Key Office Trends for 2014

New office trends are taking the emphasis off the items found in offices and catering more for the needs of people.

Collaboration and Accessibility
The corner office is no longer the pinnacle achievement.  Employees find it out of touch and isolating, and the same concept applies to cubicles. How your workspace is designed says a lot about your business, how your team works, and is also an extension of your brand. Choosing an open-plan, more accessible office style gives greater potential to collaboration and ‘open minds.’

Flexibility and Sustainability
Flexibility is a crucial element in office space, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses. Consideration should be given to striking a balance between complete openness and the option of using use a more intimate area for one-to-one meetings.  This will create a more sustainable office space for your business.

The Gen Y Workforce
It is predicted by 2020, employment will be dominated by Generation Y, who will comprise 42 per cent of the workforce. As a cohort that excels in multi-tasking and multi-channeling, organisations will need to re-think how they communicate and connect with these employees.
Gen Y workers value authenticity and resonate with work environments that place greater significance on people as opposed to furniture. With the predicted high employer turnover for Gen Y, and associated costs for companies, it’s worth investing time into designing your office to reflect your values. In turn, this will attract the right team and increase the likelihood of longer service. With younger staff, expect a trend toward activity-based working, which allows movement between types of spaces.

The Dynamic Office
Today’s work culture is becoming increasingly diverse, as employees no longer have to be in the office to get the job done. Consequently, there will be a trend toward a workplace that can be configured to specific work needs. The worker who only sometimes comes into the office will be able to work comfortably using a pop-up work desk, which can be stored with their personal files and belongings in their absence. There will be an improved sense of belonging for all staff as they can share the workspace according to their needs.
Office trends are changing considerably to suit the worker demographic. To maximise workplace efficiency and retain quality staff, organisations need to remain aware of these changes to retain high quality staff.

Decoration and Design - Sydney 2014

We recently attended the Decoration and Design Expo in Sydney.  This was a great industry event and here we share the latest in interior products and furnishings.

Main colour trends seen across retailers was the continuing strong presence of mustard, yellow turquoise and teal in textiles , ceramics and glassware. Upholstery and cushioning were more textured , with embroidery and embellishment major themes.

MRD Home stand

              

Pad Home Concept stand  - 

Furniture fitted into three main categories , translated across retailers in varying styles.

1. Urban industrial
2. Cultural/tribal
3. Opulence

 Loft Stand 

1. Urban industrial

Seen in metal furniture and salvaged /recycled materials with colour twists, seen to best effect at Loft Furniture.

2. Cultural /Tribal

This trend was very prevalent in furniture, furnishings , artworks and accessories , none more so than Craft Enterprises, specialising in horn and skull accessories and tribal textiles.

Flooring also caught on to this trend with Armadillo launching their new Latitude Collection of rugs and runners inspired by travel and exotic cultures. Their new range sees three distinct designs made with Argentinian wool in bold colourways.

Armadillo’s representative indicated that this was an evolving homeware trend with people no longer afraid to add colour in their furnishings, but core neutrals in wool and hemp were still popular.

Armadillo @ Co  - 

 Craft Enterprises  

3. Opulence

Oversized furniture and extravagant use of mirrors and mirrored furniture was seen at several stands, particularly with a monochrome / dark palette.

 Café Lighting and Furniture

Natural materials in timber and rattan also appeared en masse with detailing and craftsmanship more in evidence.

We loved the outdoor wall art from Zarzie which is treated for UV and can withstand the Australian elements. Images range from outdoor scenes, nature and food and come both singularly and in triptych format.

Zarzie

Removeable wallpapers and decals  are a great idea for rental properties and come in many design categories, city landscapes , childrens , timber grain and nature finishes and also can be customised from your own digital photographs.

PVA and BPA  free the manufacturer indicates that the prints are fully moveable and reusable and can also be wiped clean with a damp cloth. The prints are applied to any clean flat surface so can also be applied to furniture such as fridges or mirrors.

The Wallpaper Company   

For more information on the event, please visit youtube.

Trends in Residential Architecture and Design in 2014

A number of trends evolved in late 2013 which we expect to continue in 2014.  I’d like to share a few of these trends with you.

1.    Special place to unwind

Increasingly, homeowners are investing in their property to create a sanctuary where they can get away from it all.  Specifically, designating a specific space for tranquil design, a space to relax and unwind.  This is being seen in bathroom design with spa bathrooms to transformations of areas once considered ‘dead space’ like under stairways.

2. Kitchen focus

In 2014 we’ll see the kitchen as the focal point of the house.  Homeowners often want the position of their kitchen in the centre of an open floor plan, especially as they start to use their kitchen space as a multi-tasking room.  By having the kitchen centred and open with dedicated IT areas, parents can help children with homework, talk or pay bills — all while making meals.

3.    Sustainable designs  

As we continue to see a rise in the cost of living, housing affordability and unpredictable climate conditions, long-term sustainable designs are increasingly desirable. Considerations to best minimise energy consumption such as windows positioned to attract winter sun to heat the home and appropriate eaves and awning design to keep the harsh summer sun out of the house should definitely be considered in your design. A well designed home can considerably reduce energy consumption.

Ruth Newman Architect specialises in Residential design.  We create inspired buildings and environments that bring your design vision to life while being respectful to your budget.  We work with you to explore new boundaries to ensure you get the most from your environment with designs that promote efficiency and solve the problems of space and function.

