9 Worst Office Interior Design Mistakes To Avoid

Designing can be very taxing. It takes thought, creativity and time to get everything just right. This is especially true for offices. Your interior design will depend upon your business. Fields indulging overtly in creativity such as content writing and advertisement have a more informally designed workspace whereas those in fields such as law and medicine are more formal. In each of these, there are some major disasters which you would do best to avoid. After all, not only does the office workspace affect the productivity of your employees, but it can also create an impression upon a potential client. As a result, wouldn’t you want the productivity to be at its peak and ensure that the impression is the best you can give?


Mistake 1: Not Planning

Designing is not easy. It is not a one day job or a one week job, but requires commitment and concentration. It requires the use of the creative genius to the fullest. Experimenting within the limits, testing different ideas before implementing them and regular application of improvements are the key. One of the biggest office designing disaster is a lack of planning itself. By keeping planning time to a minimum, the interior design could be be a haphazard, quickly scrapped together mess which could’ve been avoided.

Mistake 2: Excluding Staff

They work the longest hours and make the most use of all the facilities provided. Constantly working in the office makes them the most reliable sources for deciding what is required further. Designing an office without their opinion can result in a beautiful creation gone wrong, as it may not be suited to the people it has been built for. Ask your staff what they need, and the result will be a refreshing yet comfortable workplace, optimizing their performance and therefore the total output of your business.

Mistake 3: Color Mis-Match

It goes without saying that a formal office atmosphere is impacted by the color choices made. In trying to be creative many offices take up brightly colored cabinets and lively shaded chairs. While this can appear artistic and creative within its limits, overdoing it can be painful for the eyes. Stick to the neutral colors for a formal ambiance, but at the same time, remember to include two of three shades of the same for adding depth and and elegance to the office. A creative workspace, on the other hand, would call for an activity-inducing atmosphere. This does not mean a melange of colors, but simply a few, carefully selected vibrant tones.

Mistake 4: Cluttered Mess

A cluttered office is extremely unprofessional. In trying to maximize office space, interior designing often takes a back seat and the result can be claustrophobic. Not only does this reduce employee productivity, but also creates a bad impression. Attempt to provide a well-spaced design which gives the employees their own personal space. Using glass doors and windows will also help in such a case as it provides a more ‘open’ atmosphere.

Mistake 5: Thinking Size Does Not Matters

Having a small office with big furniture can make it look like a muddled mess. Having a big office with small furniture can make it look vast and formidable. Ensure that the size of the furniture is compatible with the size of the office itself to create a more balanced and productive environment. After all, you don’t want to have an office that is uncomfortable for both, employees as well as potential clients to approach!



Mistake 6: Wires Within Sight

In selecting the employee desktops and cubicles there have been times when office designers forget to take into consideration the tangled mess of wires. These accompany every computer and must be kept out of sight for a neat and professional appearance. Having cluttered cubicles can give a disorganized and informal impression. Therefore, you need to either tie them or have them hidden under the desk just so long as they remain out of sight.

Mistake 7: Lack of Foresight

In the battle for the best, you will try to stay ahead in both technology as well as the quality of service provided. This can give you the edge in your field, but not planning for it may result in your downfall. Take into consideration the rapid pace of advancement and make concessions for it. Leave some extra office space for new technologically advanced products that you may buy in the future. Remember to ensure that no matter how many wires and cables are present, it won’t result in a cluttered appearance by creating a system. There is nothing worse than a once-pristine office being turned into a chaotic, tangled scene of disarray.

Mistake 8: Wrong Lighting

Very bright lighting can strain the eye and be extremely frustrating. Bright lights with white walls are the worst must be avoided at all costs. Save your employees the frustration and yourself the energy costs by using lighting in moderation. Keep the room bright enough to work in, yet not too bright or too dull that it makes your employees’ eyes water or puts them to sleep.
The color of the lighting also matters. While yellow light in spaces such as a conference room can give it a formal ambiance, this is not ideal for an average workspace.

Mistake 9: Not Considering Machines

Your office may look neat. There are no wires showing, the cubicles are well spaced and the printers, servers and scanners have all been arranged snugly yet comfortably to maximize office space without cluttering. While it looks perfect as the day starts, often times designers forget to take into consideration that all these electronic devices emit heat. As a result, the neat office atmosphere and the apparent comfort is unlikely to last long, instead resulting in a sweaty and disagreeable ambiance as the day progresses. This is one of the worst office disasters and is best avoided.

The interior decor of an office is meant to promote productivity. It should be a place where employees can work comfortably. It should impress the clients and assure them of your capabilities. As a result, by averting the above disasters, your office will become an integral cog in that engine which propels you ahead. It will allow you to lead in your field rather than simply be present within it!

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