Month: December 2021

How an Office Couch Can Improve Workplace Happiness

Post author By Key Interiors
Post date December 30, 2021
No Comments on How an Office Couch Can Improve Workplace Happiness

Today’s best workplaces provide more than space for people to work. They create an experience, with modern office design elements being used to improve the psychological — and sometimes even the physical — well-being of the people inside. Research indicates that the smallest design detail can make a big difference in employee engagement, efficiency and productivity and can attract (or repel) clients and future partners alike. Furniture, in particular, has been shown to directly affect office functionality in a way that often impacts its bottomline. For instance, take a look at how a single piece of furniture, the office couch, can bolster employee happiness and, ultimately, improve a company’s ROI:

An Office Couch Encourages Togetherness

A couch probably isn’t the first piece of furniture that comes to mind when thinking about how to furnish an office space (unless you’re in the counseling business). However, having a couch in a room establishes the expectation that people will be gathering there and, therefore, need a place to sit. A couch encourages community, physically bringing together individuals so that they can more easily communicate with one another and hopefully build meaningful relationships. And meaningful relationships, according to an ongoing Harvard study, are the key to happiness.

An Office Couch Encourages Productivity

In addition to encouraging healthy personal relationships, an office couch makes it easy for colleagues to have conversations with one another, especially when there are few personal offices and/or conference rooms in which to meet. Even when a dedicated meeting space is available, oftentimes meeting on a couch is a less formal option than sitting around a large table or behind a desk, making it easier for workers to avoid perceived hierarchies and instead focus on collaboration and teamwork. The benefit: less stress, improved productivity and better outcomes.

An Office Couch Provides Comfort

Finally, working at a desk all day can be a drag, for the body, as well as the mind. The right type of office couch allows employees the option of moving from their chair to a more comfortable spot. Indeed, not only does an office couch motivate them to get up and walk, breaking up the monotony of the day, it can provide the physical support that their bodies need to relax (even if it’s just for a few moments). Approximately 59% of people in one study (summarized here) said that taking “breaks [during the workday] would improve their work happiness, and 43% said it would boost their personal happiness.” That’s a significant number of people who could benefit from adding an office couch to their work environment!

Want to Learn More?

Adding an office couch to the workplace can improve the mood of employees, thus facilitating a boost in performance that burgeons a company’s bottom line. But an office couch isn’t the only design element able to benefit a business’s growth. To learn more about optimizing office design so that your company makes the most of the resources available to it, please contact our team at Key Interiors. For over 70 years we have been providing our clients with innovative design options that translate into profitable business solutions.

Tags furnish, office trends, work environment, workplace happiness

breakroom design office design practices office redesign Office Renovation

How to Keep Your Sanity During Commercial Office Renovations

Post author By Key Interiors
Post date December 15, 2021
No Comments on How to Keep Your Sanity During Commercial Office Renovations

Renovations are stressful. The very nature of the word “renovation” means you are actively repairing something, addressing a problem and, thus, adding to the magnitude of the project as a whole. Make it a commercial office renovation (as opposed to a residential one), and the stress can quadruple, with property owners having to work around the schedules of tenants, staff and clients, not just construction crews. Our team at Key Interiors has helped hundreds of clients complete commercial office renovations; here’s what we recommend to ensure that you keep your sanity during the process:

Define Your Issue(s)

A renovation seeks to fix one or more specific issues within a space, updating it to reflect modern design and decor and/or restoring it so that it functions at an optimal level for current needs while remaining up to code and safe to occupy. Typical issues addressed with a renovation project include:

– Outdated furniture and decor
– Nonfunctional windows and doors
– Worn flooring, trim and paint
– Lighting problems
– Limited storage
– And more!

Before you consider anything else pertaining to a commercial office renovation, you need to establish the type of problem you have with your building or office space. Is it dark and unwelcoming? Have lead paint? Drafty and need new windows? The problem could be anything, but trust us, your commercial office renovation will run a lot more smoothly and you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches if you have a firm grasp on what you want to accomplish before you begin. (It also helps you with our next tip.)

Create a Plan

A plan is an essential part of any project, but creating one isn’t always intuitive, especially if you aren’t knowledgeable in construction and/or design techniques. That’s why it’s helpful to partner with an expert at the beginning of a commercial office renovation. A skilled design firm can validate (or not) your concerns and help you devise a plan of action. Our professionals at Key Interiors, for example, work with each of our clients to develop an actionable commercial office renovation plan that is unique and specific to the problem at hand. We also oversee the execution of those plans, managing every renovation project so that tasks are completed in a timely fashion and according to an established sequence of events. Oftentimes, the hardest part of renovating a space is coordinating the various phases of construction with all the people involved. This is especially true when there are employees, tenants and others with — and around — which construction and design teams must work. An experienced partner understands realistic timeframes and deadlines and can help you make sense of the budget, time and safety demand specific to commercial office renovation projects.

