Why the Design of Our Workplaces is Important

At James Décor, our specialty is residential design. The design of the places we come home to every day is infinitely important.

What about the place we spend most of our time during the day?

That’s right — we’re talking about the office.

Like it or not, much of our time is spent sitting at desks and conference tables. We work hard in the office so we can play hard when we go home.

The world of office design is rapidly evolving. Research is showing that the design of boring places like offices can have a huge impact on how we work and, therefore, how we live.

An article on ScienceDaily about research conducted on how the environment impacts us says, “the scientists explain that well-built environments are important for well-being. A relationship to the space we're in is a fundamental human experience and so it is evident that built environments need to address everyone's needs.”

This is why fluid, collaborative spaces are quickly replacing the rigid cubicle farms we have grown accustomed to. Companies are working smarter — not harder — with innovative office design.

Interior Design is a magazine that keeps up with the ever-changing trends in interior design around us. Their May 2019 issue was dedicated solely to office design. The offices they featured and products they discovered were nothing short of inspiring.

Take Sunbrella’s headquarters in North Carolina, for example. The fabric and upholstery company converted a former mill into office space. The design included making use of natural light as much as possible. The building lets in so much light that there are two internal gardens in the office space. The gardens are two of the spaces referred to as “accidental spaces” in the office. These spaces aren’t assigned a specific use. Rather, they can be used for casual meetings or quick conversations — whatever they are needed for at the moment.

The North American headquarters for the Campari Group, a beverage company, incorporated four bars in their office space. The reception desk is an espresso bar. The office space also includes a cafe. It’s not all a party, though. The office features plenty of work spaces, like sit/stand workstations and conference rooms. However, there are no assigned desks. Employees work wherever they want to that day and store their belongings in lockers at the end of the day.

Trask Solutions, a technological and consulting company, has an office in Prague, Czech Republic, with a unique seating option — swinging chairs suspended from the ceiling. Little details like this bring a unique touch to office spaces. This keeps potentially boring work interesting.

Small environmental details can make all the difference in the quality of one’s work.

An article titled “How Your Office Space Impacts Employee Well-Being” from Forbes says, “A quality workspace design leads to a less stressful and more productive atmosphere. It’s essential that employers take the physical work environment of their employees into consideration.”

Good design doesn’t end at home. Take it to work, too. The office is an equally important place to pay attention to interior design.

Michaela Satterfield

James Décor Writer

Sources:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160509105546.htm

https://www.interiordesign.net/articles/16454-interior-design-may-2019/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alankohll/2019/01/24/how-your-office-space-impacts-employee-wellbeing/#2db02e864f31

The Art and the Science of Interior Design

There is much confusion surrounding the field of interior design. Many wonder if it is a valid field, thinking there is little skill required in choosing sofa fabrics and drapery colors. Some believe you just have to have a “knack” for it — designing spaces requires little more than some extra creativity.

What many don’t realize, however, is that interior design is not just an art. There is a science to it.

While there are many similarities between interior decorators and interior designers, the fundamental difference is in education.

Interior decorators work to help clients choose décor for their homes. There is no doubt that this requires plenty of interpersonal skill and creativity. Decorators have a natural talent for deciding which things would work together. They are experts on finishes, accessories and furniture.

Interior designers, on the other hand, have obtained a formal degree in interior design, whether that be a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in interior design. The big concepts of interior design — like sustainability, universal design and an understanding of the construction of a building — are what interior designers may understand better than interior decorators.

Designers look beyond the surface of each building they design. They understand how homes and buildings work on a structural level. They work with architects and contractors to design the building from the blueprints to the finished product, keeping in mind important things like building codes and space planning.

The choice of hiring a designer or a decorator, then, depends on what kind of work you need done. If the work is primarily aesthetic, either a decorator or designer can get the job done. If there are more structural changes needed, a designer will have the education to get that done as well.

Michaela Satterfield

James Décor Writer

Sources:

https://newschoolarch.edu/academics/school-of-design/bachelor-of-interior-design/interior-designer-and-decorator/

https://www.thespruce.com/interior-design-vs-interior-decorating-1976740

Office Design

Why the Design of Our Workplaces is Important

Interior Design vs. Interior Decorating

The Art and the Science of Interior Design