How To Design A Workspace

People always want to make their workspace comfortable, pleasant, and easy to use. However, it usually does not work as expected, and they spend more and more time trying to do it without significant results. So, here are several common recommendations about the workspace and the way to design it.

Design With Idea In Mind

Every workspace has its purpose. People who use it have some work to do, and this practical idea has to drive the design. Keep in mind during the whole process and use it to evaluate each of the decisions.

A workspace has to be properly equipped. It depends on people's roles and associated activities. Some people prefer to use their tools — this is fine as long as these tools have similar or better performance than standard ones.

The next requirement is the ease of use. Simplicity and convenience are a great start in almost every situation. Just remembered, that workspace evolves together with its owner, so there should be a way to extend or modernize it.

In general, it is a good idea to think about future use cases and prepare a workspace in advance. Conversion from one role to the other happens more often than you think.

The workspace has to ensure good communication. People should be able to discuss problems and solutions, and the workspace has to help them in doing that. That means some extra space and convenient access for several people.

However, it is better to avoid a multi-purpose workspace as long as you can. It is acceptable to use a typical computer table as a workspace for an accountant, but it must not become a kitchen table under any circumstances.

Now, when the workspace's functional part is completed, it's time to add comfort and a good look.

Add Style And Comfort

First, you should think about the color schema of the workspace. As usual, up to three colors, and it is better to have two of them neutral to avoid visual pressure and keep eyes relaxed. You may also add a texture to some areas to highlight them or distinguish them from other areas.

The next topic is interior lighting. In general, it is better to avoid cold lighting and use warmer tones to keep people calm. Primary working areas and meeting rooms have to have medium to high levels of lighting. Other areas may use different combinations of lighting intensity.

Good furniture helps people to work effectively and achieve their goals. A big table and comfortable chair give a person a sense of space and easiness, improving performance and decreasing overall stress levels.

It is a good idea to have proper sound insulation in a workspace, so external noises will not interfere with workflow. Meeting rooms have to be isolated from main working areas for the same reason. Some people prefer to listen to music when they work, so that headphones may be an excellent addition to standard table equipment.

You may also design a rest area to have a place where team members can relax and stop thinking about the work. Sometimes it may be combined with a kitchen or a meeting room to ensure better team integration or the same some space.

These best practices cover standard requirements and recommendations for an efficient and comfortable workspace. However, depending on the activities, team members, and other factors, there may be more things to consider. Here, the rule of thumb is that a person has to feel comfortable, remain calm, and be happy to return to this workspace every day.