Tag: workspace

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Expert Tips Furniture

Jen’s tips for a comfortable, functional workspace you’ll love

Sponsored by Officeworks

I’ve partnered with Officeworks to help Australians take control of their workspace as they embark on a new and exciting financial year. Here are my top 12 tips to mastering an organised and productive space…

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1. Choose the right chair Opt for a chair that can be adjusted to suit both the height of your desk and your body, such as the Hummingbird Baku Chair. If you’re in a space with rugs or carpet, a chair with wheels can be impractical so consider your flooring when selecting one!

2. Measure up To get the most out of your office area, ensure the style and size of your furniture suits the room. Corner desks work well in small spaces, whereas a wall to wall desk may be better suited to a larger or narrow room. Make the most of under desk space with storage options like mobile filing drawers and pedestals.

3. Give yourself space Maintain spatial awareness when setting up your desk space – you don’t want to be cramped up facing a wall day in day out. If possible, face a window that offers a long-distant view. This will give your eyes the opportunity to shift focus away from the screen, which is necessary at least every 30 minutes. You’ll find that this simple exercise will boost both your concentration and mood.

4. Kick it to the side A sideboard can be a fantastic storage option, while looking great. They also provide benchtop space for desk lamps or the perfect spot for a wireless printer. These act as great ‘work stations’ which encourage intermittent exercise.

5. Look after yourself It’s important to remember that exercise will increase both your mental and physical wellbeing at work, making you more productive and focused in the office. Stay stimulated by making a conscious effort to get up and move every half hour. A great way to monitor this is to wear a Fitbit Charge HR Activity Tracker.

6. Lighten up Have a variety of lighting sources available for your work space – we draw energy from our surroundings. A window offering natural light and fresh air is ideal however a desk lamp can be useful for task lighting, especially in the late afternoons or mornings (depending on which direction your window faces).

7. Less is more Choose multifunctional equipment such as an all-in-one wireless printer with scanning, faxing and copying capabilities. These devices will also allow you to easily print from computers, phones and tablets – wherever, whenever. Additionally, an all-in-one desktop computer with a built-in hard drive looks neat and frees up space under the desk.

8. Remove tangled cords Wireless tech will free up desk space, reduce messy cables and increase overall efficiency. Think cordless for your phone, keyboard, mouse – almost anything can be wireless these days!

9. Set the mood Know what sort of acoustic environment makes you most productive – are you more focused in total silence or thrive with music on? If no noise is your preference, invest in noise-cancelling headphones or if music keeps you motivated, a small set of wireless desktop speakers are perfect for the office.

10. Let the Mailman take care of it Keep on top of admin by ensuring an efficient mail system is in place. Setting up an incoming and outgoing tray will avoid small parcels being forgotten or lost – no one likes paying late fees! When it’s time to post the mail, take advantage of Officeworks’ new Mailman service. It allows you to buy labels online 24/7 and drop parcels off in your own time – no more long queues or rushing to meet business trading hours!

11. Manage for safe keeping Regardless of whether your paperwork is in hard or soft copy, it’s important that you’re filing and securing documents. Desktop filing is best kept within arm’s reach for current projects, however old files should be organised into labelled storage boxes and stacked away. The same approach should be applied to filing soft copies and regular back-ups are crucial. Digital files can be saved using a number of storage solutions such as USBs, portable hard drives or via Cloud.

12. Maintain a ‘to-do list’ Set up a white board in your office to create a visual and updateable to-do list. Alternatively, make the most of the calendar app on your smartphone or tablet, by linking it to your mailbox diary – enabling you to receive deadline reminders and on-the-go notifications.

Head to officeworks.com.au/workstyle to find out more.

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Expert Tips

How to: make a terrarium for your home or workspace

Adding a little bit of nature to your home or workspace can truly do wonders. Not only are plants and flowers beautiful, they can add some much-needed life to a dull, drab and dark interior. But, if like me you don’t have the best track record when it comes to keeping plants alive don’t lose hope! A terrarium is the perfect answer. Not only are they easy to maintain, they are super easy to make. Follow these nine simple steps and get some greenery into your space.

