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Have you decided on the space you want but have NO idea where to start with office furniture? It can be pretty overwhelming to figure out what’s best for your space. Do you buy regular desks, cubes, ergonomic chairs, lighting? New or Used? The decisions are endless. That’s why we’ve enlisted the help of our friends at Office Furniture Now! to help you determine the best furniture for your Austin office space.
In last week’s Cool Tools Blog Series, we shared with you an office moving checklist to make sure you’re doing everything you need to do to have a seamless move.
This week, we’d like to help you figure out how to furnish that office space that you’ve fallen in love with to make it really feel like your own personalized space.
The Budget
Before getting started with your furniture planning, you’ll want to set a furniture budget so you’ll know how much you have to work with. Make sure to do this first so you don’t end up choosing furniture that your company doesn’t have the budget for at this time.
The Space
- Put your hands on the floor plan for your office. Check with your building manager or architect for a copy of the CAD file for your office space.
- Determine how many people will occupy the space. Assess if you expect future growth and plan for possible expansion.
- Determine if you will need assistance in space planning. Typically, furniture consultants are skilled in assisting clients plan their office space; maximizing the use of different functional areas.
- Determine the power source available. Does the electricity run from the ceilings through power poles or does the electricity come from the floor?
The People
- Consider the different job functions for employees. For instance, is your business a call center where employees need minimal work space? Do managers need a larger workspace that includes additional seating? Do you have teams that need close proximity such as a “bull pen”?
- What is your corporate culture? Do staff thrive in an open, collaborative work space or do staff need workstations with high panels and sound masking for a quiet work area?
- Identify areas where employees may have special requirements, for instance an adjustable height work space.
The Office Look
- Determine what “look” you want for your business: Traditional? Transitional? Contemporary?
- Identify areas where you can save by selecting pre-owned options. Pre-owned furniture is a great solution when looking for a budget conscious option. Buying pre-owned furniture is good for the environment too – less stuff in the landfills!
- Identify the areas where you want to project a certain image and impress clients. Do you have many visitors to your lobby or conference rooms?
- Identify the purpose for the furniture. Should it “look good”? Be ergonomically designed? Purely functional with minimal options?
- Determine how many and what kind of common areas you require. Consider areas such as conference, reception, filing and storage, and break room.
After you’ve completed all of these steps in the process, make sure you allow for enough time for the furniture to arrive and be delivered. You’ll want to coordinate this with your lease start date which can be provided to you by your Austin tenant advisor. Determine the time frame for the furniture installation and consider delivery times. Pre-owned furniture can be delivered within days, yet new furniture may require 3-8 weeks for delivery.
Good luck with your office move in and we hope this steps provided to you by our friends at Office Furniture Now! will help make your move that much easier!
