Office decorating: Furnishing ideas and tips
Whether home office or shared office – at a nicely furnished workplace you feel more comfortable, you work more concentrated and with more motivation. But which pictures fit best and which office decoration is too much? We show you how to proceed when decorating your office. From practical to stylish – here you can get tips and decorating ideas for your office.
7 tips and ideas on how to decorate your office
The place where you spend most of your time sitting in concentration is probably the office in most cases. This makes it all the more important that the workplace is designed to be appealing, pleasant and, best of all, motivating. We give you practical tips on how to furnish your office space and make it inviting.
1. Order is half the battle
Before you can start decorating, the basic conditions must be right. In the office, this means above all order and sufficient space so that you can quickly find your way around and concentrate on your work. Drawer systems, folders, utensil boxes – use the range of possibilities to banish as many objects as possible from your desk and create order in your cupboards and shelves. Your desk belongs only to you and your current project.
But storage containers can also be effective decorations in your office. As long as they are isolated elements, you can use them to set decorative accents. Arrange the boxes on a shelf or store your pens in an attractive vase. You can attach important notes to a memo board.
The Perky Memo board has space for all the important notes: the number of the pizza delivery service, the invitation to the next team event, the Polaroid from the last workshop and the casual saying of a dear friend.
2. Lighting conditions at the workplace
The second issue in the office is lighting conditions. The more daylight you have at your workplace, the better. At the same time, you should not be dazzled. Therefore, place your desk at right angles to the window so that the light falls on your workstation from behind. In addition, artificial light sources are important for cloudy days and the dark season. Ceiling luminaires distribute the light best and are therefore suitable for a concentrated working atmosphere. Or you can add another decorative detail to your office with a lamp. The decorative lamps from KunstLoft create a warm diffuse light that looks particularly good on a side table or shelf.
3. Acoustics in the study
Anyone who makes a lot of phone calls and holds meetings at work knows how important the acoustics of a room are. To avoid reverberation, it therefore makes sense to decorate the walls in the office, and not only for reasons of well-being. How about a wooden mural from KunstLoft? Or with a cool wall mask? Rough surfaces like wood “swallow up” the reverberation and give your rooms character.
Textiles are also known to be suitable for creating harmonious acoustics. With the help of carpets or, for those who like it cosier, wall hangings and decorative cushions, you can create a pleasant feeling in the room in two ways.
Pictures are not only visual eye-catchers, but also improve the acoustics in your office – for example, wooden murals from KunstLoft.
4. plants as living decoration in the office
It’s hard to imagine office buildings without plants. The green creatures are not only pretty eye-catchers, but also have a relaxing effect. They produce oxygen and reduce stress. But be careful, only living and healthy plants are a beautiful sight. If you don’t have a green thumb or are not in the office regularly, you should get some robust specimens. Alternatively, dried flowers are a real eye-catcher.
5. Decorate the office with personal items
For many, the personal touch in the office cannot be missing. It is the small traces in the office routine that remind us of what is waiting outside of work: a souvenir from the last holiday, a photo of the children or a small gift from a dear friend. On the shelf, on the pin board or on the wall – a piece of home sweetens even the longer working days in the office.
6. Decoration ideas for more motivation in the office
More motivation at work? How about a piece of art that reflects your inspiration? A portrait of your idol? A picture of your hobby? A painting that sums up your vision? Choose art that has something to do with you personally. This will inspire you to think again when you run out of motivation.
An icon of feminism, Frida Kahlo is an inspiration today as she was then.
7. The company as wall decoration in the office.
Especially for video calls and customer contact, office decorations on the wall that not only please you but also match the company are suitable. Find paintings that bring the colours of your company to the fore or choose symbolism that underlines your corporate philosophy. This can be motifs of your city or the international reference in the form of a world map. Use the images to establish a connection to your company’s service or product. Even product placements are conceivable. There are no limits to your imagination.
The effect of colours in office decoration
To feel really comfortable in your office space, it is good to approach colour design consciously. Especially for a professional ambience, it is a good idea to choose one or two accent colours. This way, the furnishings don’t look jumbled together, but also not sterile and white.
Choose wall decorations by colour at KunstLoft and explore our range of blue tones, for example:
Learn more about the effect of colours in the office in our overview.
Beige, sand, natural colours
A natural-coloured environment radiates calm and concentration. Neutral colours such as beige or sand create a neat and tidy room atmosphere in which you can concentrate well. They are also warm shades that are friendly and inviting and form the perfect basis for combining with an accent colour.
From beige to taupe, pastel to black, KunstLoft carries a wide range of artworks in neutral colours:
White
White also offers the advantage that it combines well with a bright colour and creates a clean and neat basic mood. However, you should choose tinted white colours if possible, as bright white is slightly garish and reflective. Off-white colours give a room a soft and cosy atmosphere.
Red
Red fans rave about the activating and invigorating effect of the signal colour. However, many people perceive red as alarming or even aggressive. Therefore, use red sparingly and selectively or combine it with another colour. This way, the contrast is softened and you get a coherent colour image.
Orange and Yellow
Yellow and orange are bold, optimistic colours that encourage creativity and alertness in the office. Of course, there is also a spectrum here from soft apricot to bright exotic yellow to grounded cinnamon tones.
