Office spaces are becoming more of  a part of one’s life than ever. We spend almost as much time in our offices as we do in our homes. In such a scenario, having an office space that feels too stuffy and formal can prove to be rather monotonous. Various studies have proven that the environment and ambience that an individual works in affects both their mental health as well as their levels of productivity. Usually offices are conceptualized as rigid spaces, one full of walls, barriers  and neat themes. Such a firm and formal environment, while may work for some, is not always conducive to interaction and productivity. 

The simple cubicle and desks offices are a far cry in today’s time. More and more firms are moving to create more comprehensive and flexible work spaces. The idea is to create an environment that is positive and fun for the employees to be in. This has been known to promote mental health of employees as well as create a more productive environment. Corporate giants such as Uber, Nike and even Google have been embracing this concept. 

Reimagining your office can prove to be a good way to boost productivity as well as create a positive work environment. Stepping away from the conventional layouts or simply making a few tweaks and additions can help you lighten up the office space with ease.

Here are some ideas that you could keep in mind to reinvent your office. 

TRY OUT ECLECTIC THEMES 

Eclectic or vibrant themes are a fun feature to add to your office spaces to absolutely transform the ambience. Utilizing bold, bright and lively colors helps uplift one’s mood and give more fun headstart to the day.  Such colors evoke feelings of joy in one’s mind, making them the ideal pick. You could incorporate bright solid colors to create a more sim-plistic vibe.

For a unique and fun look you could switch to incorporate fun prints and patterns in your office space. Be it a fun tropical print or an eclectic aztec print, there are a lot of different designs to give a shot to.

Even if you can't go for such a theme throughout the office, you could try to create it in certain spaces of the office, preferably ones most used by employees or ones where they take a break to give a refreshing escape. 

GO FOR QUIRKY FURNITURE 

Quirky yet comfortable furniture is a great way to give your office the oomph factor. You can add the quirk to a space in a lot of different ways. For instance, you could switch your typical reception desk, for an aquarium desk instead. You could also try different shapes and patterns in the furniture you pick for a unique look. You could try out live edged conference room tables, teacup chairs, egg shaped swing or chairs, amongst a lot other designs.

You could choose to swap all the furniture for quirky looking ones, or restrict to certain fun zones in the office. Even if you wish to keep the formation simple, you can get creative with the colors, patterns and even the textiles that you choose to layer the furniture with. 

MAKE IT LIT- LITERALLY 

Lighting is a vital part to any space’s ambience. Especially in an office, the right kind and amount of lighting is key to productivity and the environment. In terms of lighting, first begin with lights that are most easy to work with. Light and warm lights are most easy to work with as they allow one one to work comfortably without placing too much strain.

The lighting needs to be ample and placed in the right spots and angles. Making provisions for tons of natural light to flow in can also prove to be useful too, by creating a positive feeling while illuminating the space without electrical fixtures.

In terms of creating an ambience, you could throw in colored lights, or even light accent pieces to give a unique brightness. Neon quote lights in particular are very trendy at the moment, and a great addition especially in an office where motivation is much needed. 

FLUID WORK SPACES 

Fluid and seamless office designs are fairly new. Unlike the typical cabin and cubicle design, this layout follows a more open concept. The idea is to create a design that is open not just in terms of layout but in terms of communication and work too. Studies have been conducted and proved in affirmative that open work spaces are more conducive to conversation, collaboration and increased productivity.

It is thus a good idea to ditch the walls and partitions and create a more open design. You can simply zone through furniture or architectural features instead of literal barriers. This fluidity also needs to be extended in terms of work spaces, giving mobility to the employees to work in just about any place in the office that suits them the most.

This concept has been well represented in the google offices, essentially remembering that creativity needs to flow. 

BLEND WITH THE OUTDOORS 

The effect of being enveloped with greenery or being in the great outdoors is unmatched. In the clicking and ringing offices, it is easy to feel very disconnected from nature. However that shouldn't be the case as greenery and nature sceneries are known to be conducive to productivity and a better state of mind. There are a bunch of different ways to incorporate the outdoors in the office.

The first is to simply create an optional seating area on a balcony or rooftop. This gives an option to escape to a more arid workspace when needed. A more simpler approach is to utilize a lot of greenery and natural textures in the interiors for a soothing effect. Further adding water elements, or simply windows near workspaces can help achieve the effect. 

PLAN FOR WELLNESS 

Employee wellness, earlier neglected, is now becoming rather a pressing concern for offices. This is not just essential for the employees but for the company to actually stay up and running they have to invest in their employees who are an asset to the firm. This is why wellness and mental health promoting concepts are vital in an office.

Through small additions and tweaks you can achieve such a design. To begin with you can start by incorporating some gaming or fitness equipment such as a climbing wall or more, that give employees the ability to unwind every now and then.

You can also accentuate this with the help of cafeterias and small snack stations across the office. Many companies are also installing nap pods to give the employees the opportunity to take power naps so they can work comfortably. 

Overall, creating an office is like creating a whole ecosystem. It is where people work and flourish. This makes it important to have a work environment that doesn't feel too stiff or rigid, rather has elements and features that promote positivity, productivity and comfort. The above ideas are easy to ace if you wish to create an office that has a more light and arid quality about it, making it a far cry from the boring designs that are common.