Contact us 0800 028 0945

You are here: Home | Useful Info | Articles | How small changes can make a big difference - without breaking the bank

How small changes can make a big difference - without breaking the bank

By Shaun Baker

When times are tough and budgets are limited, Morgan Lovell’s Shaun Baker explains how small changes can re-energise, refresh and transform a workspace without an all encompassing refurbishment.

I was raised in an era of make-do-and-mend and where the children’s TV programme Blue Peter was essential viewing. The main feature of each episode seemed to be the ingenuity of creating some homemade version of the latest highly desired object from nothing more than empty washing liquid bottles, cardboard toilet roll tubes and the all important finishing touch: sticky back plastic.

Everyone understood that this was an alternative solution and accepted it for what it was: a low tech, low cost similar-looking version of the real thing. However, that was long before the excesses of the Eighties. And since then people’s wants, desires and expectations have altered somewhat. But when times are tough and budgets are tight, it can be difficult to justify the all-singing, all-dancing sometimes over-engineered solution. But does that mean the only option available is the make-do-and-mend option?

In the world of office design and build, interior designers who understand the latest innovations in product advancement and production techniques know that a keen project budget doesn’t have to mean a compromised scheme. I’m not about to suggest that we start collecting empty cereal boxes and jam jars to create some funky informal meeting pod - although, I might have just hit on an idea - but rather take a look at some of the new cost effective solutions available to the design team.

Prints in all shapes and sizes

In particular, the field of digital printing has made incredible advancements in recent times. It’s possible to apply stunning full height, full coloured imagery to practically any surface. This is a great way of giving a lift to a space and creating a focal point. It could mean an area within a workspace that does not require a complete review can still be easily refreshed. From digital wallpaper to the good old sticky backed plastic and even solid panels, the advances in printing technology means that in today’s interior the only limitation is your design team’s imagination.

There are many tricks to refreshing a space that does not require a full-blooded, full on, all encompassing refurbishment. If you consider the floor for instance - it may not be possible or even desirable to swap out the carpet in its entirety. But by focussing on the front of house areas, such as the reception and meeting rooms, and dropping in random swathes of a contrasting colour or texture to the main floor area, it’s possible to freshen up the ambience of the whole space. Equally, the application of an accent colour to a wall or partition may be enough to give a space a completely different feel.

Let there be light

The mood of a space is more easily altered through light, and the introduction of accent and task lighting can dramatically affect the comfort and usage of an environment. The use of colour within lighting has a massive influence on a user’s perception of a space. For instance, not all whites are the same. And while general task lights have a slightly blue hue, the introduction of a warmer white lamp will create a more intimate feel that may assist users in a particular task.

There are other options open to a project team looking to re-energise a space with a limited budget and these include recovering the seats. But although this gives an undoubted visual lift the benefits are not as great as introducing completely new elements into a scheme. The longevity of the furniture is not necessarily guaranteed and physiologically workers feel short changed. The biggest benefits, as you would expect, seem to come from reviewing elements that have the biggest impact on an individual. Areas such as tea points and breakouts rank at the top of all staff desire lists, as does sound attenuation.

Keep the noise down

There are many retrofit products now available that control the levels of sound resonance and can be easily applied into an existing space without any major disruption. From upholstered wall panels to perforated ceiling tiles and three-dimensional sculptural pieces that can be hung or fixed to a surface, every eventuality has been considered. The very nature of these products means that apart from their sound deadening properties, they are incredibly dramatic visually and can make an instant impact.

No matter what the budget, an interior project does not have to be compromised, just viewed in a different way. Much like good old Blue Peter, it’s not about the single element but more the sum of the parts. A striking difference can be achieved by considering a few critical aspects of an environment that give maximum benefit. Whether that’s the latest incarnation of sticky back plastic or reformed egg crates, the overall effect and boost to the business far outweighs the expenditure. No enhancement is ever too small.

Shaun Baker

Shaun is our design guru and heads up the London design team. He has over 25 years' experience having worked on offices, hotels, showrooms and residential property, even appearing in the first series of Channel 5’s ‘Build a New Life in the Country’. Shaun is a frequent commentator in the press, often taking a humorous yet informative view of office design. You can sample some of his articles here.

Let us inspire you more

You can visit one of our fully-sustainable offices, or we can come to your place and consult on your office. Whichever suits you. Either way it all starts with a phone call – 0800 028 0945.

Get in touch