How to Turn an Outdated Office Into a Chic Workspace

An outdated office doesn’t mean it can’t feel stylish or chic for you or your employees when working. According to Statista the commercial property remodeling market in the USA was valued at 43.7 billion dollars in 2023. With a lot of money going into remodeling commercial properties, it’s no wonder we’re seeing more stylish and sophisticated office spaces these days. 
If you’re tired of viewing an old looking office space, then this guide will give you the tips you need to turn your outdated office into a chic workspace without making the common mistakes everyone makes. Let’s get started. 

Choose a Neutral Color Baseline

The first thing is choosing a neutral base color for the walls. Repainting the walls in a neutral color will dictate what other colors and furniture types will go into the room. It’s best to paint walls beige, white or soft grays.

However, if you feel you want a large splash of color, you could do a feature wall with a bright red, blue, or green, but remember anything that’s bold or patterned on the wall may change what you’re able to complement it with when adding your furniture. When painting always remember to: 

• Lay down painters sheets on the floor to avoid paint spots. 
• Use painters tape around windows and doors to avoid unwanted paint on the glass or door frame. 
• Use high quality paint which is suitable for different seasonal changes. For example if the office is prone to mold build up, buy mold resistant paint. 

Painting your walls is a great start to transforming your office space into something chic. 

Upgrade Your Furniture 

According to Statista, it’s estimated that home office furniture will bring in over $49.61 billion dollars in revenue worldwide. The furniture you add to your office will dictate if it’s an inviting space for you to work in. Some stylish pieces all offices should have include but aren’t limited to: 

• An office desk
• An office chair
• Stiletto shelving 
• A multifunction cabinet
• A bookcase (depending on your industry and line of work) 
• A couch or small lounge

If you went for the neutral colors without any feature walls, furniture colors in charcoal ash, walnut, and chocolate walnut are great colors as they contrast against the lighter backdrop. If you’ve selected a feature wall color that’s bold, colors such as walnut and white may be better options. Overall you want to keep a minimalistic look and feel but with a stylish touch. 
Don’t forget to purchase your furniture from a quality furniture provider like Kasala or other brands close to your hometown. Purchasing premium furniture vs cheap furniture may mean the difference in it lasting a year to lasting five years. 

Add Textures and Statement Pieces

After you’ve chosen your furniture, you can then mix and match textures and statement pieces to help finalize the overall look of the room. Some things to consider are: 

• A pastel or bold easy to clean rug to go under your desk or near your couch. 
• Textured cushions or a throw rug. 
• Unique and bold artwork which matches the room’s feel. Alternatively you can also purchase an interesting sculpture or a vintage armchair instead. 
• Upgrade lighting to a modern fixture. Pendant lights or statement chandeliers depending on your ceiling height can work well. 
• Mirrors are great to help make the space bigger than it already looks because it creates an illusion of space and it bounces the light better around the room. If you have a window in the room, hang or position it opposite to the window for added effect. 
• Add quality office supplies and equipment like a printer, paper, and fax machine to make your office functional. 

These are some of the ways you can create an inviting office space for you and your employees. 

Add Greenery

Add some indoor plants and flowers to your office space. Plants should be added to the corners of the room or on your bookshelf or other styles of shelving. If you have a table, a plant can make a great table centerpiece. When choosing plants for your office space some things to consider: 

• Choose low maintenance plants like snake plants and succulents. 
• Research how often you need to water your plants and what to look for if the plant isn’t in good condition. 
• Consider plastic plants if you feel real plants may be problematic for you. 
• Consider how much sunlight they need, the temperature the room will be at, and the humidity of the room. Some plants thrive without sunlight while others need a consistent temperature within a room to survive. 

Depending on the size of your office space, consider the following room-to-plant ratio: 

• Small office: One to two plants
• Medium: Two to four plants
• Large: Four to six plants

Once you start adding plants to your room, you’ll be able to get a feel for how many are needed without overcrowding the room. 

Endnote 

Turning a boring office space into a chic workspace can be rewarding for both you and your employees. Whether you want to be bold or sophisticated in the design, there’s furniture and accessories which can really help you transform your space. If you want to make sure your office space is maintained, consider hiring professionals to do it for you.