Green
Green shades bring the calming effect of nature into the office. Fresh mint green, rich fir green or serious grey green create a relaxed atmosphere in which it is easy to work.
Blue
Blue is often dismissed as a cold or distant colour, but its positive effect is forgotten. Blue tones create a concentrated and businesslike mood that ensures clear thoughts and self-confident action, especially in the workplace.
Conclusion: Creating Atmosphere with colours
Whether it’s a home office or a shared office, the colour scheme supports the effect of a room and makes a significant contribution to the atmosphere created in the office. To convey an impression of space and warmth, it is a good idea to start with light and neutral colours. Then you can add character and life with bright colour accents in the wall design and furniture selection. Avoid objects that are too dark or neon-coloured. These are easily distracting and create high contrasts. Soft and earthy shades, on the other hand, bring calm to the room and create a pleasant working environment.
Pictures for office furnishing
Bare, white walls? No, thank you! When you furnish the office, pictures must not be missing. But which motifs are suitable for the office and what suits the company? We have practical suggestions on how you can decorate the walls in your office so that employees and customers feel comfortable.
Landscape pictures and nature motifs as wall decorations in the office
Landscape pictures do not only have a calming effect in your own four walls. Mountains, trees and flowers also provide a pleasant view in the office.
Abstract art
Abstract murals always provide new inspiration. Whether colourful or in muted colours, they have a stimulating yet neutral effect. Wooden murals are an interesting alternative. The 3D effect in combination with the natural material attracts attention.
Multipart pictures
Particularly in conference rooms or open-plan offices, it makes sense to hang multi-part pictures. The visual togetherness also makes the room look uniform and you do not have to coordinate several pictures when designing the wall.
Pictures by style
The intermediate tones of a work of art lie in the style. They are what must match the rest of the office furnishings and the company. Modern, contemporary art goes well with clean lines and practicality. Do you like things colourful and provocative from time to time? Then pop art is a good choice for your wall design. Find suitable pictures in different styles at KunstLoft: from minimalist to industrial style, Mediterranean to vintage, our range offers a wide variety.
Alternative wall design
If you don’t want to choose pictures, you can also look for other ways to make your office space friendly and inviting. First and foremost, this can be done with colours. Paint a wall colourfully or experiment with wallpaper.
Auch Wanduhren, Masken oder Skulpturen können Sie als Deko für Ihr Büro nutzen. So lockern Sie die Wandgestaltung auf.
FAQ: Questions about office decoration
When you decorate the office, there are various aspects to consider. What kind of decoration is appropriate for an office? How do you, but also your customers and colleagues, feel comfortable? We have compiled answers to the most important questions about office furnishings for you.
How much decoration is allowed in the office?
What you are allowed to decorate freely in your home office is determined by the house rules and *your employer*. When it comes to customer contact and representing your company, your boss has a say. In most cases, it’s not a question of whether decorations are allowed at all, keyword: personal rights and freedom of expression at the workplace, but only how and how much. The following tips will help you with the question of personal decoration in the office:
- Consult with your colleagues. Maybe you have similar ideas about how to decorate the workplace.
- Adhere to fire safety regulations. Electric fairy lights and burning candles are often prohibited.
- Use the office decoration discreetly. Make sure that your workplace continues to look neat and tidy and does not stand out too much from the overall impression of the rest of the office space.
- Only hang up personal decorations that you can openly display in customer contact. Discriminatory content, such as naked pictures of women, is taboo anyway.
What are the advantages of plants in the office?
Office plants are not only beautiful to look at, they also have a psychological effect on people. They increase the sense of well-being indoors. This reduces stress, we can concentrate better, feel more satisfied and are even more productive. Whether plants also improve air quality is a controversial topic. In fact, however, an environment with plants is perceived as healthier and thus at least increases the perceived air quality.
What should be considered when setting up a home office?
Those who can work at home enjoy great advantages: No commute, familiar surroundings and flexible working hours. However, this is accompanied by the risk of having difficulty separating work and leisure time and of being distracted by everyday tasks. When setting up a home office, the logistical question therefore comes first. Is there a separate study? Or can the home office at least be spatially separated from the rest of the flat by shelves? Suitable lighting conditions, background noise and, of course, internet and power supply must also be guaranteed. As far as the decorative design is concerned, you are freer in the home office than in the office. Here you can implement your own ideas in the office decoration, just as you like it.
Which pictures to hang in the office?
With pictures and art in the office, you can express which corporate philosophy you live by. Do you stand for an open and creative working atmosphere with a good work-life balance? Do you want your images to have a representative and serious effect? What impression of the company do you want to create when looking at the office décor?
Depending on this, you can opt for a neutral wall design with abstract pictures or you can show your colours and hang up pictures with figurative motifs. For the former, acrylic pictures or 3D murals made of interesting materials such as wood or metal are the right choice. With figurative pictures, you can go for the calming effect of nature motifs or choose a clear statement picture that suits your taste. Typographies are another idea: pictures that play with words, letters and numbers.
Paintings, sculptures and more: Deco ideas from KunstLoft
At KunstLoft you will find suitable murals for your home office, office or conference rooms. Other beautiful decoration ideas include sculptures, wall masks and wallpaper. Or you can get creative and design the wall decoration yourself. In our magazine you will find DIY instructions and background knowledge:
Image credits: Image: © KunstLoft