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Materials:

  • 1 plant
  • 1 glass globe
  • 1 bag potting soil (approx. 6cm thick for each terrarium)
  • 1 bag pebbles/gravel (approx. 3.5cm thick)
  • 1 bag activated charcoal (thin layer)
  • 1 pair of gloves
  • 1 small shovel
  • 1 spray bottle

How to make a terrarium:

Step 1: Once you have decided on a container it is important to clean it, making sure there are no stickers, grime or dirt that could affect the life of your plant.

Step 2: Fill the bottom of your container with 1 to 1.5 inches of small rocks. This will collect the water drainage. Pebbles or gravel can be used as they both allow drainage of water. Choose stones that are small to allow the most effective drainage.

Step 2
Step 2

Step 3: Add some activated charcoal, not much is needed just enough to cover the rocks. This will keep your terrarium alive and healthy.

Step 4: Add potting mix as the next layer. Make sure enough is added to allow the roots of the plant to grow. It should be about 2.5 inches deep.

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Step 4

Step 5: Lightly pat it down to remove air pockets and make a level surface. Be aware of what plant you intend to use, as some require special types of potting mix.

Step 6: Using a small shovel or your hands, dig a small hole in the terrarium to insert the plant. Make sure the hole is big enough to fit the roots of the plant.

Step 7: Gently place the plant in the hole. Fill in any gaps with extra potting mix and gently pat down to secure the plant.

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Step 7

Step 8: Add any extra decorations or accessories to make your terrarium look how you want. Make sure everything is firmly placed or planted to allow growth. Moss, pebbles or sand are great to make it look like a real garden.

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Step 8

Step 9: Lightly spray your terrarium to add moisture.

All materials are available at Bunnings. For more information.

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Designers Furniture

Fashion meets furniture in G-Star RAW and Vitra’s office range

Dutch fashion house G-Star RAW and Swiss furniture manufacturer Vitra have collaborated for the second time.

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Following the success of their home collection in 2011, their second crossover, Prouvé Raw Office Edition, places the focus firmly on workspace furniture.

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Reviving a series of furniture and lighting originally designed by Jean Prouvé, Vitra have adapted the designer’s furnishings to meet today’s office norms and needs, while teaming up with G-Star to develop colours and details.

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Several industrial shades of green, leather and fabric upholstery materials pay tribute to the origins of these furnishings. Made of steel and solid wood, the tables, chairs and cabinets in the Prouvé RAW Office Edition bear witness to a bygone industrial age.

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The Prouvé RAW Office Edition features 10 different designs, including office chairs, lamps and desks. Authenticated with a special edition label, the furniture and lighting in the Prouvé RAW Office Edition is available now.

Shop online.

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Designers

Beautiful, New York loft inspired workspace

You spend such a big part of your life at work so you want it to look pretty!

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Architect and property developer Adelene Teh (of Beulah International) is a big believer that staff are the most innovative and productive when happy and relaxed. So with that in mind, she has created a professional yet inspiring workspace, transforming a bare 1960s Melbourne office into a beautiful, New York loft inspired space.

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Boasting a mixture of both monochrome and earthy tones, Beulah International’s office features high ceilings, a greenery wall and stunning high double volume windows that saturate the space with natural light. “My vision was to create a space that people love to work in and a space that encourages interaction, team work and communication,” explains Adelene. “This is achieved through the juxtaposition of corporate and residential design characteristics.”

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Featuring a curved work station that encourages staff to collaborate and communicate as a team, the kitchen has also been placed in the middle of the office, enabling shared conversations and shared ideas over a meal.

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With a distinct colour palette of grey textured concrete, stunning black lines from the framed glazed walls, warm walnut tones throughout the timber wall paneling and beautiful ash grey timber flooring, the homely yet professional feel of the office is complimented by Adelene’s choice of black furnishings, stunning Danish-designed boardroom chairs and a lush greenery wall.

As developers of high-end luxurious developments, Beulah International’s vision of delivering beautiful yet functional spaces is reflected in all aspects of their business, including their office.

For more information.

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Designers

Beautiful, bright and bold Brisbane coworking space

Brisbane's Gravity

Gravity, a luxury members only coworking environment, launched in Sydney early last year. Located in the much sought-after CBD building 50 Carrington, the space was designed by interior designer Jacqui Esdaile of Valmont.

