April 2012 – The wettest April on record! 

We’ve all seen the headlines.

So why is it that some parts of the country are still officially declared drought areas?

I’m no geologist but I think it has something to do with how quickly water soaks into the ground in particular problem areas of the country.

Or perhaps it has something to do with the fact that we don’t have enough reservoirs. Or that a huge percentage of our water is wasted through leaking pipes (it’s easy to blame the water companies)!

Whatever the reasons, there has never been a better time to invest in artificial plants for your home and office.

Artificial Plants

Psychologically, plants are hugely important in the workplace and have scientifically proven benefits to businesses.

This might seem like a wild or outlandish claim but strategically placed office plants lower the amount of absenteeism from sickness and actually increase productivity.

Additionally, believers in the ancient chinese art of Feng Shui claim that bamboo and cactus plants can bring good fortune too! I’m not sure if I totally subscribe to this belief but I am certain that careful placing of topiary whether real or artificial will improve the ambience and general harmony of any office space.

The Benefits of Fake Topiary

Long gone are the days when fake plants were easy to spot. Artificial plants are now so realistic that you have to really inspect them closely to determine whether they are organic or inorganic.

There are obvious advantages such as low maintenance, no watering and the ability to place them in areas with poor natural light. However, there are other less obvious benefits. For instance, allergy sufferers will not be affected by being in close proximity to an artificial plant.

Additionally, food health inspectors can frown upon certain plants in food preparation or consumption areas. This is largely due to the fact that real plants are more likely to attract unwanted insects and bugs.

This has increasingly led to some companies having a fake plant only policy in order to avoid any hassle with health & safety or maintenance issues.

Fake Plant Ranges

We have a large selection of plants which include the following:

Orchids, Palms, Bamboo, Cactus, Reeds, Bird of Paradise, Lillies, Wisteria, Boungainvillea, Ferns, Peacock Plants, Chinese Evergreen, Song of India, Fig plants, fig trees and Japanese Maple.

To see our full range of realistic artificial plants and fake topiary click the (lovely green) link below:

http://www.btoffice.com/artificial-plants/

Alterntively please call the freephone number at the top of the page or complete the Call Back Request form below.

When analysing our business data recently, we noticed that the vast majority of enquiries that are not related to our local area come from London.

In fact one of the most common questions we’re asked is how often do we visit the London area.

Although we’re based in Poole, Dorset we make regular trips to London. We usually complete 2 to 3 installations or deliveries per week and in fact Greater London is one of our biggest areas of business.

We are happy to discuss any aspect of your office furniture purchase and can provide 2D and 3D drawings for your project if required.

Our prices include FREE delivery, assembly and installation by our own team of professionally trained fitters. We have our own fleet of vehicles and this helps to ensure that your furniture is not damaged in transit by unrelated courier companies.

We do NOT do flat-pack products and we are NOT a dropship company. BT Office Furniture is a small, privately owned company and we pride ourselves on delivering customer satisfaction and a dependable service. Established in 1994 we have a combined experience within the industry of over 50 years.

Some of our London clients include large FTSE 100 companies, but we also have a wide and varied range of discount office furniture for those on a tighter budget.

Contact Us

If you need to speak to one of our team, please call the FREEPHONE number at the top of this page. Alternatively you can Contact Us or complete the Call Back Request form below.

Alternatively, browse our huge range of office furniture products here.

Although we are primarily known as an office furniture supplier, we also supply an extensive range of library furniture.

Our products include double-sided bookcases, low library bookshelves, mobile or moveable bookcases, book displays and rotating DVD/CD units.

We also have library furniture suitable for children’s areas including low book displays, small tables and chairs. Additionally, seating and tables for breakout areas and reception furniture can also be supplied.

Our library furniture is ideal for schools, bookshops, colleges and universities.

In this blog post I will highlight some of these product ranges.

Double-Sided Bookcases

The bookcase shown in the image is a 4-column 6-shelf library unit with ladder.

Both the back and front have been finished so that the bookcase can be used from both sides.

It can be used as shown with open bookshelves, alternatively optional wood or glass doors can be added.

A selection of different finishes are available including walnut, cherry and wenge.

Low Library Bookshelves

Low height bookshelves similar to the unit shown in the image provide easy access to books for those with disabilities or children.

