Planning a small office
With ever more people setting up businesses and working from home, the role of the small office has grown exponentially in recent decades. Every business has its own profile and its own needs: some involve a number of people; others, just one. Some require a lot of equipment; others, little more than a desk and a filing cabinet. Some attract a constant stream of visiting clients; others conduct their affairs exclusively by phone or by email.
Despite such variety, there are a number of general principles that are always worth considering when planning an office.
Small space, big ideas
By definition, a small office implies a highly efficient use of space. You have to get the most out of this limited space, so everything must be finely tuned to its function – compact and earning its keep.
When buying furniture and equipment, measure up carefully; draw a ground plan. Maximise the space available, and the appearance of space, by minimising clutter. And in particular, keep clutter out of the pathways between functions (for instance between your desk and the photocopier, or shredder).
