Things to consider before Your New Office Fitout

Designing your new office fitout is an exciting, yet sometimes stressful task with so many options for desk configurations, colours, sizes and shapes, and, not to mention, trying to stick to a budget. IC Corporate Interiors specialise in corporate office fitouts, offering professional design advice, custom office fitouts and installation and supply of furniture, workstations and partitions. Therefore, to help you out, we’ve compiled a list of important things to consider before your new office fitout.

Know your budget

The budget. The most dreaded part of any renovation process and the part that often forces us to have to make some tough decisions. While it can be tempting to spend a little bit extra here and there on that incredibly comfortable chair or the desk with the lovely finish, it’s important to draw a solid line between what you need to spend more money on versus what you might just want to spend more money on. Doing this will ensure that you’re not left with any nasty surprises when you receive your invoice.  Knowing your budget can also help you avoid wasting your time dealing with professionals who are out of your price range, resulting in less back and forward with quotes and more time to spend on the actual design. IC Corporate Interiors will help you create your dream office fitout while making sure you stick to your budget.

Remain in sync with your brand

When designing your new office fitout, it’s important to keep your brand’s identity in the forefront of your mind throughout the entire process. The design of your office should really reflect your brand’s motto, values, team culture and desired aesthetic of your company- in fact, you can almost think of it as an extension of your brand’s marketing strategy. Why is this important? Much like your marketing strategy, it gives clients who walk into your office for the first time an amazing first impression of your brand. In addition, it gives your employees a sense of inclusiveness and team culture when they walk in to work each day, keeping them motivated and reminding them what they’re working for.

Space and Structure

Nowadays, with Wi-Fi and the increased use of laptops over desktop computers, it’s possible for your staff to work anywhere, allowing you to be creative with how you use your floor space.  As an employer, have a think about how your team moves around, who works next to who, are there people who need more space? do you need private break out rooms? Better yet, get your staff to fill out a survey to see how they prefer to work. From this, you can begin to map out an office floor plan, which professionals like those at IC Corporate can help you transform into your dream office space.

Research trends

Before you even get into talks with your interior designer, it’s always a good idea to research some of the current office fitout trends to familiarise yourself with how you want your office to look. A major trend at the moment in office design is open plan, allowing employees to move freely around the office, work wherever they like and collaborate with their colleagues. Listed below are some other popular and highly effective design trends.

• Moving desks (desk on wheels)
• Sit to stand desks
• Use of natural light and materials
• Multipurpose spaces such as benches and large conference tables

Efficiency is key

An office fitout is more than just choosing furniture and desks, it’s also about considering what other areas in your office you can improve. Systems like lighting and temperature controls can be altered to be more efficient and “smart”, which may cost you a little extra during the renovation but save you a lot of money in the long run. Some things that can be smarter include windows and louvers, air conditioner, lighting, electrical sockets, thermostats and general HVACs.

Contact IC Corporate Interiors on (03) 8802 9630 to get your free measure, quote and design advice today.