FUNCTIONAL AND STYLISH - TASK FURNITURE

Office furniture, also referred to as ‘Task Furniture’ is a vital part of any workplace. Designed to make work more comfortable, they are often practical solutions to worker’s needs.

But this functionality, doesn’t mean they have to be boring! Workplace designers know this and have successfully master combing form and function into their designs and with the addition of breakout spaces and more sociable environments work places are going though an exciting stage of design. Here we look at some of the furniture types that are needed to create a space where workers want to spend their time…

Desks

One of the furniture staples within an office, the humble desk has undergone a revolution of its own in recent years, with a drastic change from the cubical style desks of the 70’s and 80s we now see open plan offices featuring huge bench style desks ideal for hot desking, sit/stand desks that allow their users to work whilst standing, but also the flexibility to sit when needed, all contributing to a healthier workforce.

Materials vary from Solid timber, concrete, HPL, Laminates, natural stones – you name it, you can practically make a desk from anything these days. But the whole purpose of a desk is being challenged, hot desking has seen a demand for easy access power points and the collaborative work approach means people crowd around desks to share ideas and feedback. All this has seen desks change from small one-man desks, to co-working desks which are larger and designed to seat more people.

That said, there is still a demand for the traditional single user desks, but people are looking for more than just the box standard styles, hairpin legs, chunk natural wood and contemporary styles are all popular choices for office looking to stand out from the crowd… the choice of desks available is huge… so there is always something to suit your design.

Meeting Tables

With the sole purpose of getting people together, meeting tables have traditional same boring designs for years… But as with desks, designers are looking outside the box and opting for alternatives to the traditional oval, rectangular and ‘U-shaped’ meeting tables seen around the world.

One of the key shifts we have seen is the effort from workplaces to make meeting more informal, and with open plan offices, the introduction of ‘meeting pods’ and ‘meeting booths’ helps create more private environments, without the need for extra rooms.

Poseur height and stand up desks are more popular than ever, creating the perfect environment for quick discussions and group sessions, and keeping then within an open plan office can help keep teams relaxed and more natural than if they are crammed into small meeting rooms.

Low coffee style tables can create a really relaxed atmosphere and that helps put staff at ease and encourages creativeness, especially when paired with lounge furniture.

Then, you get the really playful meeting tables and rooms, where tables spin, chairs swing, and bean bags are the only place to sit – not suited to everyone, but for the quirky office environment they could just give that little extra fun!

Task Chairs

Office chairs haven’t changed much over the years, and there is good reason for this – they have been specifically designed to offer maximum support and comfort when used for prolonged periods of time. That said, there are many different styles and designs available, from contemporary mesh designs to the executive leather styles seen in high end offices, there is an endless amount of chairs to choose from, just make sure you take the time to consider the ergonomic properties – and if necessary, get an expert to evaluate your or your staff’s needs!

Meeting/Boardroom Chairs

Chairs for meeting rooms come in many forms, and it all depends on the style of space you are trying to create. Swivel base chairs offer a more corporate feel, whereas stools create a more causal vibe. Options include timber, metal and upholstered styles with different stitch details.

Castors allow for flexibility and movement, and benches can create a space that encourages team mates to work in a collaborative way.

You need to decide which spaces are going to be used for what, do you want a mix of formal meeting areas and more casual meeting spaces or do you want all formal?

You can browse a selection of our office and workplace furniture using the link below:

Breakout Furniture

One of the biggest changes we have seen in workplace over the past few years, is the introduction of breakout areas and social spaces – designed to give staff a more positive view of the office and a space that is more informal and more relaxed than their desk space.

The use of soft, low, lounge furniture including sofas and armchairs to create spaces where team members want to spend time, but can also double up as informal meeting and work spaces is exciting to see. And with big co-working spaces like WeWork built on this style of working, we think it is here to stay for the foreseeable future, despite what is thrown at it.

There is always going to be a need for office furniture, even if homeworking increases in popularity, the will office will always be a place for ‘touching base’ and in person meetings are always going to be the preferred option for teams around the world, but office are going to have to adapt and give staff a reason to want to return, and that is the next challenge for workplace designers…