Designing a Workspace for Inspiring Creativity

 

If you work in a creative field, you already know how important it is to have a space that aligns with your needs. If you think you don’t work in a field that relies on creativity, you may need a little creative inspiration to realize how beneficial the right space can be. The right office design can transform work from a chore into a pleasure activity you look forward to each day.

Individual Offices

Office design for creativity is not a luxury, it is essential. Whether you work in a corporate office in the center of a metropolitan city or you are working as a freelancer out of you home, your space must be designed to inspire your creativity if you wish to be successful.

First, you must have furniture which promotes your career goals and sparks new ideas. If you work best at a standing desk, then invest in that piece of furniture rather than the traditional power desk. If you need movement to be productive, try a balance ball rather than a corporate leather office chair. Don’t worry about what will appear professional to others. Focus on what will make you the most effective in your profession.

Once you have the essentials down, it is time to bring your personal muses into the room. This could mean pictures of your family and pets, modern art, or quotes from your literary heroes. Again, what is inspiring to one person is simply visual noise to another. That is why it is so important for businesses to allow employees a measure of creative freedom when it comes to decorating their personal spaces. Historically, offices have had rules about not bringing personal items into cubicles or offices. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that individuals who lack a muse also lack the preferred levels of productivity.

Group Creativity

If you work with a team, it is important that the communal locations be attractive gathering spots that people will naturally want to use. Kitchens are considered the heart of any home and a creative space designed with similar principles can foster group creativity.

Workspaces usually have some sort of kitchen, snack, or break area. Unfortunately, they are all too often filled with corporate copies of home necessities. Styrofoam cups, plastic utensils, and functional if not attractive surroundings and appliances.

When a company takes the time to carefully curate what goes into this space it can dramatically change the way it is experienced and utilized. Fresh flowers, coffee cups and dishes in the brand’s colors and even real cutlery make the environment warm and inviting and give employees a space to recharge in order to increase their personal creativity.

The farmhouse table is an iconic staple in many homes and it can be leveraged in workspaces for boosting creativity. Installing one or more large tables rather than individual diner style seating can encourage people to gather together and discuss ongoing projects and ideas. While this space would naturally be used for snacks and meals, a surprising number of people may begin gathering there instead of offices or conference rooms because of the inclusive atmosphere.

Be Inspired by Nature

Spending time in nature can make people happier, kinder, and more creative. If you can’t spend all day outside with your laptop to meet your deadlines, then you’ll need to incorporate little nature breaks into your daily routine.

There are many ways to bring nature directly into your office. If you have a green thumb, you can scatter a variety of plants throughout your workspace. Not only will the plants look nice and allow you to see nature indoors, but the plants will also require regular care which will allow  you to experience and interact with nature even further.

Plants aren’t the only way to bring the outdoors in. Aquariums are available in virtually any size and can accommodate one fish or an entire school. You could even think outside the fishbowl and have a pet turtle in your aquarium.

If it simply isn’t possible to bring any living items into the work environment, try to schedule a daily walk through a local park during your lunch break. Alternatively, make your screen saver an ever-changing window of beautiful landscapes and frolicking animals to give your brain the natural connection it needs.

Designing a space that will spark your creativity is a very personal experience. Use these ideas as springboards to discover what works best for you and begin implementing new design elements until you are consistently operating at your creative potential.