Tag Archives: office furniture

This modular desk system for offices creates plenty of different configurations by working just like scrabble!

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Like it or not, for many of us, the spaces where we work affect the quality of our work. Whether you’re working on a personal film project for hours on end or endlessly typing in order to meet a deadline, our physical space affects our mental space. This can get a little tricky when we’re working in office spaces simply because there’s more to work with: more space, more furniture, more people. Shift Studio, a design firm based in Monterrey, Mexico devoted to holistic problem-solving, recently debuted a large-scale answer to office design woes, with their modular desk system for workspace environments.

Desko is an adaptive and modular workspace solution for today’s ever-changing and multi-functional offices. Desko’s “desking” system represents a low-SKU-based design, which means it comprises few variant parts, prioritizing a multitude of office arrangements over different single desk variations. Opting for a low-SKU-based design also means that Desko takes up less space in storage and requires fewer parts for assembly and setup. In order to accommodate offices of varying sizes from the small, one-room startup office to larger corporate buildings, Desko’s “desking” system can easily be reduced or added upon depending on an office’s needs. With the ability to acclimate to any given office setup, the makers at Shift Studio say, “The Desko ‘desking’ system is based on the availability of 12 SKUs that enable the creation of 500+ workspace solutions that range from simple desks, to telemarketing solutions, [and from] ‘L’ and ‘H’ shapes to conference tables and virtually any shape.”

In order to attach one table to another table, a removable support metal beam securely fastens one desk with another and so on. Since all the tables are quadrilateral in shape, they latch onto one another much like how we move around in tile-based video games. Each desk also caters to office electronics thanks to the built-in desk hole grommets that allow room for cables and wires to plug into nearby sockets. While the desks generally look pretty uniform, Shift Studio included different surface options to indulge those who prefer warmer wooden desks over glacial steel. These surface options range from prism white, light grey, dark grey, natural oak, urban ash, and imperial walnut. Assembly and setup for Desko won’t involve any drills, hammers, or screwdrivers – all you’ll need are your own two hands, a few nuts and bolts, and some help from coworkers.

Designer: Shift Studio

The stork chair brings birds of all feathers together in schools and offices!

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Storks are birds we mostly read about in childhood books, but designer Krishna Rammohan turned it into a minimal chair that is loved by children and adults alike! Accurately named Stork, this birdlike seat fits in any setting be it work or play. The idea for the chair was born alongside Rammohan’s newborn nephew and she wanted to create a space where he could play, study, and grow with the furniture that surrounded him.

While the design originally began as a chair meant to transform elementary school classrooms into more free-flowing and collaborative spaces, Stork chairs can flock together in any space – common rooms in offices, coffee shops, and homes. Stork reimagines current day seating options and addresses the pain points associated with fixed table seating typically found in classrooms. “Students should experience the 6Cs, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, communication, connectivity, and culture. The future classroom is about collaboration, flexibility, and sharing experiences with one another. The birdlike stool, therefore, provides kids and teachers with a moveable, highly adjustable seat to freely move and study on. I believe kids should have objects around them that seem whimsical, almost coming out of a storybook, to inspire them to dream bigger,” says Rammohan.

Stork is the result of the harmonization of two forms – the pouf is a comfortable plush seat that provides the user with 4 directions of sitting which encourages collaboration and community-building through the ease of interaction. The beak is a smooth, robust form that functions as a small desk that can conform to the user’s ever-changing seating position. “I began with two volumetric cardboard mockups. One is a modular seat that featured a side slit that could afford adaptors like backrests, personal tables, and pockets. The other mockup was an early version of Stork with a small personal table and a cylinder seat,” explains the designer. She made 3 more cardboard full-scale mockups pushing the ergonomics and human factors of the Stork seat before landing on the final design that would use ribbed plywood and woolen upholstery.

The simple chair forms an instant emotional and joyful connection with its user – you are no longer sitting in a grid of boring chairs but a flock of colorful birds!

Designer: Krishna Rammohan

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This soundproof whiteboard is the social distancing partition you want in your office!

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When I think of a whiteboard, I imagine a rectangular drawing space framed by painted steel or aluminum: a purely utilitarian design. I don’t imagine whiteboards as practical and decorative pieces for an office space. That is what makes the OMI whiteboard room divider unique: it reimagines what an office partition can be.

Several design elements deviate from what we expect from a whiteboard or a room divider. First, its frame uses wood instead of gray or black material, which normally blends into the background. In contrast, the OMI’s frame is its most noticeable feature — more so than the whiteboard itself. It looks thicker and heavier than most whiteboards, but the wheels make it easy to maneuver through a room. The individual parts also look easy to dismantle and reassemble, adding to the product’s mobility.

