The average person will spend 90,000 hours at work throughout their career. That’s one-third of their entire life! With so much time spent in your office, you naturally want to make it as comfortable and plush as possible.
One way to do so is to invest in luxury executive office furniture that will last. Gone are the days when hard chairs and scratchy cushions dominated the workplace. Today’s furnishings are all about ergonomics, favoring items that feel as good as they look.
With so many options on the market, how do you know where to turn? Today, we’re sharing 11 tips to help you choose the best pieces to make over your corporate space.
1. Focus on Materials
Before you begin planning the layout or shopping for items, start by thinking about how you want your office to feel as soon as you walk in. Do you want bright colors and vibrant patterns? What about soothing neutrals and earth tones?
The materials you choose for your upholstery can make a major difference. Start by considering the items with cushions, such as your office chair, sofa or loveseat, and any additional ottomans or footrests. Then, choose materials that speak to you.
In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, they should also be comfortable to use. Opt for high-quality materials that can withstand the wear and tear of daily use and will hold up against spills or stains. Then, move on to your other fixtures.
From your desk and shelves to your side tables, the furniture in your space should be well-built and durable. While trends will come and go, the following materials will always be in style:
- Natural wood
- Leather
- Mixed metals
All of these will lend a classic and elegant look to any office space. While you can certainly find premium-quality pieces online, it can help to shop at a local showroom so you can try out each item and see it in person before you commit.
2. Prioritize Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the study of how someone’s working environment affects their productivity, efficiency, and quality of work. Ergonimcally-designed office furniture will include special features to maximize user comfort and flexibility. To reduce your risk of injury, these pieces usually come equipped with adjustable settings (including height and tilt angle) to eliminate discomfort and ensure proper alignment.
When furnishing your office, you naturally want to choose pieces that are beautiful to look at and complement the room. However, you don’t want to sit on a chair that leaves you sore and achy by 5:00. Look into manufacturers that make pieces specifically for office workers, taking into account the fact that they’ll be in use virtually around the clock.
Sometimes, this means investing in a specialty chair that will support your posture and keep your feet firmly on the ground. Other times, it means taking a closer look at how each piece is used throughout the space.
For instance, you might have two oversized monitors at your desk, but are you craning your neck to look up at them? If so, elevate them slightly with risers. The same goes for your chair.
If your feet are barely touching the ground, you’ll naturally lean forward to balance yourself out. This can strain your lower back, especially if you spend all day staring at the computer. The good news is that many office furniture designers are now keeping ergonomics in mind when they create new pieces!
Most of the time, this information will be clearly printed on the furniture label, which may even come with instructions for us. If you don’t see it, you can always reach out to the company to learn more about their design focus.
3. Shop Secondhand
Pre-owned office furniture often looks brand-new, simply because companies frequently swap out their pieces. Any time they’re moving or expanding offices, rearranging their layout, or rebranding their image, they may discard their existing furniture in favor of new products.
This doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with it. In fact, these pieces are usually even more comfortable because they’re past their initial break-in stage. While you want to be diligent and discerning when selecting your items, this can be a great way to score some gorgeous luxury furniture at a great deal!
In addition to in-person warehouses and showrooms, don’t be afraid to conduct a virtual search when it’s time to find new pieces. You can find online retailers that offer high-quality used office furniture for a fraction of the price you’d pay for an all-new suite.
4. Enlist a Designer
Staring at your empty office without a clue where to start? If you’d rather not spend your lunch break shopping for office chairs, why not let an expert take the reins?
Interior designers work in a variety of capacities, and some pros focus solely on the commercial space. Often, all it takes is a quick internet search to find a team in your local area! If you’re coming up short, ask others in your industry if they have anyone they’d recommend.
When you meet with your designer for the first time, they’ll try to get a grasp of what you envision the space to be. They’ll ask you about the mood you want to evoke, the materials you prefer, and how you’d like to organize the room. Then, they’ll enlist their network of suppliers and go-to sources to bring your vision to life!
While these services are an investment, the result is more than worth it. You’ll get a sleek, beautiful office that’s inspiring to work in every day, filled with furnishings you love. Most interior designers charge an hourly or per-project rate, so make sure their quote fits into your business budget before moving forward.
5. Keep Your Clients in Mind
If you work completely alone, you might be the only one who ever sees your office. However, most companies aren’t set up this way. There’s a good chance that clients, business partners, or other stakeholders will eventually see this space, too.
