Office Furniture Feng Shui

The ancient Chinese art or science of Feng Shui dates back more than 3000 years.

Literally meaning ‘Wind’ ‘Water’, it is alleged that the positioning of furniture, ornaments, trinkets and paintings can directly affect the flow of energy in any given space.

Whether or not you actually believe that Feng Shui works, there can be no doubt that some of the principles have sound logical and practical elements that can affect your home and office environment.

Do you have a favourite public house or restaurant that you like to frequent? If the answer to this question is Yes then you will probably have a preferred place that you like to sit. The same is no doubt true within your own home. The reason for this is that some seating positions just seem more favourable than others and are perceived to be more comfortable and auspicious.

This of course could simply be attributed to something as simple and obvious as a good view, provided by a window seat for instance. However on the flip side of this, if you sit with your back facing the room and cannot see what’s going on behind you, it is not likely to be your first choice of seating.

For this reason I’ve compiled this quick guide to help you position your office furniture according to Feng Shui. This list is by no means exhaustive, but is merely designed to provide an insight into the more obvious benefits of Feng Shui.

Office Desk and Office Chair Placement

- Your office desk should be positioned so that you have a clear line of sight of your office door. This will help to protect you from betrayals. It also improves your general feeling of security because you will able to monitor those who enter or leave your office.

- Here are two of the more obvious benefits of Feng Shui but firstly, make sure that your office chair fully supports your back. Secondly, ensure you sit with the wall behind you. If you sit facing the wall you are more likely to encounter difficulties in obtaining promotion and other career path obstacles.

- If you don’t have overall control of your office environment or it is simply not possible to move your office desk, you can negate the problems associated with facing a wall by hanging a painting or picture of a beautiful landscape. This helps to create feelings of abundance and represents opportunity.

- You should avoid sitting with your back to a window because doing so symbolizes a lack of support. From a modern perspective this is another obvious one. Although it is highly unlikely that the ancient Chinese had computer screens, sitting with a window directly behind you could potentially cause screen glare!

- Placing an image or figure of a rooster on your office desk will help to protect you from malicious gossip, backstabbing and other office politics.

- Put a smooth, round object such as a glass crystal or orb on your office desk to negate negative energy and ensure a productive and harmonious working environment.

- Avoid sitting directly opposite a work colleague. Doing so can create a damaging build-up of negative Chi energy and can potentially lead to confrontations and conflicts. If you have no other option other than to sit facing another person in your office, consider mounting an office screen. Don’t forget to hang your picture of a landscape on the office screen! (See point above re. facing a wall).

Office Storage

Clutter is considered to encourage the flow of negative energy in Feng Shui and should be avoided.

- The obvious way to eliminate clutter in your office is to use office storage to help keep your office organised.

- It’s especially important to keep your office desk organised and tidy. This helps you to improve your focus . Once again, this makes a lot of sense from a practical point of view because removing clutter ensures that you are more efficient and productive. It’s also great for increasing your personal sense of wellbeing and positivity.

- Strong colours play an important part in Feng Shui and red is considered to be particularly favourable as an aid to prosperity and wealth generation. Try to incorporate some red office storage as part of your office furniture re-organisation.

- A gap of about 8-inches should be left between your office cupboards, office bookshelves and other office storage. Again this is supposed to encourage a positive flow of energy in the workplace.

Office Meeting Seating Arrangements

- Here’s a great Feng Shui tip if you are conducting an office meeting. Ensure that the office chairs or sofas are arranged into a triangular shape which faces your own office chair or office desk. This subliminally strengthens your position in the room as a centre of power and allows you to more easily take control of the meeting or discussion. It also makes your colleages feel comfortable and at ease.

- An additional benefit of forming this triangle is that it ensures the other meeting participants are all angled slightly towards each other. This creates an ‘all-inclusive’ environment which stimulates the flow of positive energy in the room and aids creativity and brainstorming activities.

If you have any additional tips or Feng Shui advice, please feel free to comment and let us know.

Office Furniture For The Future

Futuristic Office Desk

Volna Office Desk

Nuvist, a Turkish architecture and design company have designed this incredible free-flowing, continuous form, floor mounted table.

This visually stunning office desk is a glimpse of what the office of the future might look like – free from the rigid constraints of traditional design.

This table would in my opinion look even better without the computer perched on top. Take a look at the next gadget and you’ll understand how this might soon be possible.