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Sydney’s Gravity

Here, home-style furniture in rich tones and textures contrasts against a minimalist interior with polished concrete floors and minted grey walls. Floor to ceiling glass panels conceal private meeting rooms, while a central break-out area homes a high-end mess hall/brassiere.

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Sydney’s Gravity

And now Gravity has opened its second office in the heart of Brisbane’s CBD at 140 Creek Street. Recognising the need for a local narrative for Gravity’s second space, Jacqui has echoed the design cues from the Sydney predecessor, whilst subtlety referencing the Queensland culture — that being inherently bright, bold and welcoming.

Brisbane's Gravity
Brisbane’s Gravity

The aspirational work environment, which features a bright open plan formal reception area, dedicated team meeting rooms and a central break-out kitchen and dining room — all finished with high-specification materials, drop pendant lighting and local Queensland plant foliage — is the first of its kind for the Brisbane market.

Brisbane's Gravity
Brisbane’s Gravity

Next, Jacqui will be applying the finishing touches to renderings for a Melbourne site, aiming to have each address have its own identity, the way each of our states have.

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Brisbane’s Gravity

For more information.

Categories
Designers Expert Tips Homewares Styling

10 ways to create the perfect home office

The home office is often the nerve centre of your home. Whether it’s your primary workplace, an area to pay the bills or a kids’ homework hub, it undoubtedly plays a very important role. It is therefore pivotal that it is an inspiring and functional environment. Officeworks has partnered with one of Australia’s most highly regarded interior architects, David Flack of Flack Studio, to demonstrate how to create a stylish home office look for less, and help Australians across the nation love the space they work in. Here are his top ten tips:

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1. Invest in high quality furniture. It goes without saying that it needs to be practical, but injecting a little bit of fun or luxury will be an enjoyable point of difference. Opt for quality that can stand the day-in, day-out of family activity – this doesn’t always mean an expensive price tag either.

2. Cohesion is what keeps a workspace humming along. Aligning all your stationery and accessories to a colour group or style range ensures that your office looks uncluttered, organised and inviting.

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3. Always consider texture. Select practical, simple and durable finishes. Layer different textures to create warmth and visual interest – not everything has to match.

4. Lighting makes a big impact on the feel of a room. Adequate task lighting is essential, but overly bright spaces can be an assault on the senses. Wherever possible, let natural light in to create a balanced ambiance.

5. Keep it simple. Reduce the amount of ideas you have for your space – pick the best one and stick to it. A singular vision with repetition is often most effective.

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6. Look at beautiful things. Having artwork on the walls makes an invaluable contribution to the feel of a space. A large, striking photograph in a minimal frame can take care of this. Try hanging a print of your own – it’s so easy to do using the Officeworks print and copy services.

7. It’s all in the detail. Small, nuanced touches like indoor plants or fresh flowers, a scented candle, family mementoes, stacks of beautiful books, and loose sculptural objects bring personality and liveliness to a home office environment.

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8. Break-out spaces are ideal for re-energising. Doing some work in a different, pleasant spot away from your desk can be invigorating. Even just a feature chair by a quiet window could be the solution.

9. Balance. Strike a balance between personal cues and a professional environment to promote productivity.

10. Music can make all the difference. Wherever possible, try to listen to music that makes you feel inspired and enlivened. Officeworks has some great quality portable speakers that are also visually appealing.

— David Flack of Flack Studio is one of Australia’s top interior architects and alongside Officeworks, is passionate about helping the nation create workspaces they’re proud of. 

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Designers Furniture Interviews

A peek inside Incy Interiors’ converted mill workspace

Here at Interiors Addict we are big fans of Incy Interiors. Their furniture is nothing other than beautiful, so we knew their new workspace wouldn’t be any different. We were right!

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Located in an old flour mill in Bathurst, founder Kristy Withers actually stumbled upon the space two years ago, when she used it for a photoshoot. “When we did the shoot, it was a big open space in need of lots of love. It was dirty, freezing and had no internal walls, but it completely made up for the sub-zero temperature and dirt with its rustic charm.”

