Dallas Commercial Office Space – Balancing Casualness!

Today, more and more businesses are allowing their employees to wear business casual attire and Dallas_Commercial_Office_Spacetrying to find the right balance to still maintain professionalism. There is a certain positive, approachable aura in wearing casual dress at work that cannot be found in regular business attire; however, if the term “casual” is taken out of context, it could become unprofessional. The same is true with a Dallas commercial office space. Utilizing a ‘casual’ design can create a welcoming ambiance; without the proper balance, it could have an unprofessional appearance.

Casual Design Benefits

  • Encourages Creativity – Studies show that choosing a casual office design improves the creativity of employees. This is true in certain work environments that require workers to be imaginative and creative such as in architecture, web design, writing, etc. Such jobs can be very demanding in terms of originality and creativity; the right workplace layout can serve be an inspiration to employees.
  • Improves Work Efficiency – The ambiance of a workplace has a direct link to how employees think about their work. An ordinary linear office space can make the tasks of employees monotonous and boring. On the other hand, adding a bit of casualness can make the atmosphere “lighter” in which to work.
  • Welcoming to Clients – One of the goals for creating a casual office design is to make the space friendly and welcoming to guests and clients. While decorating a reception area with marble and hard wood is professional, it can be seen as uncomfortable to some people. Choosing a design using lighter, more vibrant colors can set a welcoming and happy tone.

Casual Design Tips

  • Add Angles and Curves – Offices with cubicles all in a straight line are a thing of the past. Today’s office design centers on curves and angles to add an air of sophistication and to get rid of the monotonous and redundant ambiance.
  • Creative Lighting – Proper lighting is always important; however, it does not always have to come in long fluorescent tubes – which can be very boring. Today, lighting comes in a wide variety of colors and styles that can achieve a variety of looks and create certain moods in the workplace.
  • Furniture with Beveled Edges – Beveled-edged furnishing has a more positive aura than angled furniture. It is less intimidating and can be more interesting to look at than the typical angled type.

Avoid Dark Finishes – The color of the furniture also sets the mood in an office. Dark colors convey authority and professionalism; however, such colors can also set an unfriendly and uncomfortable atmosphere. Consider modern furniture that uses a wide variety of color to set a lighter mood.

  • Use Art Pieces – Avoid making the room look too big or too empty, as this can be very visually boring. Accentuate gaps and areas between walls with some interesting pieces of art.
  • Use a Natural Look – Nature also has a calming feeling that can be incorporated into an office space by bringing small plants into the design.

Balancing Tips

  • Be Casual Not Whimsical – When creating a casual look, it is easy to make the mistake of going overboard and creating something whimsical. Unless the business is a toy store, it is important not to get carried away and allow this to happen as it create an unprofessional appearance.
  • Design Business Appropriate – The type of business and the style used to furnish and decorate it should go together. If the office deals with health-related issues, then the dominant color should be white or light-colored to make it look neat.
  • Design Favorable for Employees and Customers – There are few established rules when creating a design; however, one thing that should always be considered is that the design should make the work environment conducive to both employees and clients.

Going casual is an effective strategy that can benefit both employees and clients; however, it is important to strike a perfect balance between casualness and professionalism to achieve the best results in a Dallas commercial office space!