https://www.applerock.com/blog/post/bring-in-the-outside

Many businesses are still closed, or lightly staffed, while the majority of their workforce are working from home. Now is the perfect time to take these 2020 lemons and make some delicious lemonade.
Actively cleaning and preparing your office for The Great Reopening is a given, but what if you also took advantage of this moment to refresh your office space. Step back and look at your space with a fresh set of eyes. When was the last time your lobby was refreshed with new paint, graphics or decor that doesn’t look like it stepped off the set of Stranger Things? (Yes, I love that show but not as a design trend!)
Earlier this year we released our new 2020 Design Trends featuring inspirations from many hours of research on hot design trends, new materials and textures and based on our 32 years of experience. Most of our award-winning trade show and corporate branded space designs are inspired by the world of interior design. One of the best current trends is brining the outside-in. This is not a new concept by any means, but it is growing in popularity everywhere we look. And now is the ideal time to bring some fresh life to your office spaces!

Here are 5 ideas on how you can bring the fresh outdoors into your corporate spaces and rejuvenate the look and feel for your employees and guests.

GREENERY
Adding fresh greenery to any space brings it to life. Fresh plants are an inexpensive way to uplift a room. Adding plants to any office space can not only clean the air, but they can also help reduce stress, increase productivity, boost creativity and look attractive to prospective clients and staff. One eye-catching and creative way to implement plants into your office design is through the use of plant walls. Plant walls are a hot trend, but they also bring a serene vibe to any space.

NATURAL ELEMENTS
Another way to add style and design to key office spaces is with the use of natural elements like wood and stone. Not only are they environmentally friendly – earning you points by conscious guests and staff – they are also very soothing in a normally sterile environment. This can be accomplished by using any of these natural elements for counters, floors, and furniture in lieu of laminate, plastic or melamine. Don’t take shortcuts by getting materials that look like wood or stone when you can use the real thing. This tactile element accented with fresh plants and flower will provide an enjoyable and relaxing environment for all.

WATER
You always want to appeal to various senses. So now let’s talk about adding water to your new space design. (We also incorporate this with trade show designs.) Water features help to create a natural ambiance in spaces. Add some essential oils to your feature and now we are appealing to everyone’s sense of smell and bringing the level or relaxation to a whole new level. But before you put your staff and guests into a meditative slumber you need to be strategic where you use these more effective features. Lobbies and employee lounge areas would be ideal locations as these are prime opportunities to help everyone rest and recharge.

SUNLIGHT
Maximize all the natural light you have, and if you don’t have adequate windows in certain areas you can add the perception of sunlight with strategic lightboxes and LED displays. I don’t know about you, but I hate walking into a dark and gloomy conference room. By providing plenty of sunlight, natural or fake, you are creating a warm and welcoming environment that helps employees feel happier, healthier and generally more productive.

OUTDOOR SEATING
No, I am not talking about park benches in the lobby or picnic tables in the breakroom. You can easily add fun and whimsy to employee lounge areas with fun hammock seats or redesign your employee breakroom into a garden patio with bistro seating and planters. You want to keep you lobby and high-profile client areas a little more polished, by using wood tones, natural fibers, plants and lots of natural lighting like we discussed will immediately evoke the feeling of an outdoor oasis.

CREATE AN INVITING SPACE THEY WON’T FORGET!
Let the professional designers at Apple Rock help you crete a fresh space for your employees return. We can incorporate any or all of the above design elements along with, fresh paint and branding, and new stylish custom partitions to keep everyone safe. You will create so much value and positive energy, resulting in better productivity and happier employees and guests.