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Jump forward a couple of years and with the Incy Interiors team having to be out of their old office pronto, Kristy couldn’t think of any better space to call home work! “I returned from a trip to China on the Monday and we needed to be out of our old office on the Friday. We already had one of the desks from the recent Life Instyle trade show, so it all started with the desk. We made a decision as a team that the space would have a scandi/neutral theme with copper accents and from there we sat down and figured out all of the elements. 10 days later we had a fully decked out office.”

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Clean and clutter free: “I have a severe case of OCD so this is my idea of heaven!” Kristy didn’t realise how important a beautiful workspace was, until she had one. “We have only been here for three weeks and I can already tell the entire team is energised and excited about coming to work and all of the opportunities available to us.”

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Primarily used as an office, customers are more than welcome to pop in, say hi and pick up an order. And with Kristy originally having discovered the space for a photoshoot, she is keen to take it back to its roots. “The space is perfect for photoshoots so we are planning on doing them here weekly with the products we will be focused on for that week.”

Watch this space!

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Designers House Tours Interviews

A glimspe inside Sabo Skirt’s fashionable workplace

Having worked in some rather tired looking offices, I can confidently say that working in a beautiful space can make all the difference! And it turns out I’m not alone in this thought, with the fashion duo behind Sabo Skirt, Thessy Kouzoukas and Yiota Karalouka, having recently renovated their own office to create a space that is both beautiful and functional.

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Thessy and Yiota

“We all work fairly long hours so it was important for us to have a workspace that is comfortable and inspiring,” explains Thessy. “We find that when our surroundings are beautiful, everyone feels more motivated to achieve better and bigger things.”

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Situated in the industrial precinct of Brisbane, the office was bought with the vision to re-model in mind. “The Sabo Skirt aesthetic hugely inspired us,” says Yiota. “We wanted to inject this aesthetic into our daily workspace, including bright colours with clean backdrops. It’s basically a white and gold wonderland with gorgeous feature walls, gold accents, flowers and a full glass wall, which lets plenty of sunlight in and gives us an extensive outlook of the warehouse area.”

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Designed by the girls themselves, they chose not to get external help, knowing they understood the Sabo Skirt style best. Aiming to create a comfortable working environment with plenty of natural light as well as a fully functional kitchen, they began the design process by determining what aspects of an office their workspace required and also getting any special requests from their staff. “Once we had a list of what the space needed, we began knocking down walls and bringing everything back to basics,” explains Thessy. “Our decorative vision started with a clean, white workspace and we then added lots of colourful accents. Each corner has its own theme, a different aspect of Sabo Skirt injected into each area.”

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With the space very multipurpose, the girls believe their business now runs much smoother, thanks to everyone being based on the one beautifully designed site. “We use the space for all aspects of Sabo Skirt,” says Thessy. “We can see the warehouse through the large glass window, we take Instagram photos in the reception area for our 1.1 million followers and we have our operations and creative teams on site working in the main room. We’re so happy with how it turned out.”

Shop at Sabo Skirt.

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House Tours

Jen & Olivia’s Officeworks desk makeover

Brought to you by Officeworks

This is an interiors blog so when we hear the word makeover, we think: make something look nicer. So when Officeworks set us a makeover challenge for a workspace, what it would look like (colour scheme etc) were top of mind. That said, the neat freak in me knows that one of the keys to a tidy and good looking room is having a place for everything and everything in its place. So with this in mind, as I’m currently overseas in Europe, editorial assistant Olivia Shead (in Sydney) and I approached this as a team effort!

What better excuse than a new financial year to give your workspace a fresh new look and a declutter and organise? It’s like back when you were at school and you bought a new pencil case and notebook and vowed to only write it in your very best handwriting. And while even the prettiest desks will probably end up drowning in bits of paper eventually, it feels good to start with the best intentions!

For me personally, this time of year means scrabbling around for tax and super-related paperwork and wishing I had been more organised for the past 12 months. And being self-employed brings with it more responsibility for your own paperwork, like it or not! As well as keeping just about everything else together. There is no office cleaner (oh yeah, that’s me!) or in-house accountant.