Can You Guess What This Is?

Your initial thoughts might be that it is some kind of spy pen, maybe there’s a camera hidden inside or some other kind of recording device.

In fact, it’s a PC.

Not only is it tiny, but it also has the capacity to store huge amounts of data (terabytes), and features 2 holographic projectors.

The first projects the equivalent of your computer screen onto a flat surface (such as a wall), while the other displays a holographic representation of a keyboard onto your office desk. Take a look at this video to see this amazing piece of future technology in action.

Integrated Office Desktop Technology

Companies like fgworkspace.co.uk specialise in integrating desktop technology into office furniture using their own patented remote controlled systems.

The slim remote control unit can  be installed into an office desk, pedestals and other bespoke office furniture items.

CPU Remote Control Unit - Click To Enlarge

The computer itself can be placed in a location up to 20m away from the remote control unit.

Office Desk With Built In Remote Control Unit

This unit is set into the office desk edge and duplicates all necessary PC controls. It includes a headphone output, mic input, USB points and an optical drive.

There are also companies out there who will actually build you a bespoke office desk with your computer hidden inside – which dispenses with the need for a remote control unit.

It is easy to imagine that in the near future, computer desks with the CPU inside will be commonplace.

The End Of The Office Computer?

It is widely believed that the future of the office could be one where employees bring their own computers and devices.

Increasing numbers of people now have their own smart phones and tablets. It’s not hard to imagine a time in the not too distant future where workers are expected to provide their own devices which could be synced with both office and home networks.

Companies may cover some of the cost implications but actually if you think about it, working from home or remotely is becoming more and more common.

Personally, I have chosen to sync all my own devices and computers, so that I can pretty much work from anywhere with an Internet connection. I am certainly not alone in doing this and it kind of makes sense to have access to all your data whenever you need.

This is one of the reasons that free applications like Evernote are becoming so popular because they allow you to keep track of all your thoughts and ideas from any device that has it installed.

Following a recent Cisco survey, there is roughly a 50-50 split of companies that would allow BYOD (Bring Your Own Devices) to those that would not. However, this balance is beginning to tip in favour of BYOD acceptance.

Of course inherent problems lie ahead for this new breed of office worker. For instance some companies may not provide IT support for both  Apple and PC devices.

Additionally, there may be problems with viruses and malware infecting company and even home networks. These and other problems will need to be addressed before we truly sound the death knell for the office computer.

Office Furniture Pranks

1. Tinkering With An Office Chair

I’m not sure if this has been staged or not but the first of these 3 videos shows a prank played on a rather large guy’s office chair.

Hilarious…

3. Office Screen Prank

A classic office cubicle stunt.

This one should get you laughing out loud. A guy phones his colleague and while he is distracted moves his office screen.

Very funny.

4. Office Full Of Junk

For this prank, you will need a cardboard box and a colleague with a window in their office door.

Your cardboard box will need to be slightly bigger than the window. Firstly, cut off one end and tape it to the window with the open end at the top.

Next, fill the box with junk. When your colleague looks through the window it will look like the entire office is full.

5. And Finally – A Very Funny Office Video

Unusual Office Furniture

1. Vespa Workstation

How about this for an office desk…

An Australian blogger decided to customise his 1968 Vespa Sprint and convert it into a fully functional and comfortable office workstation. According to the creator, the Italian scooter was beyond restoration.

“I have tried to maintain the traditional characteristics by converting the back half into a functional workstation, complete with adjustable lap top stand.”

Vespa Workstation

2. Portable Office

Could this be the ultimate in office furniture chic?

Welcome to the Louis Vuitton Portable Office Trunk!

Louis Vuitton Office Trunk

This stylish and classy office comes complete with DVD player, TV, solar power and coffee maker. The coffee maker is actually powered by a small can of petrol.

I recommend you check this can is empty before embarking on any international travel. Explaining the petrol can to customs could result in severe embarrassment, or even worse – arrest!

Not recommended for destinations to the Middle East or USA!

You will probably need a suitcase of equivalent size stuffed full of cash to pay for this!

3. Kruikantoor – Portable Office Furniture

This takes some beating.

Dutch designer Tim Vinke has created this impressive office ‘suite’ which can be wheeled around like a wheelbarrow.

His lightweight office is actually made from EPS foam and covered with a coating of polyurea hotspray.