This particular bookshelf is set on wheels and therefore allows greater library layout flexibility.

It’s also an open bookcase so books can be accessed from both sides.

Additionally, the end panels of this unit are recessed so that books can be displayed. This is ideal if you are running a promotion or want to highlight particular titles or topics.

Book Displays

Book displays are a great way to show off individual titles and make them easily accessible.

Most of our ranges have height adjustable shelves which means that you could potentially cross promote DVDs or CDs to accompany associated book ranges.

Alternatively, you could put a rotating DVD/CD display unit in place of the computer monitor in this image.

Book displays are also ideal for information points such as visitor centres and reception areas.

Children’s Library Furniture

We have a wide range of book displays, bookcases, seating and tables designed specifically for schools, bookshops or other children’s library areas.

Naturally the furniture has a lower overall height to provide easy access to books for little people!

Funky seating can also be added to help create the perfect kid’s environment, conducive to reading and learning.

Colourful book displays further complement your children’s library area.

Breakout Areas

Some libraries and book stores have designated breakout areas. These are areas specifically designed to allow users to sit and read or study.

The example shown in this image portrays an ultra modern and stylish configuration. However, we also have a large range of more conventional furniture for a more classic look and feel.

In addition to our table ranges we have a massive selection of seating options including reproduction chairs, stools, modular seating, tub chairs and sofas.

Reception Furniture

For libraries, schools and colleges, you might also need to include a reception area.

We have an extensive range of wood and glass desks or wood/glass combinations.

Some of our reception desks also have integral lighting systems and a wide variety of different finish and styling options.

and finally…a Case Study!

Leek College, Staffordshire

Here are some examples of library furniture that we recently supplied and installed.

Images kindly supplied by Hunt Feneley Architecture

We can provide a space planning and design service to help you more easily visualise your new library area. Our prices generally include FREE delivery, assembly and installation throughout most of the UK.

Please call for details or complete the Call Back Request form below.

For more information, please CLICK HERE

Calculating the size of boardroom tables or conference tables is actually fairly straightforward. With a few simple measurements and this quick reference guide, you should be able to work out how many people you will be able to seat comfortably.

These are the steps:

1. Measure the dimensions of your room.

If your room is an unusual shape or if you’re not sure how to calculate your meeting table size, we have a 2D and 3D office design and planning service

2. Ideally, your table should have a minimum amount of clearance and this can be calculated as follows:

- If your room is under 5 metres, allow 1.2 metres clearance
- If your room is under 6.7 metres, allow 1.5 metres clearance
- If your room is above 6.7 metres, allow 1.8 metres clearance

So here’s a working example:

Your Room Length = 4.8 metres
Your Room Width = 3.6 metres

Because your room is under 5 metres, you should allow 1.2 metres clearance (see point 2 above).

So the calculation is as follows:

Table Length: 4.8 – 2.4 (2 x clearance) = 2.4 metres
Table Width: 3.6 – 2.4 (2 x clearance) – 1.2 metres

Calculate How Many People Can Fit Around The Table

Now you know the table size, you can calculate the amount of people this will seat.

Obviously this will be determined by your chair choice, but our general rule of thumb is to allow 70cm – 90cm per person. 70cm may be a little on the tight side, but should work if your space is limited and you need to seat as many as possible.

For this example we’ll use the more comfortable allowance of 90cm and a table that is 2.4m x 1.2m.

1. Calculate the perimeter of your table.

eg. 2.4 + 2.4 + 1.2 + 1.2 = 7.2 metres

2. Divide this number by the comfort allowance

eg. 7.2 metres / 0.90 metres = 8

Meeting tables of this size will therefore comfortably seat 8 people, but could potentially seat 10 if you only allow 70cm between each person.

To download this guide as a PDF file, please CLICK HERE

If you found this useful, please Share.

Office Furniture Questions?

Just a quick post to let you know that we have started an office furniture forum on facebook.

It’s very simple to use and you don’t need to sign up or provide an email address. You just need to be logged in to your Facebook account.

Whatever your question, please post and join in the discussion here:

Office Furniture Forum

It’s heartening to hear of all the tributes, support and donations that have flooded in as a consequence.

We should be proud of our track record in this country of raising money for good causes. The UK is one of the most generous nations on the planet in terms of raising money for charities.