I scoured the Officeworks website for pretty yet practical items to create a tidy, functional and good looking desk set up and Olivia set it up in her home workspace. Let’s face it, if you’re lucky enough (in our opinion) to work from home, being able to choose the less corporate items is a major bonus. While in my life as an employee and manager I often visited my local Officeworks to buy essentials, my boss would definitely have frowned if I’d returned with everything in hot pink. Well, now I’m my own boss, looky what happened!

I decided on a stylish scheme of hot pink and aqua with some white to stop it getting out of control. I already knew about the brand’s Philosophy range which is always full of on-trend stationery and desk items, but was delighted to discover the Martha Stewart range too. Who knew?! Officeworks are full of surprises. Their new furniture range contains some good looking, affordable finds such as the Kirby Heartwood Desk (very Scandinavian, no?) for just $163, and the retro-style Hummingbird Evoque Slide Out Desk for $167.

What we bought:

(*The cat is the journalist’s own).

While our makeover was very stationery, desk and fashion-focused, Officeworks has everything you need for a home office, whether it’s a corner of a student’s bedroom or something altogether larger and more functional. Need a new laptop, printer, laminator or whiteboard? Tick, tick, tick, tick! All of this and more is available at Officeworks, alongside their many services, such as printing, easy parcel delivery (saving you from queuing at the post office) and access to tech support. If you’re working from home we assume you don’t have the luxury of a meeting room for clients. Did you know many Officeworks stores offer this too? I had no idea!

If you like a bright and cheerful desk like ours, check out this video with tips on how to add colour to your workspace:

Of course, you want to see the less pretty before photo too, don’t you? Here you go…

WIN

If this has left you inspired to master your workspace and you’d like the chance to win a $100 Officeworks voucher to get you started, comment below, answering the question: how will you master your workspace? Entries close 5pm on Tuesday 12 August 2014. Terms & conditions.

Share your own workspace inspiration on social media using the hashtag #mastermyworkspace

 

Categories
Designers House Tours Styling

Inspiring workspace tour with interior designer Kim Pearson

Today, we have a real treat of a workspace tour for you! This divine space belongs to WA interior designer and stylist Kim Pearson who just oversaw a beautiful revamp of her new space in the heart of Perth’s design hub, Chelsea Village in Nedlands. Come inside…

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Kim approached her own studio with the same meticulous attention to detail reserved for her clients’ projects. “I used a combination of existing and new pieces — a 19th Century French sofa re-covered in floral linen, a Victorian English armchair recovered in a beautiful autumnal watercoloured Italian cotton, a new custom feather-filled sofa upholstered in vintage teal velvet designed by me, and an oval extendable pedestal table purchased for $50 (yes!) on Gumtree that I had sprayed satin white for client meetings.”

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There’s also classic French cafe chairs, an old fireplace she found, painted white and filled with blackboard in place of the fire, custom pine trestle tables and Ikea shelving. “I also collected lots of beautiful, precious and not-so-precious vintage and antique china for tea, coffee, cake and client lunch meetings.” Don’t you just wish you were one of Kim’s clients?!

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Local printmaker Magali Dincher, of Beau est Mien in William Street, Northbridge, was commissioned to paint the florals on the front and back windows. “I wanted the studio wrapped front and back with flowers for winter — why not!? — as a celebration of beauty and joy. Goodness knows we need it with all that’s going on in the world. I thought it would be fun and make me, and others I hope, happy.”

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This space is not your average studio/office/showroom. In fact, Kim calls it a multi-passionate, multi-disciplinary, multi-directional design service for interiors! “We are a truly bespoke boutique practice and bring each and every client and project the finest attention to detail and results — beautiful, exciting, original and functional,” she adds. “We’ve recently completed some fabulous and diverse projects from the first ferry re-launch of the iconic Rottnest Express ferry fleet, to a Fremantle harbourside cafe and grill housed in an original cargo shed, to a series of beautiful family Perth homes, character and new.”

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Established in 2002, Kim Pearson Design’s new 2014 home is conveniently within easy reach of some the finest fabric agencies and designers in the state. Open by appointment “or by chance,” prospective customers are always welcome to pop in for a chat and a cup of tea or coffee (and cake!).

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Kim Pearson | Suite 3, Chelsea Village, 145 Stirling Highway, Nedlands WA 6009.