First thing’s first—what is the third space? The third space commonly refers to the space between home (the first space) and the workplace (the second space).

With the rise of telecommuting and office employees working from laptops, the line between work and home has become increasingly blurred, creating a need for a more casual, comfortable place to collaborate and get work done. Common third spaces include cafes, parks, and other public places that foster socialization and a sense of community. In a workplace, the third space is somewhere between our workstations and formal conference rooms where employees can meet freely to share ideas on the fly.

How Do I Add a Third Space to my Office?

A well-designed third space can accommodate a range of functions in one location, increasing productivity and creativity by offering employees different ways to work. When adding a third space to your office design, keep in mind the mobility of the space, the comfort, and the aesthetics to make the space a functional and enjoyable place to be.

Mobility Is Key

The third space won’t work if your employees are chained to their desks all day. If possible, give your employees the option to work with a laptop, and then give them the freedom to work with their laptop anywhere they want. Even if your company hasn’t embraced working from home yet, allowing employees to work in other areas of the office aside from their desk will get those creative juices flowing, energize them, and make them more productive.

Let Them Lounge

A third space should feel like a home away from home, and you wouldn’t fill your home with a bunch of uncomfortable furniture, would you? Of course not. That’s exactly why we recommend equipping your office with a comfortable lounge area complete with sofas, armchairs, coffee tables, and maybe even a television. Now that your employees have the freedom to work anywhere in the office, you’ll notice more of them using these comfortable lounge areas to get their work done. Changing up the scenery fosters a greater capacity for creativity and boosts morale, giving employees a newfound enjoyment for their work.

Bring in a Beautiful Breakroom

Even if you don’t have space for a full lounge, most offices have a breakroom, and you should design it wisely. Studies have proven the importance of stepping away from your workstation from time to time to reenergize, and creating a beautiful breakroom will keep employees inspired while they’re away from their desks. It’s important to design a space in which employees want to spend time. That way, you increase the chance employees will utilize the space and take that extra time to relax during the day.

Quiet Spaces Mixed With Social Areas

Although a large, open lounge area can make a great third space, it’s important to offer a little privacy for employees who need to hold private conversations or concentrate on complicated tasks. At the NBF office, we’ve added an office library for employees to use as a quiet getaway when they need to concentrate, whether on their work or during their break. Remember—the idea is to give employees options so that they may choose how they want to work.

Employee Wellness

How to Use NBF Design Services

When it comes to the workplace, it can be easy to overlook design. But design—whether good or bad—is a huge factor in worker productivity and how the outside world, including customers, views the company as a whole. Whether you are looking to redesign your workplace interior or not, it’s always good to consider how the design impacts you and how it could be improved to create more positive reactions.

At National Business Furniture, we offer free commercial design services. Whether in person or over the phone, our design experts have years of experience with commercial space planning to help you with any design needs. We can help you plan the conference room, reception room, classroom, or executive office space you’ve always wanted for your business or school while keeping you on budget. Regardless of the size of the project, from sprawling business complexes to a single workspace, we are here to help.

How It Works

At National Business Furniture, you can easily find quality office furniture to fill your workspace, and we can recommend products to fit your office’s needs and style preferences. Whether you need a commercial interior that exudes professionalism with traditional and elegant furniture pieces or you want something more modern and sleek, we have styles to satisfy you.

Office Design Mistakes

Moving into a new office building? Giving your corporate space a makeover? Although rehabilitating your office interior can be tons of fun, be careful that you don’t fall victim to one of these common design mistakes.

Measuring Inaccurately

Before jumping into the office design process, properly measure your space to ensure that you get the right furniture and décor. Measure to make sure that your new furniture will fit in your office and that it will fit through your door.

If you’re working from a small home office, a large, fully assembled executive desk may not be the best option. On the other hand, if you’re working in a large executive space and fill it with short bookcases, a compact desk, and small wall art, you’ll make the room look out of proportion. Be sure to also measure walkways so you know you’ll be able to walk around your workspace freely once all of your new furniture is set up and ready to use.

Ignoring Lighting

The lighting in your office will greatly affect your mood and, thus, your productivity and level of focus. Because natural light is the best light, try to place your desk near a window so you can reap the benefits of the sun during daylight hours. When it comes to artificial light, just be sure your work area is well illuminated so you aren’t straining to read paperwork.

Picking the Wrong Color Scheme

In design, color is everything. Avoid super-bright tones, as they will make your eyes sore by the end of the work day. Blue is the most productive color, but neutrals with just a pop of your favorite color are always a good choice. Make your color choices interesting without being too intense and calming without being too dull.

Taking on More Than You Can Handle

When it comes to your office renovation, don’t bite off more than you can chew. You may want the dream office you saw on HGTV last week, but taking on a huge project without the proper skills and tools can lead to serious disappointment. If you don’t know your limitations from the beginning, you will likely take shortcuts to get the job done; the finished product will leave a lot to be desired.

Setting an Unrealistic Budget

Along with knowing your physical limitations for your office rehab project, be sure your finances are in order before pulling out your credit card. Between the furniture, carpeting, décor, and unexpected renovation needs, revamping a home or corporate office be a burden on your budget. Decide how much money you can allocate to each element of your renovation before you begin purchasing products and supplies to ensure that you don’t go overboard. Remember, no matter how well you plan out your renovation, unexpected costs will almost always pop up. Be sure to set aside a little extra cash for just such needs.

How to Incorporate Your Branding into Your Office Design

How to Incorporate Your Branding Into Your Office Design

Do you want your office space to represent your company’s identity and mission? We understand the feeling. A great way to do just that is to incorporate your brand into your office design. But before you paint all of the walls your brand colors and order logo-heavy furniture items, it’s vital to know that a little bit of branding in your office can go quite a long way. Here are our top tips when it comes to incorporating your brand tastefully.

Address the First Point of Contact

Introducing your branding right away is always a good idea; this could be a reception or waiting area with something as simple as your logo or company name placed on a wall.

Add Branded Reading Material

Whether your business has a reception area or just a front counter to help customers, there is usually an easy and seamless way to add branded reading material. From business cards and brochures to catalogs or company newsletters, giving customers access to these branded materials can help them better understand your brand.

Get Creative

Go beyond the logo—go with décor and other design elements that still represent your brand without getting repetitive or looking like a billboard. Maybe instead of a wall with your company name or logo, you can feature your company’s mission. Maybe you add items linked to your brand in the form of décor. For example, in an effort to distinguish its Austin, Texas, headquarters, Sizmek added famous cow brands to its flooring, giving the space a feel that reflected not only the company but also its location. Creative touches like these can help you incorporate your brand while also being memorable to visitors and prospective employees.

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