The OMI’s shape is also quite unusual, resembling a full-length mirror more than a whiteboard. Its frame is quite bulky, not the most modern or sleek design, but I think it makes the most of its build by including sound-absorbent pads and storage bins underneath the whiteboard. This shape might be the best design choice considering its thick wooden frame, but it also limits the available drawing space.

Overall, the critiques mentioned above are minor. The OMI room divider isn’t trying to be the most utilitarian option, but a happy medium between looks and practicality. I imagine this product as a homey cubicle divider for an open-office, something to brighten up your workspace or classroom.

Designer: Sebastian Medrano Casas

Playplax toys inspired this sneeze-guard design to add color to social distancing!

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Inspired by the 1970’s children’s toy Playplax, Australian designer and architect Zahava Elenberg designed Clikclax so that social distancing at work can be less dreadful, more playful! Elenberg is an award-winning architect with her own furniture and fit-out company Move-in which puts this project directly in the area of her expertise. Clikclax is a modular solution to help maintain social distancing policies in workplaces while being cost-effective.

Born out of necessity and changing times; Clikclax was initially created to aid returning to offices post the pandemic. While working on the prototype for her own office, Elenberg realized that the system’s broad functionality and adaptability could be beneficial in multiple settings. It comes as a fully customizable social distancing kit that can be installed on desks, countertops, and workspaces of different sizes with ease. It has been made light enough to be transportable and each kit consists of a series of 10 interlocking Perspex sheets of varying shapes and sizes, plus six bases that can all be combined. While the focus is its flexibility, durability, and design — Clikclax is fun and can be molded to any company’s or individual’s personality and preferences.

Made in Australia from Perspex – a solid material just like plexiglass, it comes in bright colors inspired by the Australian bush. It reimagines the unimaginative sneeze-guards to be more colorful as if they were toys as they become a part of our daily lives. “Not only has Clikclax been designed to enhance the look of a space, but it’s also super fun to put together and infinitely customizable, with a life of its own — much like the game that inspired it.” She adds: “Clikclax isn’t just for offices, it’s for any communal space; anywhere people want to come together but need to keep safely apart. It’s fun and functional and flexible.” Elenberg envisions people “clikclaxing” all over the world  — from offices and co-working spaces to schools and student accommodation, hotels, galleries, and libraries, at communal tables in cafes and restaurants, and on floors, for kids to play together, apart. If there was an ‘Anti-Social Social Distancing Club’, we would vote Elenberg to be its president!

Designers: Zahava Elenberg

This work from home office is the best investment for 2020!

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Home offices are trending like we are in the 90s and its neon fashion – everyone is doing it (not like we had a choice) and it has been a long overdue Pinterest project for so many! Designers all over the world have been inspired to created innovative and productivity-enhancing work from home product designs that range from furniture to modular pods. The latest one to catch our eye was the Zen Work Pod because in 2020 you don’t need a shed in your backyard, you rather have a warm minimalist office instead!

The company behind this work shed has been acing the game when it comes to well-designed office furniture like flexible desks and ergonomic chairs. The Zen Work Pod was a culmination of their furniture design mission clubbed with the need of the hour. The minimalist backyard structure is a stark contrast to the existing toolsheds, it is a modern workspace equipped with all essentials needed for a ‘zen’ workday. “It provides a fresh solution that completely redefines the home office, providing maximum focus during every working hour,” says the team who especially kept creators and freelancers in mind while designing it. The pod features floor-to-ceiling windows and an angular roof all wrapped in a sturdy oak, walnut, and aluminum structure. It is compact but the minimal build and sweeping windows make it feel spacious.

The pod comes with organized shelves, drawers plus the company’s Smartdesk 2 and Kinn chair. While it doesn’t have an air conditioning unit, there are electrical provisions and space to install one if you need it. The warm woody interiors give it a comfortable vibe if you have to spend your whole day working in a shed. If you have a backyard, this office space is worth investing in as we move towards a more flexible lifestyle where work from home will be a normal option even if you aren’t a freelancer or creator. It provides a dedicated space for you to focus and can double up as a Netflix den if you want to binge-watch a thriller without distractions! Its called work-play balance.

Designer: Autonomous

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This air sealed work pod was designed to let employees return to office post quarantine

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We all have a new work-from-home routine that everyone has had to adapt to overnight. Now some companies can afford to let employees continue working from home till a vaccine is made but there are many others who are open and functioning with bare minimum staff because their work is not digital. Just like working from home brought to light issues we didn’t have, working in the office during or after pandemic will have its own set of new issues and that is what designers are aiming to solve with concepts with Qworkntine.

