Sprucing up small work spaces

Nidhi Aggarwal gives a few tips to decorate your office space without making it overbearing, thereby making it difficult for you to work efficiently

As the festive season is upon us, we cannot ignore the space that we spend the maximum time in. The work spaces today have shrunk down and the average space available to people has come down. This effectively means that the importance of designing the spaces with emphasis on the right layout, furniture, and accessories takes on more importance than before. But in the times of festivals, the regard of all rules comes down a little and we want the surrounding space to reflect the celebratory air that envelopes us all. However, we do not want the space to become overbearing or overpower us completely, making it difficult for us to work efficiently.

In order to do up your small offices or work space with a festive air, there are a few things you can do without disrupting the work or compromising on the sanctity of the space. The festive season is all about light, colours, happiness and brightness. It is easy to go overboard with these and turn your space into a curio shop, especially if it is a small space. Some tips to turn the office air a little festive are listed hereunder:

• If you are looking to swap some of your office furniture, this is the right time to do so. Trade your big, dark furniture for lean tables and desks with light-weight legs. Opt for clean lines and materials that are rich yet light on the eyes and reflect ample light.
• If you are repainting the office, go for pale colours to make use of lights (natural and artificial) in the best possible way. Add an accent wall or two, to make it interesting and lend festivity to it.
• light has an enlarging effect and bright areas near the walls tend to draw the eye, making the space look larger than it really is. Choose strategic corners for little installations of lights with flowers and rangoli colours.
• Brighten up your reception area with an ethnic piece of accent furniture. It may be a side table, set of nesting tables, or even a well-designed coffee table with an ethnic design.
• Use the furniture surfaces for small displays of lamps or oil diyas with colours, flowers or alpana.
• While doing up the spaces, remember to arrange your furniture in horizontal space lines creating an illusion of expanse and making the space look bigger.
• For blank walls, find a painting with warm colour tones, even an abstract canvas. As soon as you hang the canvas, the space will get a cheerful look apt for the season.
• A deepam or brass lamp at the entrance or in the reception area lends a festive touch, and makes it look especially bright.
• The idols of lakshmi and Ganesh have a special importance during this festive season. A selection of hand-painted oil diyas arranged gracefully around the idols can create a point of display that is aesthetically beautiful and would beautify the pooja area for the occasion.
• One interesting way to add a burst of colour to a space is through a colourful rangoli. In a small space, it is important to choose the design and space with care. The corners are a great place for it, as they do not obstruct the path and brighten up these oft-ignored spots. Combining rangolis with oil diyas, lamps and flowers adds to the aesthetic appeal and festive look.
• Decorative pooja thali can be a beautiful accent in the reception space, hinting at the celebration ahead and the incense or other aromatic pooja materials add to the sensory delights and complete the festive appeal of the space.
• Huge artefacts or handicrafts are not a great idea for a small work space. However, combining bigger glassware with smaller brassware is a nice way to go and you may add colours with flowers or rangoli.
• Traditionally big brass Urli has been used to create a floating decoration with flowers, floating candles, or oil diyas. But in small spaces, they might visually clog it all up. It might be a good idea to go for big glass bowls and create a colourful float in it for a contemporary look.
• If you would rather keep the contemporary look, bring in a variety of aromatic candles, keeping in mind the colour scheme you would like to opt for and light them up to turn the whole space festive.

The writer is Executive Director, Indo Innovations