If you want to be truly happy at work, you need to create the right environment. Your business could have an exciting product or service, offer great benefits, and a healthy salary. But if the office building is grey and uninspiring, people won’t want to be there. That’s why it’s important to create an inviting office space. Here’s how to do it.

Use custom artwork on your walls

Why is it that office spaces with inspirational posters on the walls are the least inspiring places? For some reason, many business owners think that creating a professional environment means that everything has to be focused on work. But it’s simply not true. You can use artwork to take people out of work and help them feel more inspired. Using custom artwork is a great way to bring some life to your office space. Plus, you can use talented, local artists as a way of giving back to the community.

Add a conversational piece of furniture

Is your office space full of cheap wooden desks and office chairs? Sure, you need these things to create a functional working environment. But that doesn’t mean you have to stop there. Why not add a conversational piece of furniture to the room. Choose something that is out-of-the-ordinary, so it sparks conversations and ideas. Even better, choose a piece of furniture that acts as a centrepiece to the room, so employees can gather around and share ideas.

Think carefully about flooring

Whether you’re designing a high-end office space or a comfortable living room, flooring is one of the biggest considerations. Many offices have cheap and functional carpets or tiles because they are hardwearing and easy to clean. Problem is, they’re uninspiring and uninviting too. Why not go for something completely different like French wood flooring? This will give your office space a bright and modern vibe.

Use accent colours to brighten up the space

Don’t fall into the trap of painting every wall grey. And don’t think that you have to stick to the company’s colours. Use your imagination and brighten up the space with some accent colours. This can come from an accent wall or a piece of accent furniture. The idea is to include one thing that is a bright colour, against a backdrop of more neutral colours.

Add decorative lighting

Office lighting is often functional. Most office designers choose energy-efficient lighting that illuminates the office space in the most basic way possible. But if you want to create an inviting office space, you need to think a little harder about lighting. Decorative lighting can completely change the way a space feels. There is no hard and fast rule for getting the decorative lighting right, so you will have to experiment.

Add colour through chairs

In the past, all office chairs were either black, grey, or dark blue. This might suit an office in the 20th century but times are changing. Now, it’s important to make your office space attractive and inviting. You can bring colour to the office through the chairs. Choose a bright colour that stands out against the neutral backdrop.

Organise office clutter

Minimalism is one of the biggest trends in design. However, in a busy office space, it’s not always easy to achieve. No matter how hard you try, you will always end up with some office clutter. The trick is to declutter as much as possible. Set aside a small amount of time each week (10-20 minutes) for employees to reduce their clutter and tidy their workspace. This will make the office space more inviting over time.

Add recycling options

Recycling is important to many people. As a business owner, it’s important to provide a way for employees to recycle easily. Put separate recycling bins in place and encourage everyone to use them. This will make the office space more inviting to people.

Make your conference room interactive

Most office spaces have a conference or meeting room. This is a place in the business where employees get together to have discussions, share ideas, and present their work. Therefore, the space should be made as interactive as possible. Create a space that encourages people to collaborate and install the A/V technology needed to help them do it.

Create an area to relax

The more relaxed your employees are, the better they will perform. That’s why it’s important to provide a relaxing space where they can get away from the noise of the office and take a break. Choose comfortable furniture, soft lighting, and entertainment. You will find that this is far more effective than an uncomfortable canteen with plastic chairs and bright lighting.