That said, keep their preferences in mind when researching different types of office furniture. While your opinion matters the most, you want to select items that will appeal to your visitors.
That might mean foregoing the neon yellow sofa you saw because your business brand is serious and professional. Or, it might mean springing for that furry pink office chair if you lead an artistic, creative agency. Think about the image you want to project and the impression you want to make, and let that guide your purchase decisions.
6. Bring Someone Else Along
When shopping for high-end office furniture, it’s easy to get stars in your eyes. This is especially true if you visit a showroom, where everything is set up to look as polished and perfect as possible.
Left to your own devices, you might end up buying an entire set of furnishings you don’t even need. To help keep you grounded, consider bringing along a trusted colleague or partner. Together, discuss which pieces would look best in your office, and which you can afford to skip, at least for now.
7. Consult Industry Publications
Sometimes, the best way to find inspiration for your commercial office is to see what other people are doing! In addition to popular social platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, you can also glean inspiration from industry magazines. If you do enjoy social scrolling, follow popular designers whose work you appreciate or find standouts in your field and see if they tag their sources.
If you’re browsing online, save a bookmark on websites that catch your eye. You can also right-click and save those images to a special folder on your desktop. If you decide to flip through a magazine instead, dog-ear or tear out the pages that grab your attention.
Use these clippings to inspire you as you start your shopping journey. If you’re working with an interior designer, share them and discuss them together. Often, visuals can be more impactful than words when you’re trying to describe the final look you want.
8. Remember to Measure
There’s nothing like falling in love with the best office desk in the world, then paying for it and bringing it into your building. However, that dream quickly becomes a nightmare (and a headache) when you find that it’s way too big or small for the room.
That’s why we always recommend measuring carefully before making any kind of purchase! Key metrics to calculate and write down include:
- The dimensions of your office
- The size of your current furniture
- The measurements of all the doorways
This way, you’ll have a clear picture of exactly how much space you have, which should help you avoid any big-day setbacks.
9. Mock Up the Space
Another way to make sure your dream office translates to reality? Create a quick mockup of the space! This is especially helpful if you’re having a hard time figuring out the layout of your new furniture.
Drafting a floor plan helps you visualize how all the pieces will look and function once they’re in place. Depending on how much time you want to devote to this task, there are three ways to approach it. These include:
- Drawing with pen and paper
- Using tape on the floor to stage where the furniture will go
- Using specialty floor plan software to create the mockup
If you want to get really fancy, check to see if the retailer you’re eyeing has a furniture shopping app. Many of these apps come equipped with neat tools that let you create a digital, 3D model of your room or office. This helps you see how each piece will look in the spot you plan to put it.
10. Plan the Purchase
We briefly discussed budgeting for the cost of an interior designer, but it’s equally important to make sure you can afford the luxury office furniture you buy. This decision might be yours alone to make, or you may need to get the approval of your C-suite before moving forward.
You want a sleek and special spot to work, but you don’t want to go into debt to afford the items you want. Make sure there’s room in the budget for this investment, and shop according to how much money you have to spend. If the margins are tight, this might mean splurging on just one or two important pieces (such as your desk and office chair) and going a less expensive route for your accessories and decorations.
For instance, you can scour secondhand shops and thrift stores to find gorgeous art that’s already framed, and no one will know the difference. Think about where you’d be comfortable cutting corners as well as any non-negotiable purchases on your list.
11. Consider Custom-Made Pieces
Sometimes, you simply can’t find what you’re looking for, both online and in the store. This can leave you frustrated, which takes time away from your mission-critical work.
If you’re running into design roadblocks, sometimes the only answer is to share your vision with a furniture maker and see if they can design it from scratch. In nearly every region, there are teams and individuals willing to take on this kind of project. They’ll also share sources for materials, fabrics, hardware, and more.
Keep in mind that their services will likely be more than you’d pay for a pre-made piece, but the result will be a custom furnishing that you created entirely from your own mind! Designer-made pieces usually last longer and you can rest assured that no one else will have your exact item!
Decorate Confidently With Luxury Executive Office Furniture
If you’re going to spend tens of thousands of hours at work, you might as well love what you’re looking at. If you’re ready for a new vibe, it might be time to invest in luxury executive office furniture you love.
Keep these tips in mind as you begin browsing your options and making selections. If the work seems too overwhelming to tackle alone, enlist the support of an interior designer who can guide you on the journey! In the meantime, remember to check our Business section for more advice on how to live and work successfully.