Upcycling Your Workstyle
Upcycling your workstyle falls into the genre of adaptive reuse and is defined as the act of taking something no longer in use and giving it a second life and a new function within an updated environment. In doing so, the finished product often becomes more practical, valuable and beautiful than what it previously was.
Buying used and refurbished office furniture or upcyling your existing pieces creates a signature style opportunity for your office design. But it has fringe benefits, not only saves you green, it earns LEED points that can lessen your environmental footprint. Our refurbished and pre-owned products earn huge points towards LEED certification due to their recycled content. Many of the newer furnishings we sell are already green-certified.
WHAT IS UPCYCLED OFFICE FURNITURE?
Upcycled office furniture refers to office furniture which has previously been used and has been restored, refurbished. This is done to reduce wastage and promote sustainable solutions that contribute to the circular economy. We believe in promoting sustainable office practices. We are proud to offer a range of recycled, upcycled and refurbished office furniture that is both affordable, eco-friendly and often customizable by your designer.
RETROFITTING
Keep in mind that there may not be a lot of extra customizing or configuring that can be done on some upcycled furniture items. They may have to fit as they are into your new or existing space. Changing the fabrics where possible on seating can give you a modern update. With the advent of flexible workspaces, huddle spaces are great places to intentionally utilize miss matched seating to created unique conversation areas, so don’t give up on those pieces too quickly!
Cubicles and workstations are where you may hit restrictions. Some allow for the drawers to switch from left to right, but otherwise what you see is often what you get. Cubicle fabrics can often be updated, but you will have down time. In some instances you can lower cubicle walls, but this depends upon the manufacturer specs.
Pre-owned furniture may likely have been intended for a specific size and type of space, and retrofitting it into a new area will take some creativity and ingenuity to make their configurations work. Modular and configurable furniture is something that can keep your office trendy and up to date whenever you need it, and that’s something that is often lost with buying used vs refurbished. When working with modular furniture:
- Utilize CAD and space planning services can help you create coveted privacy areas with the limitations.
- Design with intention by updating fabrics to coordinate with your branding
- Align these areas with open meeting spaces to make them appear more modern.
MODERN SENSIBILITY
Trends move quickly and change constantly. Sometimes as quickly as season to season, and definitely year to year. Office furniture that is decades-old sends a message to new hires about a lack of progressive thinking. So choose updates over outdated furniture wherever possible. Seek that perfect balance between a cookie-cutter cubicle farm, and a comfortable, unique, ergonomic workspace. People want functionality as much as they want a good aesthetic.
The goldmine remains pristine ‘60s mod office furniture! Mid-Century modern never goes out of style! It remains one of the top finds. So unless you have a windfall, your used office furniture is probably not going to be on-trend. Whether this matters to the person furnishing the office or not, it will matter to the new hires coming in! This is important if you want to invest in a workplace that entices employees to invest in your culture
If you intend to upcycle, look for items that can be adapted easily to current trends:
- Select seating where the bases can be updated
- Reupholster outdated seating with current fabric patterns that fit your branding.
- Enlist a certified refurbisher to update your benching and cubicles with new tops and fabrics.
- For hybrid work environments, invest in new reception and lounge seating to offset the refurbished items.
OPTING IN
Buying upcycled office furniture is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, and to help you save money. It is important to remember that purchasing recycled office furniture is a sustainable choice that benefits the environment and your budget.
By opting for upcycling pre-owned furniture, you are reducing waste and lowering your carbon footprint. However, it is essential to take the necessary precautions when shopping and purchase from reputable vendors with due diligence on troubleshooting the updates.
Take into account ergonomics and functionality to ensure your office space is equipped with updated furniture that will elevate team productivity:
- Incorporate height adjustable desks with upgraded height adjustable seating for ergonomics
- Adapt cubicle areas into open benching if possible for modern work environments to attract flex workers
- Add ergonomic keyboard set ups to improve productivity
Making a positive impact on the environment with upcycled furniture from trusted vendors can revitalize a growing workspace. Modern desks offer a more ergonomic workflow. Bringing redundantoffice furniture to life. Restoring and recycling office furniture to as new condition as possible.
When it comes to shopping for recycled office furniture, keep the long-term quality and durability of the pieces in mind. By taking a closer look at items before making a purchase, and doing some research, you can make informed decisions. This will benefit your business in the long run.
We are in the business of providing the best solution for the customer. We get quite a lot of refurbished items into our showroom from top manufacturers. We buy liquidated furniture when possible, so if you are seeking particular items, please let us know to look out for them. Refurbished goods are checked, overhauled and a fraction of the original price and are thoroughly tested for quality and function and, if necessary, parts are replaced or repaired.
Photo by Trevor Tondro
OUR DESIGN TEAM enables you to utilize best practices in CAD software to visualize your workspace. Our team is highly qualified to design a space customized to your workplace culture. Contact us at 512-448-3769 or experts@officefurniturenow.com
