Not all office budgets extend to undertaking a major new office fitout, but if your office is feeling tired, there are some affordable things you can do to achieve an office makeover on a budget. This applies both to the home office, as well as larger businesses.

Here at Apply To Glass we get to see lots of offices. We work with small and medium sized businesses, as well as on large corporate office fitout jobs and we get to see a range of budgets for office refurbishments. We’ve learned a few things about what can make a big difference to your office. Surprisingly, many of them don’t cost a lot.

Office Brand & Personality

The focus of most office refurbishments today is about injecting warmth and personality into a space. Branding an office fitout is an important part of the job. It’s about understanding your brand and then getting creative and knowing how to communicate that throughout the office layout with colour, furniture, graphics and floor coverings.

We recently did an a decorative window branding job at the offices of Light FM in Melbourne. This project was typical of the problem that many corporate offices face: a bland and sterile environment that lacks personality. The other problem they faced, was the typical fish bowl effect. All the offices were divided by full floor to ceiling glass walls, that had the advantage of encouraging a collaborative work environment, but had the downside of making people feel that they were always on show.

While the answer to a sterile office may be to buy expensive, colourful new furniture, Light FM took a more creative approach to their Melbourne office makeover. Instead of investing in expensive furniture, or getting an office fitout company to begin repositioning walls to create more privacy, they called on Apply To Glass to help them create privacy and inject personality into their office with frosted window film. We created a series of Melbourne inspired murals, that referenced some of Melbourne’s most iconic buildings, such as Flinders Street Station and the Arts Centre. These were used across the glassed office walls to create privacy, but not block the light. The murals took an important part of the brand identity, which is all about Melbourne – and used it to create a fun workspace.

You can see part of the project being installed below.

Affordable Materials For An Office Makeover

Part of a successful office makeover on a budget is to identify affordable materials that can be used for branding and have a big impact.

Frosted Window Film

Decorative window film is one of those supremely versatile and affordable products that comes to the rescue and delivers big results in a budget office makeover. Frosted window film creates the look of opaque glass and can be applied to glass office partitions, walls, doors and external windows. High quality window films create full privacy and also meets Australian safety standards. Don’t worry about being limited by the white frosted look, frosted window film comes in a range of colours and can be matched to your brand colours.

Second Hand

While it’s tempting to always go for brand new materials, when you’re on a budget choosing second hand materials can save a lot of money. This means seeking out secondhand furniture. It may take a little bit of hunting around, but you’ll be rewarded with pieces that give your office a big lift, will be unique and will inject some personality and warmth into your office makeover. One example might include a large timber or industrial-look central meeting table. It will be a focus of your office, so choose something with some personality.

Other items could include purchasing a mix of different office chairs in complementary colours, or a luxe-look cosy couch. All these pieces will improve the look of your office by breaking down the sterile work environment and creating a styled space that will be a lot more pleasing to work in and more attractive to visitors.

Office Floors & Walls

Paint doesn’t cost a lot and can make a huge difference to your office. But think also about bringing in some wall art. Stay well clear of corporate art that contributes to a sterile office. Think about showcasing local artists work in prominent locations or purchase budget prints. Office floors can be cheap and bland. Rather than investing in new wall to wall flooring think about secondhand or budget floor rugs. Again, its all about breaking down the sterile office.

Greenery

The final element of a budget office makeover is to inject greenery. Research has shown that office workers respond positively to greenery, natural light and a view. The cost of purchasing some plants and taking the time to look after them will be far outweighed by the visual and psychological benefits they provide.

Natural Light

Maximise natural light where possible. It will not only create a more positive work space, but it will help save on lighting bills.

Office Makeover In Melbourne

Apply To Glass has over 20 years experience using frosted window film to help businesses improve their work environments and meet Australian safety standards. Today more than ever, businesses are looking for ways to promote themselves and improve the impression they make on their customers and potential employees. If you are thinking of an office update or office makeover and you would like to transform your windows, contact us. We can work collaboratively with you to create a window design that can transform the look of your office.