If you are like lots of workers, you will spend a lot of time in your office or open plan workspace. If the office decor consists of blank walls, that can be uninspiring to say the least. Sure there will be people who will say “Less is more” when it comes to office decor and the accounting types who want to see charts with numbers on how the business is performing rather than some thought provoking art..
Inspire your team with art…
Organising your workspace to be a more user friendly space, can lead to greater productivity, often caused by more relaxed and happier staff. Of course you need to consider the visitors as well so be aware of how your organisation’s image is communicated. Go back 40 years and calendars of scantily clad females would have been considered ok. Now, that would be considered a no no.
Often a great deal of thought is put into the chairs, tables and such even the pot plants or perhaps a fish tank. But the walls can be somewhat unnoticed.
Lets face it many of us didn’t listen carefully while the art teacher was asking us to explore colour, line, tone shapes, form and composition… We may not have cared that much. But now if we find ourselves in charge of the decor in the office we wish we did pay more attention.
I guess the aim is to provide a relaxing and stimulating environment, not aiming to shock or disturb. Oh and remember it can be tax deductible as well.
Here are a few points to consider when selecting art for your walls.
- There’s decoration, there’s art and so much more – It goes something like this, if you paid too little for it, it’s probably decoration, it might be a simple print on canvas or paper that looks nice, but will probably fade. Then there’s a picture picked up from a relative or friend who ‘dabbles’ in paint. Sometimes called a Sunday painter. Then there’s works where artists have poured their heart and soul into exploring the human condition and expressing it through art. I’d like to think you might prefer to choose the latter. Be careful in your selection, your staff may well judge you on your choices, do you want to be thought of as a connoisseur or a cheap skate?
- Original works can go up in value – Although I would not advise people to buy art just for investment alone, it can happen. First and perhaps foremost you should like it. Then your team should connect with it too. Framing original works requires special consideration. Read more here.
- Does it fit to the organisations guidelines? – Think in terms of the values and beliefs of the organisation, if you run a medical centre, images of people suffering in some war inspired image might be pushing the boundaries. Perhaps get images to share with your team first before making a commitment.
- Statement pieces can add a wow factor – Big bold pieces can make a room come alive, in this case big can be better. Vibrant colours, bold paint textures and an engaging composition can be a positive talking point for customers and staff. Make sure you have it framed it properly though!
- Explore before you decide – There are literally hundreds of Artists creating all manner of works and exhibiting, from realistic to abstract and a whole lot in between. If you are not sure what you want, use an art consultant or an interior designer to assist in the process. Choosing Australian Artists can have a positive flow on effect.
- You could hire it – There are organisations that come to you and provide an art rental service, this way you can get a variety of artworks. Ensuring the staff don’t get complacent or uninspired by images they find boring. Office decor that can change with current art trends.
Take a look at your work spaces and consider what might be possible. Perhaps you want works you can move about that suit a range of work areas. If you want to inspire your team, show you care with some well thought out images and concepts.
If you would like assistance in creating an inviting workspace using framed art we can help. Our design team will come to you. We can plan your specific decor and design needs. On time and in budget.
Steve Gray