High London Office Space Rent Left Decor Dull? Try Savvy Accessories
Many office providers, quirky co-working space aside, will often tend to stick to a basic white or cream colour scheme for their office in order to present a smart image that suits a variety of business styles, as well as to save money with London office space rent being so high! Although, once you’re in the space it may become a little tiresome, looking at the same four white walls all day long, not to mention demotivating and boring as well as completely underwhelming to visitors.
However, there are simple little changes and accessories that you can add which won’t alter the foundations of the room but will help to boost employee mood and productivity as well as having proven to reduce absenteeism.
Being aware of the high prices concerning London office space rent, these helpful and mainly inexpensive little additions need no nails, no glue and no need for a repaint after you’ve left, meaning happy employees and office providers alike.
Cushions
Adding cushions to your break out spaces within offices will not only brighten up the area but it will add a more relaxed and homely feel to the designated chill space. It will also help your mind unwind if there are visual prompts in place which symbolise relaxation, meaning that a 10 minute break from your desk will be even more beneficial thanks to these little extras. Then there are the obvious benefits such as creating a more comfortable place to sit!
Flowers and Plant Pots
As well as bringing some much needed colour to an underwhelming work space. Flowers and indoor plants within the office help to create biophilic designs bringing elements of the natural world to our indoor environments. This design concept states that in order to maintain mental and physical well-being within humans we must maintain a strong relationship with the natural world. As many people of the modern day are confined to indoor spaces throughout much of their lives due to work, the benefits which we reap from being outdoors are restricted to us.
Sherry Burton Ways, an interior designer and colour therapist says, ‘Integrating plants in the work environment not only beautifies the environment but has been proven to reduce absenteeism, reduce stress, lower blood pressure, increase positive feelings, lower noise levels, decrease room temperature and lower humidity.’ So, if you can’t take your work outdoors, there are great benefits to bringing the outdoors to your work.
Peeling Wall Stickers
Wall stickers such as these, which easily peel off the wall, leaving no trace behind them, are now available all over the internet. Adding motivational, funny, or iconic words and phrases to the office walls can be a great way to boost enthusiasm and creativity in employees as well as uniquely tailoring the office space to your business; adding artwork or simple designs of the same making can be just as effective.
Clearly displaying company values and motivations on the office walls can also leave a lasting impression to your clients. Being direct and certain about what you are working towards and how you’re going about it can set your business apart from the rest. London office space rent will sometimes include the option to decorate your office walls at no extra cost but this is a great solution for those which don’t.
Table Games
– wooden O&X, mini chess, backgammon
Including these classic table games within the office environment has many benefits. Not only are they great to look at, bringing a touch of character to any space and fitting in with even the smartest of offices, they are also fun and provide a little healthy distraction when the day’s stresses get too much.
It may seem as though these games will cause nothing but procrastination however, team building exercises such as these can be great ice breakers for new members and encourage employees to engage with one another. For creative businesses these games can also be ideal for getting the cogs whirring, combating a mental block can often just require the brain to be engaged in an alternatively creative way. Being wooden they will also last many years meaning that there is only a one off cost required on top of your London office space rent.
Ornaments
Ornaments are another really smart way of brightening up a rented London office space and they can be as quirky and playful or as stylish and sophisticated as you like, again really letting the personality of your business shine through.
Homely touches such as these provide a more welcoming environment as well as making it a more bearable place to work. Late nights at the office can be tough enough without your surroundings being cold and uninviting and future clients will be turned off when entering such a space. Ornaments can make your office feel like a home away from home making employees more inclined to come in early or stay late if necessary hence boosting productivity and commitment.
Quirky Lamps
Not only will adding lamps to your office improve lighting, they also make great accessories. They come in thousands of shapes, sizes and colours and really brighten up a room, literally.
Lamps can be especially effective in personalising desk space. Many employees feel happier surrounded by personal belongings or their favourite colours, encouraging employees to each have a desk lamp of their favourite colour can improve mood and productivity.
If bills are not included in your London office space rent then photo frames and sentimental items will also create these benefits and will encourage employees to take greater pride in their personal space.
Fish Bowls
Fish bowls can be a therapeutic addition to the office or they can be purely decorative and low maintenance. A study published in the journal Environment and Behaviour found that people who spent time in aquariums could be improving their physical and mental well being. As well as finding that people’s mood improved the longer they spent in the aquarium the experiment showed significant reductions in participants’ heart rates and blood pressure whilst observing marine life.
Obviously, adding a whole aquarium to the office may be a little extreme but a small tank or bowl of fish could also offer some of the same benefits, creating a calm and tranquil environment in the office.
Being in London office space rent may not allow for looking after an expensive pet so alternatively, filling the bowls with water and floating flowers for example, can make great centre pieces for meetings which can be easily modified and refreshed to keep them interesting.
Whilst it is aesthetically pleasing to accessorise a basic office, the benefits, as explained, go much deeper than this. Within an article for Forbes, Burton Ways says, ‘Marketing research has shown that approximately 80% of what we perceive or experience is based upon the visual sense of our environment,’ adding that, ‘Most office design is uninspired. Therefore, work environments create uninspired and stressful employees.’ Adding these inexpensive and simple additions to the office space can transform the way employees feel and preform throughout the day providing positive outcomes for both people and business.
If you’re looking for a more ready-made solution, Londonoffices have a great range of charmingly decorated London office space rental options which require no added creativity. Call us on 020 7166 7981 to discover beautiful work space.
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