Five Tips For Your New Office Fit Out

Image: Woven Image

Are you thinking about a new office fit out but not sure where to start? With design, budget, and the environment to factor in, it can feel a little overwhelming! Let us help you.

Consider the acoustics

There are so many options when it comes to wall panelling but one to highly consider is EchoPanel® which, according to the website, is a ‘decorative interior panelling solution, with acoustic qualities and eco-innovation at its core.’ 

Used in the Croudace Constructs office, it’s ideal for noise control (I’m referring to the admin team as well as the power tools!), it’s visually appealing and comes in a wide variety of colours so you can brighten your space and add your own touch.

No need to stress about your impact on the environment as it’s made of 60% recycled PET bottles and according to EchoPanel®, ‘for every 1000 sheets of EchoPanel® manufactured, approximately 4.2 tonnes of post-consumer waste PET is diverted from landfill.’ 

It’s a big yes from us!

Champagne taste on a beer budget?

Think outside the box… laminate, but on the walls. Yep you heard right – a big statement, for a small(er) cost. Here at Croudace we have used timber style laminate flooring as a feature wall in our boardroom – an affordable, yet super stylish solution to jazz up the office. 

OSB (orientated strand board) is another cost-effective option, which has become somewhat of an interior design trend in recent times due to its affordability, yet unique appearance. Also used at Croudace Constructs for the external office panelling. 

Another on trend option is the use of recycled building materials. With building waste disposal significantly impacting the environment, reuse materials where you can. Think old floorboards for wall panelling or old doors for a staff kitchen table or breakfast bar. Get creative!

All natural, baby!

Light that is. Natural light. 

When it comes to office productivity, mental wellbeing is key and natural light is a huge factor. According to Healthline, “exposure to sunlight is thought to increase the brain’s release of a hormone called serotonin. Serotonin is associated with boosting mood and helping a person feel calm and focused.” Is that not what every employee needs?! 

When designing an office fit out, try to keep things light and bright! Using windows or skylights, try to factor in as much natural light as possible. When it comes to colour schemes, neutral tones such as off white (white can look clinical) for the walls with a splash of colour where possible, perhaps colours that tie in with your brand to look like the real deal!

Go green

It’s 2020, there’s really no excuses. While there’s many ways to reduce your carbon footprint, here’s a few simple tips for the workplace. 

If you’re all about the aesthetic of your office space and don’t like the look of big cardboard recycling boxes, what about a custom designed bin? Or even better, hide them away with built-in options. Recycling bins aside, it’s a digital world we live in so always try to keep printing to a minimum if you can. While we are on the topic of built in options, another one is disposing of food scraps in a composter built into your kitchen benchtop using a trap door – now we are talking! 

When it comes to energy efficiency, start by checking your lights. If they are not already, look at changing to more efficient LED lighting. Automated timers and motion sensors are good options to save power too. 

Be conscious of the air con. Blinds are an effective way of keeping heat in or out and consider your clothing too (I know, now I’m starting to sound like your dad!) 

Design company-branded reusable coffee cups and drink bottles. They are better for the environment, create company culture and you have yourself some cheeky advertising at the same time! 

Last of all, you can donate old office furniture. It might be outdated to you, but perfectly fine for someone else. Places like Savers will happily take furniture off your hands!

Breathe in, breathe out

Clients busting your chops but don’t have time to meditate? Indoor plants to the rescue! 

Plants are not only aesthetically pleasing, but scientifically proven to improve employee wellbeing – win, win! We all know indoor plants are hugely popular for the home so why not bring them to work! According to The Australian, “when workers have indoor plants around them, depression, anger, tiredness, blood pressure and illness are substantially reduced.” 

When designing an office fit out, consider a built in planter box for a funky feature and when it comes to what plants to use, we recommend Zanzibar Gem, Peace Lily and Mother-in-Law’s Tongue for their air purifying qualities (but mainly because they’re hard to kill!) 

If you want to have a chat on how you can tick all the boxes for an office fit out, send us an email at hello@croudaceconstructs.com