Amazingly, this office comes complete with 2 office chairs, an office desk, light, electricity connection and office storage. As you can see from the images, it can be put together and wheeled around to almost any location.

Not quite as cool perhaps as the Louis Vuitton Office Trunk but certainly a lot more practical. You’ll be the envy of your friends when you wheel this down to the park to work on a sunny afternoon. Be aware you may get stopped and asked if you sell hotdogs.

Kruikantoor Portable Office Furniture

Office Desk With 2 Chairs And Storage

4. Hip Office

All the health experts agree that you should avoid sitting for prolonged periods at your office desk. This next unusual office accessory is called a Hip Office and has been ergonomically designed to provide a solution for those who wish to get up more often from their office desk.

For fitness fanatics and the more adventurous amongst you, why not try stretching while you work or perhaps even go for a gentle jog around the office.

A bit of friendly advice – just like you shouldn’t use a mobile phone while driving, avoid typing while jogging and remember to look up occasionally. You don’t want to knock over the tea lady.

Hip Office

5. The House On The Table

This final offering is probably my favourite. Created by design studio Design Mong it is literally a house that fits on top of your office desk.

We all need a bit of space and some quiet time away from the hustle and bustle of the office. For many of us the only way we can achieve this during the working day is through multiple extended visits to the office convenience.

Of course by doing this you may end up being the subject of office speculation concerning the frequency of your movements. It’s also possible you may be disciplined for spending too much time away from your office desk.

The solution? This wonderful office den which gives you all the personal office space you could ever need. Imagine how pleasant it would be spending your working day cocooned inside your own personal mini house.

If you get really creative, you could perhaps use it for holding regular private meetings with the office hottie!

The House On The Table

Office Desk Guide

When choosing new office furniture, most people will naturally place the most emphasis on choosing an ergonomically designed and comfortable office chair.

However equal consideration should also be given to choosing a suitable office desk for your workspace. This is often overlooked as simply an object of substance and that style and functionality are of little relevance.

In order to provide your employees or indeed yourself with a comfortable and productive working environment, the following points should be considered:

How Will The Office Desk Be Used?

The way your employees use their office desk should of course have an impact on your ultimate choice. These days, it is rare to find an office desk that does not have a computer perched on top.

CPU Holder and Monitor Arm

If your employee is using a desktop computer (rather than a notebook or laptop), it is a good idea to install a CPU holder and monitor arm. This obviously helps to maximise the working area of the office desk and helps to keep it free from clutter.

Cable Management

You may also want to consider different power/data solutions. With a little careful planning, it is possible to create your own cable management solution for your officedesk. For instance, you could let your cables run through cable spines or cable baskets available in various lengths. Our 3WT cable channels stick on to the underside of your desk and allows cables to run through it horizontally.

We can also provide smart power / data solutions that fit into cable baskets or to the desk top. The space saving pop up or flip up versions are hidden in the desk when not required.

Additionally, some of our office desks have multiple cable management solution configurations built in. See our Opteam Office Desk Range for an example.

Office Desk Storage

This is another consideration that often gets neglected, in part due to the fact that most offices have subsidiary storage in the form of cabinets etc.

However, if you want your employees to be productive, efficient and organised it might be beneficial to add complementary storage and pedestal options. This ensures that your staff’s paperwork and stationery is always to hand.

Modesty Screens

If your choice of office desk does not have a pre-fitted screen, you may want to consider this in order to preserve and protect the modesty of your female employees.

Large Office Desks

For senior members of staff such as managers, supervisors and company directors, you will probably want a larger desk to accommodate different types of working scenario. An example of this might be holding a meeting with several people at the same time, all of whom need office desk space for taking notes.

Shaped desks often offer the best solution to these types of scenarios. ‘L’ and ‘U’ shaped office desks are popular choices as they will allow both you and your employees enough space to hold a meeting and have a solid surface for keeping notepads and paperwork.

Style, Colour and Materials

Naturally you will want your office desks to compliment the rest of your office furniture and therefore styling is an important factor to consider.

For instance, an ultra-modern glass desk in an old-fashioned office may stick out like a meat stall at a vegan convention. So you need to decide first of all if you want a glass desk, or a wooden desk. Also, desks are available that come with metal legs. This can provide a further opportunity for concealing cables because some are designed with built-in cable management features.

