Using Design Elements in Your Office Space

A Mix of Light & Dark: The Law Offices of Chanfrau & Chanfrau 

Over the last few years, where people work has changed. In a short period of time, we have gone from working in an office building full-time to working from home full-time, to a hybrid of both, and now some organizations are transitioning back to a full-time return to an office building. Creating and maintaining a dynamic office space is essential for both the client and your team.

Creating a space that is warm, welcoming, functional, and up to date speaks volumes to your team and your clients and can increase morale and increase productivity. A pleasing, well-organized space promotes confidence and pride in your organization. 

As we transition back to spending more time at an office instead of our homes, we are reminded that design aesthetics can affect how your team works. Why does office design matter? 

1. Your team spends a lot of time at the office.

According to a study done by Ohio State University and the National Institute of Mental Health, our workspace affects our health, emotions, and productivity. Creating an updated space displays the importance you place on your team’s work experience. It can also convey your company values like teamwork (gathering space), work/life balance (areas away from desk), innovation (technology), and overall physical and mental health (natural light, paint colors). 

2. Clients Expectations

People tend to judge a book by its cover and have expectations when it comes to doing business with a company. Making sure your office space is updated, welcoming, and clean speaks volumes about your company. Your design choices can also communicate that your company is collaborative and has a team atmosphere, creating a welcoming environment for your clients. 

We recently had the pleasure of working with the local law firm Chanfrau and Chanfrau and their interior designer, Melissa Kearney with M Kearney Designs, to assist in a full remodel of their offices. The results of this collaboration are impressive. We asked what inspired the updated design. Kearney commented “The building itself was the inspiration. It is a historic Spanish style building with wonderful architecture.” 

We also asked Kearney what is the major difference between designing a commercial property and a residential property. Kearney stated “When designing for a commercial space, I take into consideration the wide range of people using the building, versus a homeowner’s individual needs.” 

With the exception of your parking area and exterior of your building, your reception area is your organization’s first impression. Your reception area sets the tone for the rest of the office space. Utilizing custom countertop materials in your reception area allows you to create a statement when your clients walk in the door. Custom countertop materials bring a rich unique look to the area that has more of a design feel than just a desk. 

We love the brightness of this space and the warmth accomplished by the variety of texture and color. When we asked designer Melissa why she decided on utilizing Cambria countertops throughout the office, she commented “They have a fantastic pattern and color range and superior quality.” 

The reception desk design elements include a combination of Cambria quartz, color Helmsley and waterfall edge in Cambria’s Fairbourne. The contrast between the darker and lighter quartz countertops create a beautiful statement in the entrance, especially with the stone back wall and soft-colored tile floor. The lighter color walls also add to the feel of the room.

Helmsley 

Fairbourne 

This warmth is carried through the office, including the kitchen area and conference rooms. 

Front Conference Room  

We really love the clean look of this conference room. The contrast of the light walls and floor with the dark wood accents on the window trim and the dark chair accent is a nice balance. The designer’s use of the Cambria quartz, a custom countertop material in Clovelly for the conference room table creates a unique modern feel with a beautiful focal point. 

Downstairs Conference Room

The larger of the two conference rooms is almost a contrast to the front conference room: the lighter wood trim and the darker Luxury Series Cambria quartz, a custom countertop material in Golden Dragon (discountinued product, similar products available) on both the table and built-in cabinetry. The same style chair is used in this space, keeping consistency throughout the office. 

Kitchen & Coffee Bar Area

The kitchen is where your team will come together daily and is an important space. The designer has carried the same feel to this space as the rest of the remodel. Brightening the space up with natural light, neutral flooring and walls. The downstairs kitchen is designed with Cambria’s custom countertop material in Helmsley, mirroring the reception desk area. 

We want to thank the team at Chanfrau and Chanfrau and Melissa Kearney of M Kearney Designs for allowing us to be a part of this project. Whether we are assisting our clients with their home or business design projects, we feel privileged to be a contributor. 

Whether you are building from the ground up or remodeling your office, we would love to partner with you on your design project. Stop by our showroom at 5950 S US Highway 1, Bunnell, FL 32110 to begin collaborating with our team on your office remodel or construction project. 

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Continental Granite & Cabinets offers our clients a wide variety of custom fabrication needs, such as countertops, fireplaces, stairs, wall cladding, flooring, bars, furniture pieces, custom trim and much more. We also offer a wide range of products to make such creations such as Granite, Marble, Onyx, Travertine, Silestone, Cambria, Caesarstone, Corian Quartz, etc. Continental Granite & Cabinets is proud to be a family-owned and operated business and treats its customers as if they were one of their own. We’re located in Bunnell, Florida, just 6 miles Northwest of Destination-Daytona in Ormond Beach, Florida, serving all of Central Florida and beyond. We believe our relationship with our customers lasts much longer than the current project we are working with them. To learn more, call us today at 386.586.7059 or fill out our contact form here.