Setting up a comfortable, welcoming office: 6 top tips from an interior designer

Gone are the days of boring, cookie-cutter office workspaces. Creating a comfortable and welcoming office space for clients and staff alike is highly beneficial for your business’ productivity, writes Angela Ferguson, managing and creative director and co-owner of Futurespace.

As a teenager, I remember looking at where all the ‘grown ups’ worked and I was horrified. Their offices were terrible places with sterile work stations, fluorescent lighting, lots of clutter, dull furnishings and an overwhelming feel of depression.

Now, thankfully, offices are changing to look less like an ‘office’ and more like a comfortable, diverse living environment. Today’s ideal offices are decluttered, light filled and full of greenery.

An office should be a place employees want to be in, a place to feel relaxed yet productive, and a place that promotes health and wellbeing.

6 top interior design tips to set up the perfect office space

As an entrepreneur setting up your office, you have to think about location, size, accessibility, and of course, cost.

Although you may have a tight budget, there are a number of elements you should consider to ensure a happy, productive, and profitable workplace.

1. Create several spaces

Try to create a workspace that has a range of individual spaces. For instance, a well-equipped kitchen and dining space, a team space, ergonomic private spaces, and at least one sound proof meeting room.

Employees need to have different places to work to help foster creative thinking and to differentiate individual work, social time, collaborative work and meetings.

2. Choose a ‘healthy building’

Have you heard of the ‘sick building syndrome’? It’s where a building’s infrastructure and materials can make people physically ill. This is mostly caused by poor ventilation, bad air conditioners or faulty heating.

Ensure your office is well ventilated, has multiple windows, and that there is no water damage to the carpets that could cause respiratory illness.

In fact, in 2022, you may even be liable for the air quality of your business or office space.

3. Embrace greenery

I strongly suggest having plants in your office. There are a number of species that are suitable for indoor environments including rubber trees, peace lilies and ficus. As well as looking great they help clean the air around you.

My preference is a herb garden or even something a bit more substantial if you have an outdoor space. We’re about to grow tomatoes and basil on the balcony of our office so we can make our own salad at our next team BBQ.

4. Use the light

An office with an abundance of natural light will not only save you in electricity, but will create a healthy environment and can foster the growth of your office plants.

Light also stimulates creativity and creates a positive environment, as well as providing a connection to the outdoors – something that is highly valued in Australia.

5. Choose quality furniture

Buy the best quality you can afford when it comes to office furniture and spend money on the things you notice most.

Good quality ergonomic desk chairs are a must. Most chairs come with warranties and a service agreement, and by buying a good chair you are investing in your future.

6. Declutter and stay tidy

Keep your office as tidy as possible especially when it comes to technology, cables, storage and paper. Clutter is stressful as well as unhealthy – mice, cockroaches and other insects love paper and office mess.

Setting up your office is a huge undertaking, and it can be easy to forget the finer details in choosing the right office. However, to get the most out of your business venture, an office that looks great aesthetically and promotes health and wellbeing is essential.

This post was originally published in 2016 and has been updated for 2022. 

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