Small businesses on tight budget usually operate out of small offices, when they have offices at all. For good and ill, this can make for a familial environment in which everyone sees the business’s tight budget. That budget often makes itself known in an office’s design and furnishings, but here’s the thing: an unattractive, unkempt office eventually becomes a drag on employee productivity and morale. The good news is that you can affordably remake a space over the course of a couple of weekends. Follow smart design practices and shop carefully for furniture and other supplies, and even on a tight budget, you’ll create a place that people will want to come to.
Start with colour
Are you in a business park or a place that was built in the 70s or 80s with nary an upgrade since? Start with the walls. Even if you’re staring at fake-wood paneling, paint is part of your solution.
For absolutely no cost at all, you can research what the big companies are doing with office color. One trend is to “color-code” spaces according to the work being done there. In a small office, you likely don’t have much variety, but you could choose complementary colors for different rooms to create a pleasing effect as people go from one room to the next.
Start by priming all the walls. The refreshed, bright white look will help you see new possibilities.
If your office is low on natural light, choose colors that will warm the space without making it feel smaller or darker. Try pale yellows or greens or even orange. If you are lucky to have a lot of natural light, you have a much broader range of color choices, from icy blue to eggplant.
A small business could make the decision as a group, but narrow the initial choices down to shades that will be pleasing and soothing to most people. You could even create a Pinterest board where everyone can share ideas.
Make friends with Ikea and the harware store
Ugly light-switch or outlet plates? Easy and affordable to fix with brushed steel versions from the hardware store.
Outdated office furniture? Ikea has attractive, affordable desking for small spaces. For a fun twist that only a small business can pull off, let people choose their own desks from options that will look good together, say that are all white or blond wood. If you don’t need anything fancy in your desks, you could even go with old doors or plywood sheets, painted and mounted on sawhorses for an industrial look.
Ugly carpeting or flooring? Choose patterned or brightly colored area rugs to cover up as much of it as possible. So many stores carry these for reasonable prices, you have no excuse for not hiding an ugly floor.
Bad overhead lighting? Turn it off and allow everyone to have desk lamps. Warm-tone compact fluorescent bulbs will be both cost effective and more pleasant.
Outdoors inside
Another easy way to brighten an interior is to use terrariums and plants. Greenery does make us feel more relaxed and happy, and you don’t have to use typical “office plants.” There are interesting plants, such as succulents, that live well indoors.
You have many options for creating a small indoor garden: ficus trees, suculent terrariums, multiple plants in coordinated pots.
In just a few weeks and with minimal spending, you can give your small business a makeover that will keep your employees motivated and happy.
photo credit: Tom Carmony Home Office (2015 Edition) via photopin (license)