The non-essential companies have to open up at some point to keep the economy (and our income) running. Qworkntine is an air-tight pod system that wants to make working in offices safe while we figure out long-term solutions. It protects the employees and can make it easy to monitor how many employees are in per square meter of the space – it also makes contact tracing convenient in larger offices. Its hexagonal shape lets companies arrange it in any format to suit their physical office – it is like assembling a beehive to keep all the bees healthy and happy! It can be customized to fit right-angled corners and can be elongated as per the needs.

This conceptual work pod features an automatic handle-free acrylic door that is controlled by facial recognition. It also includes ventilation fans and air purifiers to keep a continuous flow of air that is safe to breathe. The designer envisions the Qworkntine pod to be made from hygienic, non-porous materials that will be easy to clean and disinfect. The skylight makes it better for those who may not enjoy tight spaces. Winner of the DNA Paris Design Awards in the Responsible Design category, this design highlights that for the sake of our health (and wealth), we may have to adapt to new work environments. Instead of cubicles, we might have pods and that is basically the same size as having an apartment in Manhattan – say hi to the new home of ‘work-from-home’!

Designer: Moahmed Radwan

Re-energise with some much needed office privacy using this enticing triad!

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Offices can be…well the opposite of private. And with open offices being all the hype nowadays, finding a spot to breathe a sigh of relief in and catch up on some much needed personal time becomes almost impossible. Here swoops in Poppin with their ‘Quiet Time (QT) Privacy Lounge Chair’. And the chair does exactly what it sounds like it might do. Featuring a solid wood frame, the chair consists of three ‘walls’ layered with foam and fiber for a fluffy, springy feel, promising to absorb all and every background noise, and creating a hidden oasis for you. The three ‘walls’ are actually two tufted surround pillows and one back pillow crafted to ensure that you’re comfort level is at its highest.

Showcasing a warm cocoon-like structure, the lounge chair claims to shield off sound waves while keeping you invisible from all the prying eyes around you (unless you’re like super tall). The chair is available in a collection of myriad and fun colors; Gray, Dark Gray, Brick, Dark Blue, Teal, Leaf Green, and Blush.

However, here’s where Poppin has really taken our comfort into serious consideration! The privacy chair can be paired with a complementing ottoman! The QT Privacy Lounge Ottoman matches perfectly with the chair, allowing you to sprawl your legs and giving you the illusion of cuddling up back home in your cozy bed. The ottoman comes in a range of colors as well, so you can mix and match as you like! The final cherry on the icing is the option of procuring Poppin’s Spot Side Table with it. Created from solid ash with a natural or black finish, the table slides in close to the chair like butter, allowing you to place your laptop or tablet on it, and work with complete ease.

The entire trio put together creates a perfect little private spot for you to lay back and get your work done in peace. Assembled effortlessly in a short duration of time, the QT Privacy Lounge Chair with it’s accompanying ottoman and side table create a safe haven for you within your chaotic office!

Designer: Poppin

Click Here to Buy Now!

These animated alphabet shaped desks are here to liven up your workplace!

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Open offices have transitioned into the epitome of procrastination, ineffectiveness or simply ‘boredom’. In fact, research even goes so far as to say they could hinder creative thinking. In a time and age where workspaces need to be fun, inspiring and harbingers of productivity, French creative Benoit Challand has come to our rescue! Inspired by Typography, his concept ‘Fold Yard’ introduces an innovative open office environment, wherein each desk is shaped like a different letter of the alphabet. All the individual workstations come together to form the 26 letters of the alphabet, kicking aside the traditional cubicle, to add a bit of ‘typo’ fun to our workspaces! Despite that, each desk impressively possesses substantial desk space, shelves, storing spaces, partitions and all of the usual office desk requirements. However, when viewed from the ground the shapes remain abstract, but when viewed from above they can spell out series of words depending on how you and your co-workers decide to position the desks for the day. A fresh new word for every fresh new day! (Depending on everyone’s mood)

Taking a break from his daily work schedule (which involves projects with Nike, Ogilvy, and Cartier) Challand forayed into creating an animated and modular collection of office furniture in an attempt to break the usual office monotony, liven up the dreary atmosphere, and combine work with play!

Designer: Benoit Challand

Professional Storage Doesn’t Have to be Impersonal

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The Mia Ped is a container that goes beyond the traditional concept of office drawer systems, combining multiple functions in a single object! It’s truly a personal container, totally configurable by the user. What’s more is that it doubles as a stool for quick meetings at your desk. Take a peek inside —>

Designer: Dieffebi

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(Professional Storage Doesn’t Have to be Impersonal was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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