You birthed the innovative idea. You set up the website. You garnered quite a respectable client list. Now that you've taken all your brilliant, entrepreneurial ideas and breathe life into them, it's time to start setting up your corporate headquarters.
Once you're prepared to start considering corporate office design ideas, know that you don't have to take out a second loan. Rather, there are many ways to come up with design ideas that are both functional and unique.
Watch and see. The entrepreneurs that think outside the box with their office decor are always the ones who garner the most compliments. Here's how to do it.
1. Diffusers
Yoga studios aren't the only place that deserves a brightly colored diffuser atop the reception desk.
Any office can benefit from the calming, soothing waves of the right essential oils.
Gone are the days of potpourri bowls, air fresheners, and other harmful toxins. Now that we're gaining a better understanding of essential oils and their many benefits, everyone stands to benefit from their healing properties and a sweetly-smelling sanctuary.
2. Local Art
Find the local artists in your area. See if they come out for market nights in your town or if they hang their work in local coffee shops and cafes. Try to support them with your purchase while placing something truly unique for your workplace.
How many of us have walked into an office (or home) and noticed their stock artwork amidst an array of fake plants? It evokes the dullest, most deflated sense within a small space. Choose to be different. Add colorful and unique pops of color all while supporting someone local.
3. Fresh Plants
A lot of companies opt for fake plants because they figure, "Who's got the time to maintain fresh greenery? Well, if someone's there to turn the lights on every morning and make a fresh pot of coffee, then someone's also there to splash some water on a few pots of greenery.
There are plenty of super hearty plants out there that don't require everyday care. Yet, they're still beautiful and serve many benefits. Lush greenery will clean the air, bring some life into the space, and evoke a sense of home.
4. Floor Lamps
Let's see. We've covered corporate art. Touched upon fake plants. The next thing to consider, while still maintaining your budget, is floor lamps. If you can forego the fluorescent lights, then you'll help your diffusers and greenery achieve their goals.
Floor and table lamps evoke a softer glow and, again, bring things down a homey notch or two while avoiding the stiffness most corporate offices evoke. If you have someone handy in your life, you might even consider some fanciful pendant lights.
5. An Eclectic Eatery
One of our favorite coffee shops is this local hotspot filled with area rugs, comfy sofas, and mismatched, eclectic chairs. When it's time to set up a breakroom for your employees, forego the office supply catalog and see what you can find around town.
Thrift for some old wooden chairs and a couple of tables. Reupholster the seats and restain the tables. What some might call a mismatched debacle, others will consider unique and inviting. Best of all? You could probably do all this for under $100.
6. Cozy Curtains
Not too long ago, we visited an office that hung tasteful white curtains inside their conference room. Instead of needing to tint the windows or close the blinds, they simply pulled a delicate white curtain with lace trim when it was time to hunker down for our meeting.
So, if you have a wide-open conference room that looks more like a fishbowl than a place to brainstorm, consider low-budget curtains with high-class fancy. Creating different workspaces is something that everyone will appreciate.
7. Maximizes Wall Spaces
When considering bulky (and expensive) filing cabinets, try something a little more unique. Start with hanging file organizers that take up vertical space instead of wall space.
They come in an array of styles and help clear up the floor space and evoke that clean, homey feel.
More to the point, it's smarter to go digital as much as possible. So, the risk of your hanging organizers becoming unruly should be minimized by a staff that's encouraged to maintain digital files.
8. A Painted Wall
Look around your office space and choose one wall to make a statement with. While the rest of the office stands in basic, neutral tones, your statement wall can create an inviting undertone.
This one artistic flair makes all the other statements sparkle and shine, too. Suddenly, your hanging file folders and local art will be even more eclectic and new.
9. Creative Shelving
We haven't gone completely paperless yet so, in the meantime, most offices will still have a need for bookshelves. Whether they're housing books, PR materials, brochures, or magazines, bookshelves will likely come in handy.
Depending on your motif, there are tons of ways to get creative with your shelving. Old school apple crates can be hung facing out as a means of storage.
If steampunk is your theme, then a pair of old pipes that are propping up a basic wooden board can also become a method of organization. The point is, shelving is not something that needs to cost an arm and a leg.
10. No Printers
Along with the shelving (that you may or may not need), see if you can forego that massive printer/copier/scanner. Again, in this digital age, is it possible for you to maintain digital files and send documents electronically?
See how long you can go without this massive expenditure. It's interesting how creative people can get when push comes to shove. Unless you're actually in the printing business, this can be an enormous saving.
Corporate Office Design Ideas You'll Love
Starting up your own business should be one of the most exciting chapters of your life. And, while it will cost quite a bit of capital, your corporate office design ideas don't have to break the bank.
While you're getting set up, we hope you'll continue to keep coming over to visit our site. We gather daily insights into the world of blogging, SEO standards, and digital marketing for frugal (and wise) entrepreneurs.