Macmillan.org.uk

Cancer Support

Our very own Amanda Curry – 3D Renderer, Sales Consultant and now Walker Extraordinaire is hoping to complete a 100km walk for Charity on May 12th-13th 2012.

She is raising money for Macmillan.org.uk who provide practical, medical and financial support and push for better cancer care.

We wish her well and hope that she is able to complete the event because she recently suffered a nasty injury during training.

If she is unable to complete the London to Brighton Challenge, she will instead take part in their sister event The Thames Path Challenge ’12 which takes place later in the year and covers the same distance – 100km around the River Thames.

If you feel you are able to support Amanda, please click here for her JustGiving page (opens in a new window):

http://www.justgiving.com/Amanda-Curry

1. The Desk

Before you get anything else what so ever you will first need to think about a desk.  It doesn’t have to be a really expensive desk or the largest by any stretch of the imagination, but a desk that is going to: a) fit your room, and b) fit your budget.

It is common for people who are creating their first home office to believe they need the biggest most expensive desk they can possibly find, in order to impress clients.  But if you think about it you are not going to want clients in your home anyway, or if you do it won’t be regularly; therefore the desk becomes less of an issue.

Depending on the size of your home office a second desk could be a good idea, somewhere in which you can make phone calls, emails and get away from the stress of your working desk with all your documents on. The most popular desk for this sort of idea would be a small round table, usually associated with a café.

2. Chairs

Your chair can in essence be vital to how much work you get done in a day.  You need to be comfortable in the chair, yet supported after all you are probably going to spend up to ten hours a day in it if your job involves lots of computer work.

Too many people have the ideas that as long as a chair has a set of wheels and a tiny bit of back support they will be fine. What they do not realise is that specialist companies spend millions of pound, and hundreds of hours researching and investing in a good office chair.

Office ergonomics are becoming more and more of an issue in larger companies, but it doesn’t mean it’s not an issue in a home office, so do a bit of research into popular makes and models, and if you can, go and physically sit on the chair in a showroom to make sure it’s the one for you!

3. Stationary

This is a topic that people over look so often as we spend so long sending out emails, we forget about letters, invoices or quotes are often printed out as well. Things like a branded heading in letters, invoices and also business cards makes a company look established and gives the impression they are here for the long run.

4. Storage and Filing

A good filing and storage system is the unsung hero in the place of work.  When working from home you are more or less the office manager, this means you need to be prepared to do your own dirty work.

Look for a smaller filling system because the traditional ones are often too bulky for a home office and take up too much room.  Compact drawer systems can often hold vast amounts of paper, so it is important to test the drawer runners are going to be strong enough to hold the weight – which means don’t always choose the cheapest one you see!

5. Communications

Your business needs to be easily contactable so ensure you have a strong and reliable internet connection as well as a phone line.  Still in this era a telephone is the most common form of contact. Yet smaller business are lead to believe that having a mobile number ensures they are available 24/7.

There is nothing wrong with a good old fashioned landline; they make your business look established and more formal than a mobile number.  A very popular form of contact in a lot of industries now is via email – so make sure you can offer a simple and memorable email address that represents your business – in fact, buy the internet domain name if possible to enhance the branding further.

This article was provided by Ryan Hirst who writes helpful guides and tips for Eurofit Direct on their blog

We are currently seeking resale partners to extend our UK reach.

Specifically we’re looking for architects, interior designers, specifiers, identifiers, interior fit out companies, refurbishment and building specialists.

BT Office was established in 1994 and we have a combined industry experience of nearly 50 years. This means that we are perfectly placed to offer expert advice for every aspect of your client’s project.

In addition, we are able to provide you with discreet paperwork and will give you full permission to use the images, renders and videos from our website.

How It Works

1. Speak to your clients or prospects about their office furniture requirements.

2. Use our website as a resource to find products. You can create your own catalogue or brochure of products by using the ‘Save’ & ‘Print’ icons located at the bottom left of each product image. (see below)

Click Here for a tutorial (opens in a new window)

3. Once you’ve agreed your client’s specifications, contact us and we will build up a quote that will include your commission. 2D & 3D space planning and design drawings can also be provided if requested by your clients.