#artdeco feature in Designer Chicks

#artdeco Designer Chicks

I hope you are enjoying the holiday season. In case you missed it, click the link below to read my article in Designer Chicks - October, 2013. 

The Designer Chicks feature - page 18 & 19.

Ruth Newman Architect is proud to be part of the growing Designer Chicks and recently launched Designer Chicks in South Sydney. 

To find out more about Designer Chicks please visit their website.

Office space for your growing business

So your business has grown and you have decided to relocate your office or even open a new office for your business. You have found some space to lease that you think will suit your needs and then you think…

What do I do next?

How do I do it?

How do I find someone to help me?

Here we share information on selecting premises and getting you through the process as quickly and efficiently as possible whilst avoiding the common pitfalls along the way.

How much space will you need?

Prior to contacting agents and looking at potential sites for your business premises have a think about the size of your business now and the potential size at the end of your lease term. You should also consider the likely size of the business at the end of the lease options should you take them up.

As a rough guide you should allow approximately 15-20 square metres of floor space per staff member. This varies according to your business type and the requirements for the office such as the size of your workstations, the number of offices required, conference and meeting facilities and the shape of your tenancy.

The potential growth of your business can impact on the amount of space you are searching for. If you currently have 10 staff, and therefore find 150-200 square metres of office space with a 3 year lease but your business planning and growth projection indicate you will have 20 staff in 18 months, how will you accommodate the additional staff?

Termination of your lease and relocation to new premises can be an expensive exercise, as can the rental payments on office space that will not be used if your growth does not occur or you significantly downsize your business. This was a particular problem for IT Companies in the 1990’s.

Possible solutions to these dilemmas include:

1. Look for office space that has tenancies adjacent that you could expand into in the future if your growth exceeds expectations. Make sure that your lease states that you can have the option to take up that space if it becomes vacant. This is known as ‘first right of refusal’.

2. Make sure your lease allows you to sublease some of your lettable area in anticipation of business growth during the lease term or in the event of your business downsizing. If you are thinking subleasing may be an option for you take this into account in the design of the premises to allow separate access for the other tenants.

Leasing premises

When you are about to lease new premises you will need to assess the present and future needs of your business, as you would with other major decisions regarding planning for your future.

The leasing process can be a minefield for those who have not experienced it before, particularly if you are dealing with major property investors who have standard leases and potentially expensive clauses within these leases. Make sure you get legal advice regarding the lease from a solicitor experienced in commercial leasing before you sign anything.

When you and your legal representative start discussions with the agent regarding the lease of the proposed space there are many areas that can be negotiated to ensure that you get the best deal for your financial circumstances.

 

Lease Options

Leases are often agreed with a set initial term, say 5 years, with an option to extend the lease for another term, say 3 years, and perhaps another. This gives you flexibility to stay or leave at various stages depending on the growth of your business. It also gives you security of tenure in your leased space to know that you can operate from those premises for up to 11 years.

Generally a lease with options and/or longer terms will have a beneficial rental agreement.

Lessors works 

Some tenants prefer to ask the Landlord/Lessor to complete works on the tenancy before they take possession of the site. These works may include:

·      supply and installation of carpet

·      Installation of new ceiling and lighting

·      Painting throughout

·      Blinds on the windows

This usually increases the rental of the property over the term of the lease, however it decreases the initial capital cost of the fitout of the premises.

Alternatively, tenants may opt for the empty shell with bare concrete floors & block walls for a lower rental. Your accountant or financier should be able to advise you as to which of these options is the best for you.

You may also be in the situation of assessing two different properties where the leases are based on either the Lessor undertaking substantial works or receiving a tenancy where all fitout works are to be undertaken by the tenant. Discussion regarding initial capital costs versus higher rental with your financial advisor may assist you in selecting the right property for you.

Ruth Newman Architect can support you in deciding how much space you require, to source premises and maximise your space through effective design & fitout.  Contact us today on   02 9540 9959.

Ruth Newman Architect transforms their marketing material

Over the past few months we’ve focused on transforming our brand with a primary focus on both our online and offline marketing material.  We are delighted to share our progress with you.

Our key focus was to ensure we had the same look and feel across all our materials – it’s really made a difference to our brand identity and how we communicate and connect with our clients, suppliers and key business partners.

Facebook enhancement

We’ve enhanced our Facebook page to include a professionally designed cover image and tabs such as ‘welcome’, a ‘contact form’ and ‘our blog’.  The key is to make it really easy for our followers to connect with us.

Twitter

Rather than having a standard ‘twitter’ background, we’ve updated ours to incorporate an image of one of our projects.  A great opportunity to leverage prime ‘real estate’ and showcase our work with our followers.

 LinkedIn

We’ve really enhanced our LinkedIn Company profile to ensure it reflects our brand and the services we offer.

 Flyer

We are really pleased with our new flyer.  This is being used with clients, prospects and our suppliers. 

eNews

Our eNews gives us a great opportunity to regularly communicate with our clients, suppliers and business partners.

Expo

The team at Ruth Newman Architect is delighted with our overall look.  Keep an eye out for our new look as we continue to connect and communicate with you.

We’d love to hear your feedback on our new look.  Find us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.