Modern Office

Design
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Modern Office Design
Modern office design strategies allow businesses to create dynamic and effective
workspaces within their spatial and budgetary limitations. Indeed, modern office
design is all about finding solutions to problems that have plagued businesses for
years.

And you don’t have to be a multi-billion dollar corporation to improve the

atmosphere of your work environment. With that in mind, make sure to check out our
ultimate guide to modern office design. We’re certain you’ll find something that you
can use to positively alter your office space today!

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Principles of Modern Office Design
Innovations are certainly a large aspect of modern office design. Yet, there’s no point
in introducing a new office design element that doesn’t boost employee morale,
performance, or help your company increase revenue. Below, we’ve listed the six most
important principles of modern office design. While there are a myriad of modern
office design techniques, these are the ones all business owners should prioritize.

Natural Elements

One of the key principles of modern office design is actually quite ancient: letting in
some sunlight! There are a few reasons why this is a smart move.

The first is that natural light illuminates a much wider color spectrum than regular light
bulbs. This reduces eye-strain and can make your employees more alert, which not
only makes them feel better, but boosts productivity and reduces errors.

What’s more, natural light is, of course, free. Considering that utility costs are only
going to rise in the future, planning for more natural light can be a shrewd investment.
With this being said, it’s important to have suitable wall coverings so that employees
can decide when they want to let the sunshine in and when they don’t.

Versatile Fields

A prevailing trend in modern office design is flexibility. Professionals love workstations

that can play multiple roles –– in large part because they themselves cover a wide
range responsibilities. If you ask your employees to complete a diverse array of tasks,
then it may be a wise play to prioritize versatility in your office design. You can
achieve this by investing in tables and chairs that are easily movable, setting up semi-
private work areas, and installing a number of tech-friendly outlets throughout your
office.
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Eco-Friendly Investments

What does an eco-friendly office look like? In truth, there is no set template for green
office design. Rather, business owners across industries can incorporate eco-friendly
interior elements within their larger theme. Still, making a few eco-friendly decisions
could help a business improve its reputation, win points with employees, save money,
and –– of course –– do some good for the environment at the same time.

Collaborative Layout

At one point, the open office design was the “hot option” for business owners who
wanted to boost collaboration within the workspace. However, office design has
evolved since that time and has become more nuanced. Now, there are multiple ways
to encourage collaboration without knocking down all the walls in a workspace.
Setting up conjoined desks, removing assigned seating, and creating spaces for
smaller “squads” of employees to gather and work are all effective methods to improve
group productivity.

Vibrant Colors

Some offices are truly eye-catching in the sense that they employ a bright, neon-tinted
color palette. Obviously, this is one way to draw the eye and influence mood, but
managers can often produce the same (or similar) effect by integrating compelling
artwork into their workspace. In addition, natural light and plants are both cost-efficient
measures to invigorate to a drab office atmosphere.

Profitable Organization

The last key principle of modern office design is simple to understand, but often takes
some planning and investment to implement: getting organized.

Indeed, the days of frenetic, messy offices (think old-school newspaper publishers) are
long gone. Today’s most efficient and profitable workplaces are a model of clarity and
cleanliness. Yes, things can get chaotic. But it’s the kind of “organized chaos” that one
sees in hospital emergency departments or air-traffic control towers.

From a design perspective, getting –– and staying –– organized typically involves

optimizing traffic flows and deploying furniture and equipment that maximizes space
utilization. Light, modular furniture in particular is often part of the plan, since it can be
moved or re-purposed as required.

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The Modern Workstation
It’s entirely possible for professionals to spend more time at their desk than in their own
living room during the course of a regular work week. Still, the harsh truth is few
modern workstations boast the amenities, tools, and tech that employees need to
operate at their best. What’s more, a poor desk setup can have a major negative
impact on mood and productivity. To combat some typical workstation woes, check out
these four awesome ideas to upgrade your desk situation ASAP:

Maintain Order

It doesn’t cost any money to untangle a mess of wires running around your desk or to
utilize some free space under your workstation for file storage. Individuals working in
small office spaces can maximize their workstation’s capabilities simply by taking the
time to get organized and reduce the clutter in or around their desks.

