How to furnish a multi-functional office?

Text | Agata Józefiak

Modern approach to offices treats them as more than just workplaces. For the employees, especially as they are returning from a long home office period, that is also the place for social interactions, trainings, workshops, and sport classes.

As a result, our expectations regarding the office space and its equipment have changed. We want more flexibility and versatility, as well as the possibility to change the functional arrangement. Modern offices should adapt to fluid needs – team’s growth, new working style and the idea to use them after work. They should be highly adaptable and require minimal effort to transform into a meeting or a training room, a sports studio, location for the integration party, even the venue for conferences, presentations, and various events.

But what furniture to choose for the office to keep it highly flexible? It would be best to decide upon timeless simplicity, neutral colours, forms and solutions that will withstand the changing trends and users’ needs. Flexible arrangement depends on how easy it is to move and change the furniture, so it should be dynamic and mobile. Light objects, preferably with rollers, will be best – as they can be effortlessly moved and removed from the space. Their ability to fold or stack will be an additional benefit. What will also be great, are the furniture that adjusts to the user – thanks to additional modules and practical addons even changes the function – which is a perfect solution for open-space offices.

Ergonomic working stations are a must for a functional office. To make it

most versatile, it is important that the stations are adjusted to various working styles: individual concentration, business meetings, video and telephone calls, common sessions, team consultations and brainstorming. The space should be equipped with different worktops – a few

Meeting zone: .mdd’s Baltic chairs and Viga conference table. types of desks, conference and dining tables, coffee tables – and it will easily become multifunctional. That will also benefit the productivity and creativity

Meeting and relax zone: .mdd’s Mesh sofa and Fat Frank armchair with footrest.

Conference room: .mdd’s Baltic chairs and Viga conference table. of the employees, as they will be given the opportunity to work together or move away from their desks. It is worth putting modular and adjustable furniture into the office, especially the openspace type or where employees rotate regularly. Height-adjustable desks, tables made of independent modules, worktops with extensions – all can change their function and adapt to the context. To maximize that, choose desks, chairs and cabinets that come with a range of functional accessories. Extensions, modesty panels, mediaboxes, grommets and cable trays provide the user with the ability to personalise the space according to their needs. Acoustic panels mounted to the desks will help create semiprivate niches. All such additions will transform even the simplest desks into ergonomic working spaces and will provide longlasting comfort of use. They will also enable a few employees to use the same desk, therefore improving the flexibility of the whole space. A cherry on top will be the integrated storage functions, such as pedestals and light bookshelves.

But remember, a working station does not have to be a desk – and functional solutions are not limited to desks as well. Here comes the table, possibly the most versatile among furniture. Big and comfortable or compact and functional – it will suit all spaces in the office. Above all, the office table will function as a spot for coffee or lunch break, but it will also be perfect for meetings, both social and working. Or even business meetings with clients, as it is much easier to talk over coffee. After adding mediaboxes and panels, a table can replace a desk. That is a great solution for a sudden growth of the team, a temporary change of the working style or when parts of the office are out of order. Such tables can also be used after working hours: the space can be rented for courses, workshops, and events, while the employees can meet there in the afternoon. They can celebrate birthdays, play board games or cook. A simple trick to improve the flexibility of the space is to create big tables out of smaller ones, that can be set apart while needed. Also, try to find a model that has some additional functionalities, such as a table with a whiteboard top.

Conference room: .mdd’s Baltic chairs and Viga conference table.

What about lounge zones in the multi-functional office? In a flexible office they don’t need to be separate rooms, more and more often they are just designated in the space. Canteens are equipped better and better, to enable employees to prepare fresh lunch, and arranged more cozy, not only as dining rooms. Social rooms are replaced by arrangements of sofas, armchairs and coffee tables placed around the office. Asa result, they both become multifunctional, as they provide a spot for a break and for a meeting – social, business and working. In terms of mobility, lounge zones are much easier. Seating furniture and coffee tables are smaller and lighter, so it does not require much effort to move them, even if they don’t have the rollers. Currently, on the market, there are more and more models available with functions not determined by their forms. Those are the shell seating, light armchairs, and chairs with a wide range of additional elements such as headrests, armrests, or swivel bases. They will perform equally good for working, eating, and relaxing. An interesting solution are also seating collections with various bases and chairs to choose from. Using one model, you can furnish the whole office. Sofas and armchairs with high backrests provide additional opportunity to surround the space, as they designate muted niches in the space. While choosing chairs, it is also worth to check whether they can be stacked to save some space while not using them.

A thoughtful arrangement is what creates offices that can be used for

various purposes, not only work. Spaces designated there will interchange their functions: a conference room can work as a dining space, a canteen will be great for meetings, and the office spaces becomes a training or sports room. All that needs to be done to make your space multifunctional, is to carefully choose the furniture. Products, that will help create a flexible office, are available at .mdd. Brand collections consist of various seating: chairs, armchairs, sofas, high stools, and poufs, enabling for a coherent arrangement of all functional zones. The idea behind most of them is a range of seats and bases to choose from, and by that to adjust the furniture to the needs.

Lounge zone: .mdd’s Baltic chairs and Tack table.

Marketing Specialist, .mdd