Guest Post - CREATE AN OFFICE SPACE THAT FEELS LIKE HOME

If you plan to give a makeover to your office space, this article might help you. I personally suggest you break the monotony of opting for the old school corporate office like theme and go for something that feels like home. Most of the people would love to work from their homes if they get a chance to. But wouldn’t it be great if they get the same cozy and homely atmosphere at the workplace. 

A person spends most of the day at the office. You might end up spending over 50 hours a week at your office. Therefore, it is very important that your workspace provide you with some comfort that you get at your home. Providing yourself and your employees a place where they get homely vibes will surely have a positive impact on work productivity. 

The following tips might help you design your office space that gives a homely experience to your employees. 

Don’t only go for the office chairs, add sofas into the furniture

Comfortable couches will help you break the monotony of your office space. These can be used in common areas where the employees can relax. Set them in a place with good lighting in peaceful ambient music. You might find your employees sipping coffee sitting on these couches. Also, this space can be a unique alternative to the monotonous conference rooms. 

A homely kitchen is what you need

A kitchen is the heart of every home. In many workplaces, there is no such place. However, domestic-styled kitchens with dining areas have become a new trend nowadays. The long dining tables add-on to the beauty of it. After office hours, you can sit and munch some snacks with your team in the kitchen. 

Ask your employees to decorate their cubicles 

One always places the pictures of the loved ones at home. The same can be done in the cubicles as well. You can place pictures of the employee’s parents, friends, family which will cheer them up and bring a smile to their faces. Also, try out different frames and design it like you design the walls of your home. Keep adding the photos and keep updating your collection. 

Fill up the bulletin board 

Add your favorite quotes, pictures with the staff, the fun moments, the person that inspires you and all the things that make you happy. It is quite amazing that looking at some pictures and motivational messages changes your mood drastically. 

Bring in fresh flowers and plants

Putting in some greenery in your office will add more life to the boring formal environment. The flowers are an add-on to the colors of your workspace. Don’t go for artificial flowers for decoration purposes. Alternate it with fresh flowers you like and don’t forget to take care of them daily. Do not worry if you are tight on budget for fresh flowers. Bring in more and more houseplants. 

Healthy snacks for munching are a must 

What do you do most of the time when you are at home? Eat! Keeping dry fruits or any other healthy snack in the office for the employees will make them feel at home. Also, it will surely keep the energy levels of the employees who love to work late in the evening. 

The wall colors make a huge impact 

If you want to give your employees a homely experience in the workplace, do not go for boring and dull colors inside office space. Bring in some vibrant and soft tone colors. Not only the wall color, but the color scheme of accessories around also makes a huge difference. Also, one can experiment with different wall paintings. These are definitely a great alternative to the boring single color walls. 

Most importantly, the people around you will make the office space home. Therefore, take advice from them and ask for their favorites. Try to provide the environment they want. 

The lighting should complement the walls 

Use bulbs of different shapes and place them accordingly. Do not rely more on the natural daylight in your office. Try something unique and different for every place in the office. Do not place white LED lights all around the office. 

Board games and playing cards are really important

Do not let your employees become “corporate robots”. A stress-releasing factor is really important. Bring in several board games and playing cards and give the employees some time to spend with each other. Bringing video games can be risky as your employees might end up without doing any work at the end of the day. 

Author Bio:

Manav Bansal is working as Creative Content Writer at FourModules for last two years. He has been writing on various topics related to IELTS, PTE, CELPIP and CAEL exams. Other than this, he loves to write about health, lifestyle and technology.

5 Ideas To Make A Bedroom Cozy

No matter how extroverted, outgoing, and sociable you are, at the end of a busy day, you need a space to unwind, relax, and refresh yourself. This place is your bedroom – for most of us, it's a sanctuary, safe haven, and private place of retreat. We spend nearly a third of our lives sleeping, and it's important to have a neat, comfortable, cozy, and well-decorated bedroom. 

Bedrooms are important because:

• They are purpose-built for sleep, relaxation, and privacy

• They provide a sanctuary when you want some Me Time

• They are a private space for you to read, work on hobbies, etc.

How To Create An Air of Coziness

The adjective "cozy" refers to a state of being comfortable and snug. It can also define a place that's inviting, welcoming, and intimate and promotes an air of restfulness and relaxation. 

A large room can often feel impersonal, overwhelming, and cold. We have to work hard at making this space feel welcoming. This would need extra furniture, soft furnishing, rugs, carpets, drapery, artwork to fill large wall spaces, and huge beds. 

With smaller rooms, the challenge is about striking a balance between coziness and clutter. 

