If you are starting out in your business, chances are that you do not have the budget for a big swanky office. Your office may well be in your home, a studio space or just a small part of a manufacturing unit. But this does not mean that it is any less of an office! Whether big or small, everyone has the right to feel proud of their working space. As a self-employed person or someone who manages a small business, you should justifiably be proud of your little kingdom!
Creating and maintaining a professional looking office is also important when dealing with clients and prospective employees. You want a space that showcases your efforts and ideas, where you can meet clients and other partners. So, we give you tips to help you furnish a small office on a budget. With tools from glass door fittings manufacturer and a little imagination, this is easily achieved.
Find furniture from online or old office sales
Furnishing an office can be expensive since you will need quite a few pieces, including desks, chairs, cabinets and other pieces. Together it can amount to quite a steep amount. The best means of doing this on a smaller budget is to look at thrift stores or second-hand furniture stores.
You should also look out for old office furniture sales. Contact auction houses or office complexes to find out if there are any such sales going on. You can also find notices on classified sections of your newspaper. Another handy medium is online sites that sell used goods. If the furniture looks a bit shabby, you can get a carpenter to remodel them. It would still be comparatively cheaper.
Green it up
One of the cheapest and most effective means of decorating an office is by greening it up. Bring in potted plants and place them wherever you can. Look for large palms, crotons and other decorative plants. This is not just about the aesthetics. Many plants also act as air purifiers — a cheaper and far more effective alternative than electrical equipment. This is an important criteria in small closed-off office spaces. Studies have also shown that plants make you happy and can actually increase productivity.
Light up the space
An office must be very well lit. Contact a glass door fittings manufacturer to see how you can put up wide windows while keeping it secure. Wide windows allow the natural light to enter the office. This is the best kind of lighting. But this will not be enough. You will also have to provide for bright lighting in all corners of the office. Look for the brightest lighting. You can get white lighting to see that every part of the office is well lit. Bright lighting is the most critical and basic requirement in any working area.
Make room for electronics
No modern office can function without electronics like computers, printers and charging point for different gadgets. Make sure that you have adequate electrical point on all workstations. When it comes to electrical points, make sure that there is more than adequate. Keep provision for plenty of connections. As your office expands and more people join or you buy newer and better equipment, you will need to accommodate everything in the space you have.
Look for multi-use spaces
In a large office, you will have separate areas for conferences, meeting rooms and leisure areas. In a small office, you will have to accommodate all this functions in one place. Your own desk will often have to double up as a meeting room. Or your meeting room may have to double up as the leisure area for all employees. So, furnish these spaces accordingly. Just a space with a large table can double up as both an employee dining area and conference room.
Flow of light and space
The trick in working with any small space is to keep the flow of light and space. It is best to plan this ahead to see that there is smooth movement. Contact a glass door fittings manufacturer for glass partitions. Instead of walls or wooden screens, glass walls and doors allow the passage of light and make a room seem much larger than it is.