Office space is always at a premium in overcrowded cities like London, so it makes sense to maximise the space you have before moving to accommodate more people.
Most businesses would not think of calling a commercial office interior design service, but it turns out that some furniture consultants have been offering this service for years, free of charge, as part of their furniture consultation.
Andrew Morgan, Managing Director of Corporate Furniture supplier Morgan Stewart Interiors, has been providing interior commercial design consultation services to businesses across the World for many years. He says businesses often look to to move before they needed to, because their office furniture layout does not optimise the space available.
Andrew, who has designed boardrooms for some of the World’s best known companies, as well as furnishing many UK schools and colleges explains:
“SME’s in particular often have a DIY approach to furniture planning, which can lead to inefficient usage of space, and cluttered rooms which don’t give the best impression to staff and visitors. First impressions count – but feeling cramped also affects wellbeing and productivity.
“A commercial interior design consultant knows how to make the most of every inch of space and every speck of light, to make commercial spaces feel comfortable, professional and airy. Re-designing your office interior will almost certainly accommodate more staff but there are other benefits too, like improved wellbeing and productivity – not to mention giving a better impression to clients and visitors.
Of course, the services of a commercial interior designer are likely to be expensive – aren’t they?
Andrew was quick to dispel this as a myth, explaining:
“Actually, I provide the workspace design service free as part of the furniture consultation process. We provide commercial office furniture to client’s bespoke requirements, and our experience and reputation gives us access to some of the better suppliers who are more choosy who they work with.
“I like to think of myself as a problem solver – and love an interior design challenge. In the photograph above, for example, this London industry association needed their corporate executive boardroom to impress. but the space needed to be flexible and easy for staff to reconfigure as needed. The setting included high ceilings and crystal chandeliers, so average ‘folding furniture’ would not have suited the environment. I was able to source modular mahogany and kevasingo tables with an ebony inlay that, despite the luxury finish, were a tip and tilt design, and high quality leather chairs. As you can see, the bespoke solution delivers an impressive executive boardroom that is remains flexible and easy for staff to move around.”
So the all-important question – is this bespoke furniture, with consultation, more expensive than buying ‘standard’ office furniture?
Andrew explains:
“It’s certainly cheaper than moving – but commercial office furniture won’t be the same price as your local DIY store. Our commercial office furniture is built to last, providing a solid, tax deductible investment that will continue to impress long after the veneer has worn off your cheap high street desk. The prices are competitive with other commercial furniture providers, and how much you want to spend is up to you.
“You can pay thousands for a luxurious, impressive desk and chair if you want to – and indeed, many of our boardroom and executive office furniture clients have done that. However we are very competitive at entry level and even there, our clients give us rave reviews because our interior design service gives the workspace a branded, airy feel – and the furniture is designed to be comfortable, providing adequate support for the user. For one desk or one hundred, for £500 or £500,000 our goal is to deliver a functional workspace – and it’s great that we can often help clients avoid moving costs while doing it.”
To get in touch with Andrew, visit the website or call 01932 786429.
All images are the copyright of Morgan Stewart Interiors