7 interior design tips for your office

Do you want to create a nice and productive workplace? Here are some tips for your office design.

1) Lighting

First of all, remember that lights are very important in your workplace. A well lit space is essential to help maintain a good work environment. Natural light makes people happier: so, when you come to design your office, make the most of the sunlight with windows, skylights and glass walls. You will even save on your electric bill!

2) Office furniture

Choose appropriate furniture for your business. There are lots of possible solutions around, so before you contact your interior designer, think about the best way to organised spaces in your office in order to ease the workflow, and consider a possible expansion.

3) Safety

Most employees spend more than 8 hours a day sitting in front of a computer and this can cause various health problems, in particular back pain. It’s important to choose furniture specifically designed for offices, which takes into account ergonomics,

4) Color

Neutral colors are the most popular in offices, but they are not the only choice. Light blue can help concentration, and if you are always in contact with your customers, interior designers also recommend a touch of extra color for your office design. A dash of red or orange gives energy.

5) Meeting room

In addition to offices, you'll need a place in your business dedicated to meetings. The exchange of ideas fosters creativity and ensures the success of your projects. The interior design of this conference room needs to be accurate and smart and it also needs the right furniture.

6) Recreational space

Create some space where employees can relax for a few minutes on their coffee break. In this case, your interior design should recreate a natural environment; add a little green with some plants or flowers.

7) Branding

Your office should talk about you. Even your interior design is a very effective way to communicate your values ​​to employees, customers and visitors. Don’t forget to brand it!

Reference: http://www.colombinicasa.com/en/gusto-italiano/interiors/7-interior-design-tips-your-office

5 Tips to Perfect Outdoor Lighting

Gardens look beautiful in bright sunshine but at night, a garden needs lighting to look its best. Like indoor lighting garden lighting is a combination of ambient and task lighting. Ambient lighting sets the overall mood of the garden by maintaining the overall light levels. While task lights do contribute to ambient lighting they also light up specific areas. Pendant lights over the outdoor grill or lights along a pathway are common examples of task lighting. Like indoor lighting outdoor lighting also follows a few rules.

Identify Lighting Requirements

Lighting up a landscaped garden isn’t as simple as placing a lot of lights around the garden. Lighting is needed to not only make a garden look better but also to keep it safe. Identify the areas that need to be lit up and elements that can create shadows. Make a note of areas you frequent to make sure they are well lit and dark areas that can by safety issues. Lighting can also be used to enhance architectural features of the garden like trellises, gazebos and steps.

Choose Materials Wisely

When choosing light features for outdoor lighting, materials play an important role. Choose long lasting materials that can withstand natural elements like rust and water. Avoid using lamp fixtures made from materials like iron and instead choose fixtures made of non corrosive weather resistant materials. Copper, stainless steel and brass are the most preferred materials when it comes to outdoor lighting. Though these materials will last a lifetime, be prepared for the gradual patina that will develop over them with time.

Avoid Creating Glares

Lights that create a glare keep visitors from appreciating the beauty of a garden and are safety risks as well. To avoid creating a glare, choose fixtures that shield the light source. It is always better to see the effect of the light without seeing the light source. Place pathway lights below eye level. Also ensure that none of the outdoor lights are shining into a window or glass surface.

Control The Lights

There are two aspects to controlling outdoor lighting. Firstly, lighting must be controlled in terms of when they are switched on and off to make the garden eco friendly. Lighting can be controlled in a number of ways including dimmers, motion sensors and energy saving timers. The second aspect of controlled lighting is to control the direction of the light. When planning the outdoor lighting scheme, consider the next door garden as well and do not let your light overflow into the neighboring space.

Hide The Wires

Solar lights are the easiest to install in a garden since they do not have any wiring requirements. For other lights bury the wiring at least 18 inches below the soil. For wall mounted lights that have wiring that cannot be concealed pin all wires tightly to the wall in straight lines.

Lastly match the style of outdoor light fixtures with your interior design style. For example, Lanterns and acorn style lamps are ideally paired to classic themed interiors while globe lights are better suited to contemporary styled homes.

Reference: https://nestopia.com/blog/5-tips-to-perfect-outdoor-lighting/