Where you work matters. Not particularly the geographical location of where your office is, but the space in general. Whether you work in a spare room in your house, on the top floor of a warehouse, or in a two-story commercial property, your office should inspire productivity and creativity. If you walk into an office that’s dull, disorganized, and uncomfortable, doing work, drumming up ideas, and being productive isn’t as easily accomplished. Yet, when you walk into a spacious, comfortable, organized office filled with character, doing your job seems a lot less burdensome.
So how do you create an office that fosters creativity? To be quite honest, it doesn’t take much at all. Below are a few suggestions on how to turn your home office, commercial office space, or corner office in the sky into an all-inspiring oasis and hub of creativity.
Color Choices Matter.
Long gone are the days of pale white walls in office spaces. It has been proven that colors can influence mood and behavior both psychologically and physiologically. In an office where working and creativity are vital, choosing colors that uplift, energize, and enlighten are ideal. Purple sparks the imagination, green is great for creativity, blue improves brain performance, and orange is great for boosting energy. If you’re going to use any of these colors as a wall color, however, make sure that you choose a shade that isn’t overpowering.
Create a Brainstorming Area.
Beyond having a desk, you should consider having a communal or brainstorming area where you, clients, and staff can come together and work more conveniently. Adding a large table to the center of the room is a great way to inspire creativity. It gives them a place away from the desk to write out their ideas and create plans. You can also add dry erase boards, chalkboards, and cork boards to the space for easier display of content.
Give Staff Freedom.
If you own an office building where your employees have their own cubicles or offices, you can foster creativity by allowing them to make their own spaces unique. Adding unique table lamps, family pictures, desk ornaments, and whatever else they’d like to incorporate into their space allows them to show their creative side. When they’re able to decorate their own work areas, employees have been said to be more productive.
Bring the Outside In.
Did you know that adding elements of nature to your office can actually reduce your stress? There’s something about the simplicity and beauty of nature that seems to relax the mind and body which makes a strong foundation to foster ideas and creativity. You can bring a little bit of outside indoors by choosing stone sculptures, woven waste baskets, earthy patterns, and choosing window treatments that allow natural sunlight to shine in.
A Break Room.
Even the most creative people need a break to recharge, and that tends to happen around lunchtime. The truth is, however, eating lunch at your desk is a pain. Between people barging in and ignoring the fact that you’re eating a sandwich and the mess you make all over your desk, it’s enough to stress you out. Do yourself and your staff a favor and create a space where you can take a break and eat. Include things like a water cooler, refrigerator, coffee maker, microwave, and a few chairs and tables. After having a well-deserved and relaxing break, you and/or your staff can return to the office and be inspired to finish out the rest of the day.
Updated Office Furniture.
Have you ever tried to work or come up with ideas while sitting in a chair that rocks (because it’s missing a peg on the leg) or a desk that’s too small to fit all your files? Chances are you didn’t make much progress. If you want an office space that inspires creativity, comfort needs to be a top priority. Invest in office furniture that is up to date and comfortable for use.
Whether you work in a creative field or not, being inspired to create and produce quality work is important in the office. It doesn’t matter if you work from home, have a small office downtown, or work in a commercial building with ten floors, you should really add some of these office design ideas into your workplace. It doesn’t take much at all, but the rewards are endless.