Additionally, wood desks come in a number of different finishes:

• Laminate
  great value | different finishes and colours available
  
• Metal
  sensibly priced | highly durable
  
• Solid Wood
  high quality | look great | different wood finish options | durable | more expensive than wood veneer
  
• Wood Veneer
  looks fantastic | cheaper than solid wood | less durable than solid wood

Needless to say, there are numerous different colours and shades of wood to choose from. Again you should make sure that your office desk does not clash with your other office furniture.

On a final note, remember that first impressions really do count, so if you want to impress your clients with your office furniture then please read my blog How To Impress Your Clients With Your Office Furniture.

Office Desks – Imperial Qudos Range

Imperial Qudos Range - Cockpit Desk

The Imperial Qudos is an executive range of office desks which incorporates cantilever desking, pedestals, storage and accessories. Designed with style in mind, Qudos offers total practicality to any office environment. This range is enhanced by adding more products for more flexibility focusing on 600mm deep desking options. This is due to the demand for more compact office environments by fitting more people into a specific office space. Qudos as standard incorporates stylish fully cable managed cantilever legs and is available with five optional modesty panels.

Refreshing and creative shapes provide a positive feel, accompanied by vivid Polaris wave screens stimulate an optimistic environment. Qudos offers total functionality to modern office furniture. Cable management is incorporated as standard, allowing efficient access to power and data. Radial end tambour storage units create stylish storage solutions and provide additional working space. All Qudos products are FIRA accredited BSEN 524-2:2002.

The Qudos range offers a choice of 18mm or 25mm thick desktops with 2mm PVC heavy duty edging tape. All Qudos products are available in 14 MFC board finishes including walnut, cherry, Canadian maple, Japanese ash, apple, beech, oak, Calva oak, silver, grey, white, Santiago cherry, stone oak or black. Desktop sizes range from 800mm – 1800mm dependant on shape and these office desks also offers both 600mm and 800mm deep tops. Leg finishes in this range are available in silver or grey. Desk tops are available in many different shapes including rectangular, wave, radial, eclipse radial, classic conference radial, conference radial, combination radial, universal radial, stealth universal radial, segment, conference or kidney workstations. A selection of storage units have been designed to complement the Qudos range. Available with 25mm tops and an 18mm solid back as standard. Filing cabinets are manufactured as 2, 3 and 4 drawer variations. Storage cupboards are available with side opening or vertical tambour doors, lockable hinged doors or in a basic open format. All units accommodate various shelving accessories to offer total functionality and efficient storage solutions.

Our lovely Amanda here at BT Office Furniture has very kindly created a render (which took all weekend to make!) – so that you can see a fly-through of the Delta Desks which are part of the Imperial Qudos Range.

This particular range has the following features:

• 25mm thick desk tops in various wood finishes
• All desks have cantilever silver metal legs
• Available in a variety of finishes
• Available in variety of modesty panels
• Cable access ports in desk tops
• Storage doors fully lockable
• Cupboards accepts foolscap and A4 lever arch files
• Storage units comes with adjustable shelves
• Storage units available in various heights
• Under desk pedestals fully lockable

Office Desk – Effex Beam System

We are often asked by prospective clients if we offer any office desk ranges that can be configured in multiple ways.

There are a number of reasons why highly configurable office desk systems are desirable.

For some people it is simply about maximising the amount of space in their office. For others it is purely an aesthetic choice or perhaps to ensure the comfort and privacy of their office staff.

One of our most popular ranges of office desk is the Effex range which can be put together in many different ways.

The image below provides just some examples of typical arrangements and should help to get your creative juices flowing!

The Effex configurations can be as varied as your imagination will allow. Just about any combination of desking, links and extensions can be used to generate the perfect working environment. From individual desks to height-adjustable mobile tables and hot desking, the Effex range is the ideal solution.

Tops and links in the Effex Office Desk Range are designed to be both versatile and ergonomically beneficial. But they can also be put together to create an interesting and unusual effect. With reference to the image below you will notice that there is a choice of straight, radial, angular, wave, convex, concave, bow, pear – the list of shape options is almost endless!

Whatever your choice, all office desk tops are finished with new sleek 2mm edging for a cleaner modern look.

CLICK HERE to view the full brochure as a pdf file.

Our helpful and friendly team are always on hand to offer advice and a more detailed explanation of the ‘Beam System’ is available if required. Please Contact Us for more details.

How Important Is Your Office Furniture For Your Business?