Here are five great ideas that would help you make your bedroom look cozy:

1. Ceiling and Wall Treatment: Conventional wisdom dictates that a lighter color palette offers a feeling of openness and space. However, this doesn't mean that you have to restrict yourself to the spectrum's blue or gray end. Pick warmer, earth tones in lighter shades and play with different colors to create interesting effects. It's important to keep the walls in a lighter shade to open up space, but you can certainly choose a richer tone for the ceiling. If you want to make a statement, select an eye-catching hue such as dull gold or copper to draw the eye upwards. Just make sure that you use it judiciously to avoid a busy look. Ceilings are often described as the fifth wall in a room, and they can pull the room in or push it out.

2. Textures and Materials: Wood and terracotta in the right shades provide the "earth connection" for human beings and gives the feeling of a safe place to rest in. Use wood flooring in lighter hues, with a darker trim closer to the ceiling. Horizontal or vertical paneling on an accent wall gives the optical illusion of space. Terracotta or open brick gives warmth and solidity to a wall. Again, don't overdo these materials, or you could end up with a crowded feel.

Use natural fabrics such as jute, cotton, or silk for your soft furnishings, throws, duvets, bedcovers, and draperies. 

3. Reflecting Surfaces: Mirrors should form an important part of a small bedroom. Place them strategically to reflect either open windows, doors, or corridors that lead to other areas. This tricks the eye into believing there's more space than there is. Use a light mirror for enhanced reflectiveness.

4. Floor Management: Ensure that you keep as many things off the floor as possible. Choose a low-level bed to increase the vertical space. If you need other furniture in the room, purchase items with legs that allow a floor view. Avoid tall, free-standing objects and bedside tables and lamps. Use the wall space instead.

5. Soft Edges: In practical terms, it's possible to constantly bump into furniture and things in a small room. Keep yourself safe and comfortable by choosing furniture and other items with soft, rounded edges. This creates a more gentle and cozy ambiance. Ensure that the mattress is comfortable and soft and that your bed doesn't have hard or sharp corners. 

Tips for Furnishing Your First Home

Striking out on your own by moving into a new home is a rite of passage for many. Whether you’re moving into a new house, apartment, condo, or any of the other types of residences, you will need to decorate your new place to reflect your style. But it can be hard to know what to do with all your new space. Here are four tips for furnishing your first home that will transform your new place into your favorite space in no time.

A Fresh Coat of Paint

When starting any new project, it is best to begin with the basics: the walls and floors. Painting any walls or replacing any flooring will be much easier if you do it before you bring in any furniture or decor. Keep a list of any changes that you want to make to figure out what projects are higher on your priority list than others.

Where To Use Furniture

Just like real estate, furniture is all about location. The design style of your home will play a big part in where you put your furniture. While there are many reasons design is important, try to remember that function should always win the day.

Organization Is Key

Throughout the moving process, keeping your possessions organized might be the most important tip for furnishing your first home. Start your move by deciding what pieces of furniture you want to keep and what to get rid of. The less you have, the less you’ll need to keep track of. When you are unpacking, try to keep similar items together. Labeling boxes with the appropriate room, as well as specific contents, will help you find things when you are looking for them.

Prioritize Your Purchases

Decorating your home can quickly become expensive if you decide to purchase all the furniture at once. It’s more practical to spread out your purchases. Prioritize the rooms that get the most use, typically the living room and the bedroom.

4 Simple Ways To Improve Your Bedroom’s Look and Layout

Our bedrooms are at the heart of our relaxation and rejuvenation efforts. However, if they remain cluttered and visually unappealing, it can affect how we unwind and, ultimately, rest. Fortunately, there are various things that you can do to update this space and ensure it meets your needs. These are some simple ways to improve your bedroom’s look and layout so that you can turn it into the organized sanctuary you deserve.

Remove the Clutter

The first step to any successful bedroom makeover is to purge the area of any unnecessary items, such as old clothes, books, and even dingy sheets. This is the best way to ensure that, no matter how you decide to rearrange the space, it will be neat and organized. Decluttering will also make the room easier to clean in the future and, overall, make it appear more put-together. So make sure that you devote some time to going through the belongings you keep in the bedroom and deciding whether they’re worth keeping.

Paint It a New Color

Giving your walls a new splash of color is also a simple way to improve your bedroom’s look. Though it might not seem like a large change at first, color can have a variety of effects on the body—like providing us with more energy. Since this specific area of the home should promote relaxation and rest, consider using one of the best colors for sleep. Depending on your design preferences, your choices may include blues, yellows, greens, and even whites.

Rearrange Your Furniture

Once these steps are complete, you can then provide your bedroom with a more organized layout by experimenting with furniture arrangements. It’s common for us to want to stick with the same floorplan we’ve become so familiar with. But by switching things up once in a while, we can discover new and creative ways to use that space. The right configuration may even offer a few extra feet of room and more options for what you can do with it.

Add Some Artwork

Like a new wall color, the addition of wall art can infuse a room with a calming atmosphere. This is essential to ensuring our minds stay clear of worry—allowing us to get a quality night’s sleep. When choosing these pieces, make sure that they suit your overall design tastes. However, you won’t want to hang anything that’ll become a distraction to you or remind you of outside stressors.