Google the phrase “interior design” and you will be presented with hundreds of sites, blog posts and guides offering advice on how to make every room in your home more attractive, from the living room and the bedroom to the tiny toilet under the stairs. Yet you will probably have to scroll through any number of pages before you find a general interior design article that discusses the commercial environment.
This is strange, when you think about it. Many people spend more time in the office than they do at home, and if the thought of making it a nicer place to be is not a good enough reason in itself, then there is plenty of academic research that will tell you that the nature of the working environment has a strong correlation with employee motivation and productivity.
Of course, if your business is one that welcomes clients and customers on a day-to-day basis, then making the place as inviting as possible takes on even more importance. If you are a financial adviser and you have a down-at-heel conference room, it makes you and your business look unprofessional and cheapskate. And if you run a coffee shop or a pub, the concept is ramped up yet another notch, as success or failure is all about the vibe and atmosphere.
Clearly, whatever your business, you can gain a competitive edge by creating an inviting atmosphere. Here are some simple ways of doing just that.
Sofas make it homely
Utilitarian design might have been all the rage once – in fact, forget that: it never was. The first thing to keep in mind is that if there is a homely space to relax and chat informally, the whole place is going to feel more inviting.
Sofas are a great idea in any work environment. In the modern office, it is more important than ever before to have spaces where colleagues can connect for impromptu meetings over a cup of coffee, or even to work quietly on their own, away from the main office area.
The same applies for customers. Whether they are sitting waiting for a meeting or enjoying a drink with friends, a sofa is the perfect place to do it.
A blinding solution for those windows
Modern, futuristic office buildings that are all steel and glass usually have integrated blinds that can open or close, as you prefer. But many of us are based in older properties that have more traditional windows, more akin to those in a residential property.
Let’s get one thing straight: curtains are a pain. They need to be kept clean and fresh, beside which, they just look wrong and out of place in an office. If you run a cafe or pub, they might appear okay at first, but spilt drinks gravitate towards them, people fiddle with them, and they soon look a mess.
Blinds are little better, and are fiddly to put up, and empty windows look stark and uninviting. A clever solution is the wooden DIY shutters that are also becoming increasingly popular in the domestic setting. They are simple to fit, can be wiped clean in a matter of seconds and add a classy feeling of relaxed sophistication to the room.
Think about the lighting
The way a room is lit has a huge impact on the overall ambience. Today, there are more choices than ever before, so if you simply have an old fashioned ceiling light, or even worse, fluorescent tubes, it is time to join the rest of us in the 21st century.
Modern LEDs look great, use far less electricity and last about a hundred times longer, so on top of making the place more inviting, they will also pay for themselves over time. Experiment with concealed spots, and for a really unusual and special ambience, consider floor-level lighting in corridors.
Accessorise
Don’t skimp on the finer details. Some well-chosen, relevant artwork on the walls and carefully positioned plants make all the difference, and bring the space into sharp focus. Best of all, they don’t have to be expensive. It is easy to get carried away at this stage, so make sure you keep yourself in check – accessorising does not mean filling the place with clutter!
Good for you, your staff and your customers
These days, we have to work harder than ever to stay ahead of the competition. That often requires long hours in the workplace, and it means leveraging every competitive edge you can find.
Creating a more inviting feel ticks all the boxes, and is good news for you, your staff and your customers.