Invest in Ergonomics

Ergonomic furniture and fixtures are a godsend to modern employees. It’s unhealthy to
sit for long periods of time (like eight hours in a row, for example) so innovations like sit-
to-stand desks can do wonders for your staff’s mood and efficiency levels. Never
underestimate the value of a solid piece of furniture!

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Think Collaboratively

Some workstations function as single-person desks. However, more and more

professionals share workstations and tackle projects together. As such, it’s often a good
idea to invest in some features to help facilitate teamwork like a whiteboard, smart-
board, projection screen, or multiple monitors. Plus, purchasing desks that can expand
into larger tables is a great way to encourage creative collaboration among your ranks.

Promote Personalization

As noted above, modern professionals spend a lot of time working at their desk. With
that in mind, it’s key for progressive business owners to give their team members the
opportunity to personalize their workstations in meaningful ways. We’ve come a long
way from the days of uniform rows of cubicles, so let your employees express
themselves. You’ll be amazed at how a few little changes can alter an entire office
atmosphere for the better.

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Modern Office Ideas & Examples
One of the best ways to get the creative juices flowing is to see how other companies
have handled modern renovation projects. You can learn a lot about your office –– and
good office layout practice in general –– by studying some professional examples. If
you’ve been struggling to come up with a few modern office design ideas for your
company, give this gallery a look:

Univision

Stylish, sleek, but not over-the-top, Univision's office strikes a balance between old-
school professionalism and new-school media. Keep in mind that your office design
can either work for or against you –– depending on how well it aligns with your values.

Compass

How your office looks like on the outside is just as important as the interior design.
Remember, a well maintained facade can make a great impression for your company.

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Solberg

Light and transparency are essential to creating an office atmosphere your employees
will love. Introducing lots of natural light, then, is often a fantastic way to boost
productivity and create an environment conducive to exciting work.

ALE Solutions

The best modern offices boast amenities that not only gel with the rest of the
workspace, but also help team members feel at ease and cut down on stress. Break
rooms and kitchen areas should let your staff unwind and enjoy themselves for a
moment.

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Modern Medical Office Design
Professionals in the medical field often face an uphill battle when designing their
workspace. That’s because unlike other businesses that can focus solely on creating
offices that maximize productivity, medical facilities need to take more factors into
account. For one, medical offices need to accommodate any number of patients, as
well as other visitors to the facility.

Additionally, medical facilities have to provide an intuitive layout and offer certain
creature comforts that have become the norm in our modern society. And of course,
good medical office design should boost employee engagement and productivity
levels. In short, it takes a lot of planning, foresight, and experience to strike the right
balance in a medical workspace renovation. To that end, here are three essential
elements to effective modern medical office design:

Incorporating Nature

When most people think about a clinic, they’re probably more likely to picture cold,
metallic decor and beige hallways lit by fluorescent bulbs than wooden interiors and
plentiful sunlight. Yet, there are many reasons why those in the medical community
would be well served to incorporate more natural elements into their facilities’ overall
design. Not only will natural design choices like large windows and fish tanks ease
visitor concerns, but they’ll also satiate your team members' innate desire to embrace
nature. In fact, simply purchasing a few plants for your office spaces can improve
productivity and well-being among staff.

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Privacy Choices

It’s no surprise that most people visiting a clinic value their privacy. After all, no one
wants to share their medical issues with others, and they certainly don’t want to feel
cramped in a waiting room. As such, many medical facilities are now designed using
greater amounts of space and a good number also designate unique areas for
“examination,” and “consultation.” By dividing their office in this way, medical
professionals can offer their visitors greater privacy and allow team members to move
from department to department as needed.
Efficiency

Clinics, like workplaces across industries, function better when designed with the aim
of increasing efficiency. “Efficiency,” can mean a great many things, though.
Obviously, energy-efficient solutions are climate-conscious choices that can also cut
costs at the same time. In a larger sense, however, efficient office design should also
strive to reduce any unnecessary rooms or spaces. In order to ensure a clinic is built
with maximum efficiency, designers should collaborate with medical professionals
when forming initial concepts. By working closely together, they can arrive at ideal
solutions to design problems.