Commit to Communication

A good plan depends on good communication. To stay sane during a commercial office renovation, remember to talk to (and listen to!) the people around you. If the office space will have inhabitants during the renovation process, be sure to give them enough time before the project begins to digest how, when and why their lives will be disrupted over the upcoming months. Discuss with them the goal of the project, as well as the projected schedule for the phases of its completion, and continue to remain in touch throughout the project’s duration so that everyone involved can form reasonable expectations and better deal with it if plans change!

Expect Problems to Arise

And, of course, the best-laid plans can — and usually do — go awry. Unforeseen circumstances, such as shipping delays, worker shortages, order errors, and even pandemics(!), can all cause potential setbacks to your schedule to occur. Recognizing ahead of time that these types of events can and will happen enables you to have a backup plan in place, allowing you to roll with the punches more quickly and with less stress.

The Key Interior Advantage

Preparation is the best tool for staying sane during a commercial office renovation. Our team of design experts at Key Interiors can provide the design advice and business

support you need to adequately prepare for any type of commercial office renovation project. We not only understand form and function, we actualize creative yet practical ideas for maximum effect. Please contact us to learn more.

Tags office renovation, strategy for office space design, workplace renovation

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6 Benefits of Using Door Window Coverings in the Office

Post author By Key Interiors
Post date December 1, 2021
No Comments on 6 Benefits of Using Door Window Coverings in the Office

Doors create physical division between spaces, both restricting and facilitating movement from one place to another. There are many types of doors, from heavy, exterior access ones that provide protection against the outside world to less sturdy interior doors that are used to separate rooms. They can be solid or hollow, paneled or plain. They can slide or swing or roll open. The variety of doors is almost endless, with

an array of materials (such as wood, metal, fiberglass and more) used to construct any number of unique entrances and exits. In office settings, in particular, doors are frequently made of glass or have windows in them. The clean, modern look of glass is often viewed as the epitome of sophistication, signaling organic strength by physically illuminating the space it surrounds. Unfortunately, glass doors (and doors with windows in them) can pose a number of problems, effecting the way a space functions and the way people inside of it work. The good news is that many of those problems can be remedied with door window coverings. Take a look at six benefits of using door window coverings in the office:

Increased Privacy

Doors limit interruptions, hiding people from outside distractions so that they can exist in peace. When there is a window in the door to a room, however, the people (and objects) inside are still capable of being seen. Thus, adding a door window covering is a good way to restore the door’s ability to conceal the space behind it, increasing privacy for workers both inside and outside the space.

Added Versatility

Of course, having a window in a door can be useful in some scenarios. Managers might like to see office happenings from the comfort of their desk. Visitors might like to peek in before deciding to enter. However, no one wants to feel as if they are on display all the time. Door window coverings give offices the option to change views depending on the type of window covering they choose to install.

Enhanced Noise Control

Door window coverings also enable enhanced noise control, insulating a space from sounds that occur around it. For instance, thick, heavy fabric has been shown to reduce noise and can be used to create various types of custom door window coverings.

Protection Against UV Rays

There are physical benefits of adding door window coverings, as well. Research shows that sun rays penetrate glass. Adding door window coverings, especially to exterior doors, helps to block harmful UV radiation and protects people from skin and eye damage and even cancer!

Better Light Control

Naturally, door window coverings offer the opportunity for controlling the amount of light in a space. Adjustable shades and blinds can be installed, allowing offices to take advantage of daytime light, yet still manage glare, as well as create a dark environment when needed (such as during powerpoint presentations). Optimal lighting conditions help boost employee morale and improve workplace productivity

Improved Aesthetics

Finally, door window coverings can be used to invigorate a space, adding color, texture and personality to what otherwise could be a drab area. Incorporating curtains, drapes, blinds, shutters or any other type of window covering into an office space is a relatively easy way to customize a room, showcasing to employees and visitors that you value design, as well as function!

The Key Interiors Advantage

Partnering with a professional office design firm is the best way to effectively meld your own business needs with creative — and useful — decor. To learn how you can maximize your budget and fashion a functional, beautiful place to work, please contact our team of design experts today.

Tags interior design, office design, workplace renovation

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