Your office or working environment can have a huge impact on your business both for your employees and for clients.

Certainly if your company requires you to entertain and meet clients on a regular basis then you will want to make sure that your office furniture is high quality and contemporary.

Your office furniture will be the first thing that your clients see and naturally you will want to try and create the right atmosphere that is both conducive to business as well as relaxing. First impressions can be immensely important when forging business relationships and alliances.

When planning your office space, there are a number of factors that you will need to consider. For instance office desk space, power and data solutions, equipment positioning as well as social aspects such as privacy (office screens can be very effective)…both for your employees and for your clients.

Another consideration when choosing office furniture is its visual appeal and comfort. When you consider the amount of time that you, your employees and your clients will probably be spending in the office; it is important to combine style and comfort with ergonomically designed furniture.

By carefully selecting the right office furniture you will be creating an environment which is both comfortable for your employees and relaxing for your clients.

Try to consider the space you have available and the number of staff in your employ. Where possible, try to create a relaxed atmosphere that is spacious and comfortable. Even if space is limited, with a little careful thought you should be able to achieve this desired effect. Your clients will notice this when they first walk in and it should help to put them at ease.

If you are having difficulty choosing the right office furniture, our helpful team are always on hand to help you design the perfect office space for your business.

Without a doubt, one of the best ways to impress your clients is to spend a little bit extra on any office chairs that your prospective business partners are likely to use. Firstly it makes them feel special and secondly, business transactions are far more likely to be successful if carried out in luxurious comfort. An additional benefit is that this also ensures your staff do not suffer any unnecessary discomfort due to long periods spent sitting at their office desks (CLICK HERE to read a previous blog post with more information on the importance of correct posture and a decent office chair).

BT Office Furniture have a huge selection of furniture from a range of manufacturers and our friendly staff will save you a lot of research time and money. We also offer a full installation service and can deliver throughout Great Britain.

Unbelievable, staggering, remarkable, awesome. These are just some of the superlatives that have been applied to the truly stunning and unique ‘Bugatti Inspired’ desk that has been created by Alan Sawyer and his dedicated team at Luzzo Bespoke. I’ve been in the office furniture industry for more years than I care to remember (!!) and I can honestly say that I have never seen anything like it.

Luzzo Bespoke is a specialist company responsible for manufacturing bespoke furniture and lifestyle products for the discerning purchaser. A neighbour of Luzzo MD Alan Sawyer has a pristine Bugatti Type 37 racing car. This stunning piece of ‘automotive art’ became the inspiration for this piece of furniture that has taken the office desk into hitherto uncharted territory.

The design and construction teams were insistent that the aesthetics and mechanics of the desk should accurately reflect the iconic design of the Type 35, 37 and 59 racing cars created by the great Ettore Bugatti in the 1930′s. To this end, the desk is coloured French Racing Blue, the drawer fronts incorporate the honeycombe effect present on the grills of the cars, the desk height adjustment is by way of driven gears that are magnified versions of the carburettor synchronisation quadrants from the Type 59 car and the leather inset top uses the same kind of grained leather that was used for the straps that held the bonnets of the racing cars closed!!

The desk is even constructed in a similar way to a car. The ‘bodywork’ is formed from aircraft grade sheet aluminium sheet which id then set on a ‘chassis’ of machined aluminium. Each desk consists of an astonishing 350 bespoke components that take 2000 hours to create. Only 10 of these fabulous desks will be built. Each will be individually numbered and have its’ own log book recording the build team, materials, colour and finishing processes.

The one concession to the high tech digital world in which we live is the inclusion of an Apple Mac that rises from inside the desk, through the desk top. True to form, however, the Luzzo team could not find an ‘off the shelf’ solution for the computer deployment that met their quality criteria so they designed and built a mechanism themselves in a 1930’s sympathetic style from a combination of rods, joints, bushes and springs.

There are many fantastic desks on the market and here at BT Office Furniture we are able to advise you on a huge range of them. From the ‘Goggle‘ currently wowing viewers on the Jonathan Ross show to those made from hand laid wood veneers or various colours of glass. None, however, we feel will ever match the complexity (350 components!!), the sheer audacity of the idea (it’s based on 1930’s racing cars!!) or the staggering price (a frankly dizzying £155,000.00!!) of this most magnificent piece of furniture.

Goggle desk

Office Desk Wood Veneer

Office Desk With Curry Coloured Glass