Edelyn De La Cruz, Junior Designer
Supply chain issues and hybrid work models make us rethink how we balance change and productivity.
Furniture – specifically furniture design and custom-made furniture – is an overlooked opportunity for many.
Furniture designs are changing to meet specific needs that vary by company. Designers have responded to this need, overcoming challenges in exciting ways to create pieces that meet new needs while exceeding expectations. Custom-made furniture has been rising in popularity as lead times grow and availability dwindles for manufactured items. Custom-made furniture produced locally might save the day rather than waiting on a piece to arrive in 6+ weeks.
Case in point: the HF Planners, LLC design team recently finished a project for a consumer goods manufacturing company within just two weeks. The lead times for manufactured furniture our client selected were over the project deadline. As a team, we decided that the best way to achieve the client’s vision without sacrificing time was to have a custom piece designed and built for them. Working with our contractor and graphics team, the piece was designed in just one day, construction started immediately, and our client was thrilled! The stunning custom geometrical display, including a wall-mounted cabinet with vibrant colors, monitors, and display boxes for showcasing their products, is now a focal point within the facility and brings a warehouse hallway to life.
As the hybrid work model has become popular among many companies, selecting the right furniture is key to enhancing employee working conditions when they’re on-site.
According to InfoQ, to successfully evolve and embrace hybrid working, businesses will need to consider the four Cs:
- Concentration: solo work, focus
- Collaboration: brainstorming, teamwork
- Communication: training, socializing
- Contemplation: reflecting, relaxing
Private offices, workstations, or conference spaces have given way to flexible office environments where employees can collaborate in groups of various sizes and, in some cases, use various workstations each day rather than assigned seating. When a team can include furniture that is specifically designed to be easily reconfigured, employees have the chance to work as it best fits their day-to-day needs.
Using and applying the four Cs to a workplace will allow reinvention and offer employees a more flexible, inclusive, and, most importantly, productive working environment.
Furniture establishes a good sense of order in interior design with its functionality and circulatory elements. Whether custom-designed or custom-made, it can turn a good office space into one that invites productivity without the wait. We believe companies should have a space that excites their teams and inspires them to do their best work, and HF Planners, LLC can help achieve that!