4. When everything has been agreed, we will simply deliver the products for you or your client to install. Alternatively we can arrange for our own professionally trained fitters to deliver, assemble and install.

Please contact us for more information using the FREEPHONE number at the top of the page quoting:
BTO BLOG RESELLER 12

Ergonomic Office Chair

Ergonomic Office Chair

Ergonomic - it’s such a thoroughly modern word but what does it actually mean?

For some, especially those involved in marketing or retail, it is a magic word added to a product to give it a unique selling point.

It’s a bit like ‘serum’ or ‘scientifically proven to work’ plastered all over anti-wrinkle creams and skin potion pots. It encourages people to buy the product even if there is no real scientific evidence that the ‘serum’ will actually make you look younger.

The Collins English Dictionary Definition is as follows:

“designed to minimize physical effort and discomfort, and hence maximize efficiency”

The benefits of some products that are sold as ‘Ergonomic’ are questionable. For instance, I have personally never got on well with computer keyboards that are designed to mould to the shape of your wrists and hands. I don’t particularly find them comfortable or easy to use. Of course this is entirely subjective but hopefully you can see the point I’m trying to make.

However, the advantages of ergonomic office chairs are obvious. The health and general well being implications of a good comfortable office chair are well known. This is where ergonomic office chairs really come into their own because they have been specifically designed to support key areas of your body that are susceptible to injury or damage.

Executive Leather Chair

Executive Leather Chair

In some ways, this blog was slightly misleading because many executive leather chairs have ergonomic qualities and in fact some have even in be placed in the same category on our website.

The main difference is that while an executive leather chair can be comfortable for an individual sitting for long periods, it may not be suitable for another person.

In other words, if you work in an industry where more than one user might sit in the same chair in a 24-hour period, an executive leather chair may not be the best choice. You would probably be wise to choose an ergonomic chair instead.

Most ergonomic office chairs will also have an adjustable lumbar control which is a part of the chair designed to support your lower back.

Executive leather chairs tend to be more managerial in style and luxurious than their ergonomic counterparts. However, it is possible to get a leather office chair that is modern and stylish yet also supports your back and neck so that strain or injury is less likely.

To summarise, you could argue that all modern office chairs have been ergonomically designed to some extent. But I’m sure you know as well as I do that not all office chairs were created equal. At the end of the day, choosing an office chair that is right for you is a very subjective and personal choice. I wish you luck!

I welcome your comments and thoughts. In fact, if you don’t comment I will personally come round and make you sit in a really cheap computer operator chair for 30 minutes!

BT Office Furniture was established in 1994 and we have a combined experience within the office furniture industry of nearly 50 years.

Based in Poole, Dorset, our showroom is open from 8.30am – 5.00pm Monday – Thursday and 8.30am – 4.00pm on Fridays. Our telephone lines are staffed from 08.30am – 7.00pm, seven days a week.

We supply high quality discount office furniture throughout most of the UK and are proud of our local reputation. We recently decided to dispense with most of our locally paid advertising, instead preferring to trade on our established reputation and by word of mouth.

Not every company can do this but we have worked hard to build links with local people and businesses. A lot of the office furniture we sell locally is to people who have been recommended BT Office by their friends, colleagues or business partners.

Recent local customers have come from Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch, Southampton, Salisbury and other areas of Dorset and Hampshire.

We are currently located at the following address:

BT Office Furniture
Unit 9 Benridge Park,
Holyrood Close
Poole
Dorset
BH17 7BD

We are happy to discuss any aspect of your office furniture purchase and can provide 2D and 3D drawings for your project if required.

Local discounts may also be available dependent upon quantity ordered and all our prices include FREE delivery, assembly and installation by our own team of professionally trained fitters. This helps to ensure that your furniture is not damaged in transit by unrelated courier companies.

We do NOT do flat-pack products and we are NOT a dropship company. BT Office Furniture is a small, privately owned company and we pride ourselves on delivering customer satisfaction and a dependable service.

Although we have installed high quality office furniture for large FTSE 100 companies, we also have a huge range of cheap office furniture for those on a tighter budget. These can be found in the Clearance Zone and Economy Furniture sections of our website.

If you need to speak to one of our team, please call the FREEPHONE number at the top of this page or Contact Us by email or webform.

Alternatively, just click on Office Furniture at the top of the page to browse our huge range of products.