Vibrant New Office in Sydney’s CBD

Recently we completed a a fresh and inviting fitout for a Sydney property Group. An excellent selection of furniture and colours perfectly complimented the companies branding whilst creating a contemporary aesthetic.

Designers at D&C Interiors specified our Benchwork Trak workstations which looked great and worked well with green perspex screens and planter boxes. They also chose our Web chairs – an ideal choice for the comfort savvy end user.

The end result was a lively and functional workspace.

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2014 Set to Be a Mighty Year

Happy New Year and welcome back! We hope you enjoyed your Christmas break with all its lovely weather, food and good company. Now we’re back and ready to kick start the mighty 2014!

Over the next few months we’ll be releasing our much anticipated 2014 office furniture catalogue along with the introduction of a host of exclusive new products that we can’t wait to show you!

With our head office and showroom open now, drop us a line, we’e eager to hear about youroffice furniture needs.

Happy Holidays!

We’ve had another fantastic year and we’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continuous support throughout 2013.

Our new additions for 2013 were a big success and became some of our most popular products yet. We’re hoping we can back it up next year too with a whole host of exciting new products ready for release with our 2014 office furniture catalogue. We can’t wait to share them with you!

Be sure to pop into our showroom in the new year, just remember we’ll be closed from the 20th and will be reopening on the 8th. We look forward to seeing you, until then have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Christmas South African Style!

We had a fantastic time at our christmas party, filling our bellies with scrumptious South African food at Lucky Tsotsi, Surry Hills. We made it a night to remember as we celebrated over good food, company and lots of laughs. The perfect way to end another memorable year, we hope you enjoy your end of year parties as much as we did!

First Impressions Count

First impressions are formed within the first 20 seconds of entering a new environment and what’s more, they last. Impressions can make or break relationships, so here are a few simple ways you can influence positive impressions by changing your office:

Create an appealing reception - Your reception is your client’s first point of contact so it’s important that your reception décor and furnishings accurately represent your brand. Make use of comfortable lounges and chairs that provide an inviting space for clients to sit and wait. Stylised coffee tables can be used to add character to the room and provide a place for reading materials to keep clients occupied and make waits seem shorter.

Create a vibe –  Use colours, furnishings, artworks, music and aromas to set a pleasant atmosphere. The 5 senses play a large role in how comfortable a person feels, so it’s your job to ensure that your office looks, sounds, smells, feels and tastes good -  offering your clients a coffee and having water on hand is always appreciated.

Add plant life – Apart from looking good, plants are a great way to make your office feel more inviting. Plants connect people with nature and also improve the air quality in the office.

Clear the clutter – A messy office implies that your company and employees are unorganised or unproductive. Make use of paper trays, pedestals, filing cabinets and other storage devices to help you keep your office clutter free and welcoming.

Get Your Staff Involved in Your Next Office Redesign

Australians spend 8+ hours a day in the office every work day, so even even the smallest bit of personal input can translate to huge improvements for staff.  The level of staff involvement in decision making can affect the productivity and commitment levels of staff affected, so it’s important you consult your staff when considering change.

Whilst leaving every decision up to consensus wouldn’t be wise, here are a few recommendations you could use in your upcoming office redesign.

1.  Selection of Furniture: While these choices are often based on budget, there should be some flexibility with regard to personal preference and comfort. This will only benefit the organisations.

2.  Get ideas flowing: Create an environment that encourages employees to share their thoughts and opinions about the change. Two minds are better than one, it’s possible they may have an idea or point that you haven’t considered.

3.  Reinforce the need for change: It’s been proven that humans are often reluctant to change. If you reinforce why a change is necessary and how it can positively affect the individual and business, they will be more at ease and open to the change.

4.  Keep Employees Posted: Employees who are given regular updates about what’s happening in the office are more confident in their work, interested in workplace development and tend to get higher levels of enjoyment.

5.  Get Feedback: Once the office redesign is complete, measure the response of your staff. Are they happy with the change? Can you do anything to improve?

Product In focus: Mitesco Acoustic Screens

At work we are surrounded by noise all the time. Some sounds are necessary, others are just a distraction.

With more Australian businesses moving towards open plan offices comes the increasing likelihood that your office space will have limited walls and closed offices. Instead, partial height screens and clusters of workstations that allow noises to move freely throughout a space are now the norm.

