ceiling height with lighting that effectively lights your space and your products. If you see stains, missing/chipped or broken tiles or fixtures, then this is reason #4 to “step up” your look.
- Comfort is king– Everything about your space should speak “Come on in”, and “How may we help you”? Comfort is not only for your customers but especially your employees. If you have an office, it’s best to start with the public areas like reception, common spaces and your conference room. If you have a retail store, there should be places of comfort for buyers and sales people to interact in comfort. If you are constantly looking for a place to sit & relax with a customer then you’ve encountered the #5 most common problem!
- Selecting Great Paints – Some spaces look cool! While others are hot! And the good news here is… there is nothing more affordable and impactful as paint! Light neutrals work best in most retail and office spaces. You can easily accessorize with bolder and deeper fabrics on furnishings and window treatments if you need a color splash. Use satin paint finishes (easy to clean) for walls and semi gloss paint for trim work. If your paint colors are a mismatch, it’s time for you to show your true colors & recognize the 6th most common problem.
- Function and Flow – All “well designed spaces” feel good because someone has put some extra thought process into the flow and synergy. If it’s retail, think about leading people as far away from the front door as possible. If you’re re-designing an existing office or hospitality space, think about the flow of traffic during busy times and give special thought to the most commonly used spaces! If 90% of the people are in 10% of your space, then reason #7 is easy combat…re-think and re-arrange without delay.
- Go Green! Greenery adds an air of life (and breath) to any well designed office or retail establishment. Silk plants, planting bases, vases and flowers all add character, color and freshness to your surroundings year round! Reason #8 is easy to recognize….especially if your desk plant dying. The best use of plant life is at entry points and hospitality areas. Plants can even add a hint of privacy between two adjoining spaces. Green things up a bit and go GREEN, with plants!
- Get Floored! Carpets wear and colors fade. Tile colors go out of style and hardwood sometimes needs a polishing or refinishing. If you need to brighten things up, there are thousands of new flooring products that wear well and give lasting value to any office. Resilient floors are affordable and come in a variety of colors that will make every designer, customer, and office worker smile with delight. If looking down is getting you down, new flooring could be just what the #9 doctor ordered!
Follow these design tips and trends and ….ENJOY your turkey for Thanksgiving.