How to Design a Modern Dental Clinic

Professionals in the medical field often face an uphill battle when designing their As
we discussed in the previous section, modern medical facilities differ both from their
predecessors and modern “corporate offices.” Dental offices in particular must be
both welcoming and warm, while also maintaining an air of professionalism.
However, before you start exploring furniture catalogs and looking at color samples,
it’s important to take a step back and focus on four fundamental aspects that will help
you create a modern, impressive, and profitable dental clinic:

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Understand Your Core Goals

The first step to building a better dental facility is to determine your clinic’s goals and
objectives. Do you want to improve the waiting area with respect to size, comfort,
aesthetics –– or possibly all three? Or perhaps you want to improve lighting and
airflow, which can bolster team morale and assist with recruitment and retention.

Regardless of your unique requirements, the advice here is to start by identifying your
goals before jumping head-first into issues like color schemes, materials, styles, and so
on. Even though that is a creative and fun process, your business goals should drive
your design and renovation: not the other way around.

Focus on Space Utilization

Space utilization does not mean that you have to use every bit of available space for a
functional purpose, such as storing files or housing equipment. On the contrary, the
most successful modern dental clinics strategically and tactically avoid over-saturating
the environment with “stuff,” since this can impede employee efficiency. Plus it can be
an eyesore for patients!

Ultimately, it’s best to keep space utilization top-of-mind when thinking about and
planning your modern dental clinic renovation. Both the space you use and the space
you don’t use should be a deliberate decision, rather something that “just is that way”
by default.

Rethink Your Waiting Room

Dentists need to realize that their patients likely have busy schedules and need to be
able to work and keep in touch with contacts even while they’re in your waiting room.
That’s why fast and reliable WiFi, extra appliance chargers, and numerous outlets are
a must for any forward-thinking medical office.

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Focus on Current and Future Patient Groups

Making design choices that reflect your current clientele –– or the type of customer
you’d like to attract –– is a sound design practice for dentists to follow. For example, if
you’re aiming to boost your patient roster with young families, then shifting toward a
more relaxed, fun look and feel may be the right concept to implement. Or, if you’re
looking to onboard more executives in search of cosmetic dentistry solutions, then
adopting a sharper, more sophisticated vibe may be the way to go.

Essentially, you want to look at your dental clinic through the eyes of your target
patients. What do you want them to see, think, and feel? The answers will help you
make better, smarter design decisions that are based on objective analysis, rather than
subjective preference.

Conclusion
In terms of interior design choices, modern business owners have an overwhelming
amount of options at their disposal. One one hand, this is obviously a good thing. But
it also raises a lot of questions and concerns about how to best create a modern
workspace. Is an ideal office setup trendy or classic? High-tech or traditional? Creative
or comfortable?

The reality is, only you know which design style is best for your business because your
company is unique. Rather than settling for one of a number of cookie-cutter workspace
layout plans, make sure to create an office that suits your unique needs and
specifications. Contact the Key Interiors team today to see how we can help you
complete the office renovation of your dreams! We’ll work with you every step of the
way to create the perfect design for your workspace.

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About Key Interiors
DESIGN | BUILD | FURNISH

Established in 1978, Key Interiors is a complete interior resource

assisting clients with any facility re-design, expansion or relocation in
mind. Located in Chicago, our office design firm offers a
comprehensive range of services including design-build, architectural
design, construction management plus a design center with over 300
lines of office fu nishings & contract furniture.

We are project management specialists capable of managing your

project from initial office design to completion. Our team of fo ward
thinking collaborative partners have over 30 years of experience
and a track record of 300+ successfully completed office renovation
projects including corporate offices, dental offices, healthcar
waiting rooms, car dealerships and more!

We know profitable office environments today are fast paced! Th

right workplace can foster excellent work-group collaboration,
increased productivity and streamlined processes.

Let us design an interactive workplace for you!

Give us a call or send us an email today:
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