It’s far from a disaster though that all the acoustic protection we once had is no longer there. If we manage the layout appropriately and make use of some nifty products, overall noise will be dampened and your office environment will be improved.

One of the tools at our disposal to reduce noise levels while maintaining all the benefits of open plan layouts are Mitesco screen panels. These reversible panels are made in Italy and can absorb up to 95% of office noise through the use of a patented variable density layer technology. Mitesco is easily movable and comes in a range of colours. It can be wall mounted or positioned on an aesthetically pleasing stand. It is practical, flame resistant, fully recyclable and can help personalise your office space.

We’ve installed some on the walls in our own offices and meeting room. Come and check them out in our Sydney showroom.

Don’t forget your office layout

There’s no question that a well designed aesthetically pleasing office will impress clients and add credibility to your business. However, it is the deeper effects of a positive workspace that reign supreme. It will improve morale, increase productivity, encourage talented individuals to work for your company and ultimately make coming to work everyday a highly enjoyable experience.

Considering that Australians are spending more of the week in the office than ever before, it’s important to create a space with a mix between comfort, practicality and innovation.

Here are some general tips for the design and layout of your workplace:

• When choosing a space, look for one that offers flexibility with the layout and design
• Group people together based on the functions they perform
• Ensure that work surfaces are big enough to accommodate files and other documents.
• Use chairs fit for purpose, for example when working at a computer you should almost always either be standing or sitting on a chair with castors
• Good lighting may reduce muscle problems and eyestrain
• Place workstations near frequently used office equipment, such as fax machines and printers
• Include communal spaces in your office layout as these breakout areas provide employees a place to meet, collaborate and recharge their batteries.

A fresh office space can foster new beginnings for your organisation and ultimately expand your client base .The end of the year is fast approaching…come check out our office furniture showroom.

Benchwork Trak Featured in Another Great Fitout

We recently furnished an open planned office for City Freeholds new Sydney display office.

The space featured Trak workstations with grey acoustic screens to allow for both privacy and noise reduction.

Our Future chairs were used to compliment the workstations and provide a comfortable seating arrangement for all. Future visitors chairs were also used around a small Conti conference table to create a space for informal meetings.

The boardroom featured our Conti boardroom table with Baz chairs.

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Product Spotlight: Tex

Tex is the perfect way to leave your guests with lasting impressions, it’s contemporary and sophisticated aesthetics are sure to impress.

It features a sleek tubular chrome frame which elevates the lounge 150mm off the floor giving it a distinctive floating appearance.

The ranges versatility can be attributed to the variety of configuration options including two different sized ottomans and one, two and three seater lounges.

Filled with commercial grade padding and coming in a range of cashmere fabrics and leather upholstery with a detailed stitching pattern,  Tex is suited to reception or breakout areas alike.

Getting into the Swing of Things for Summer

With summer just around the corner, it’s about time we start thinking about those sunny days on the beach. Here are a few tips to get you into the swing of things:

1.  Pack healthy meals – the secret to a healthy mind and body is a healthy diet, taking the time to prepare healthy work lunches will save your hunger from driving you to the local take away shop! We know it’s not always easy to find the time, but you will reap the rewards.

2.  Get out of your seat – simple activities such as walking around the office, standing instead of sitting whilst taking calls and taking the stairs will all help. If you have a longer lunch break, try taking your workout clothes and going for a jog.

3.  H2O is the go – drink lots of water, studies have shown that drinking water before meals will suppress your appetite. Water also assists with digestion. It’s recommended that one should drink at least 8 glasses of water per day for optimal health.

4.  After work activities – stay active after work too, whether it be joining a gym, walking the dog or even doing the household chores. The more active you are the better, whenever you’re moving you are burning calories and getting fitter.

5.  Do desk stretches – keep your metabolism high by doing one or two stretches every hour. Desk stretches are easy and quick, see our Don’t Forget to Stretch blog post to find out more.

Brilliant Furnishings for OMG Projects

OMG Projects new Waterloo office captures the spirit of industrial-chic interior design. The bold and unique finishes put a contemporary twist on the conventional office aesthetic.

Our Trak workstations with neutral screens perfectly compliment the sophisticated exposed brick walls, polished concrete floors and wrought iron planters. Our Hush lounge and Dart tables put the finishing touches on an impressive office.

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