As school term time draws to a close, many professional decorators prepare to decamp to educational premises. School redecorating contracts are popular over the six week period of school Summer holidays. Despite the fact that modern school buildings remain functioning as club and activity venues over the holidays, the absence of curriculum based paraphernalia makes this time ideal for efficient decorating. What about the office, though?

If we’re lucky, the Great British Summer encompasses more than just the six weeks when school’s out! For those who are unconstrained by term dates, holidays are often preferable in early July and September. And we may get great weather all the way through to October!  So in this way, offices don’t experience the same mass exodus that we see in the pattern of school decorating. So, is Summer a good time to decorate your office?

Here are the great things about Summer:

It’s easier to air the space

For older office spaces that still have functioning windows, the warmer weather means that air can be allowed to circulate to help to dry paintwork quicker. So if your decorating is happening around your ongoing office activity, any impact will be reduced. Purpose built blocks tend to operate within their own microclimate so the season is less relevant!

It’s ideal for external repair

Perhaps you’re putting together a lengthy programme of office decorative repair both inside and out. In this case, warmer, dryer months are ideal to schedule the external paint jobs. Paint dries quicker and work is less likely to encounter delays so both your schedule and your costs will benefit.

Longer hours of natural light

Decorators make hay while the sun shines! We love natural light as it is ideal for judging texture and colour. This means that in the Summer, we can put in those longer hours that make it possible for us to achieve targets in shorter time scales. If we’re working around your office activity, the evenings still offer natural light. 

Less professional pressure

Perhaps it’s because the office is less populated. Perhaps it’s the heat. Whatever the reason, the Summer months tend to result in a more relaxed atmosphere around the office. In this way, it can be easier to temporarily move department locations in order to work on a staggered decorating programme.

And on the flipside, Summer can pose its own challenges:

It’s a popular time

Because of the benefits to decorating an office in Summer, it’s favoured among organisations. So it can be tricky to secure a decorative contract unless you’re super organised. Don’t forget, though, that when you appoint an experienced decorator, they will achieve a great finish whatever the season. 

Decision makers go on holiday too!

Imagine you’re in the middle of a decoration contract and an unforeseen query occurs. What happens if the lead representative in your company is on holiday? This is why it’s so vital to keep communication streams open. More than one person should hold a decision making responsibility so that you never get stuck!

Weather is still unpredictable

We’re in the UK, remember… Summer is no guarantee of dry weather! The great thing about contracting an experienced professional is that they can work in a flexible way. They’ll make the most of good weather when it is here, and balance their workload during poor weather.

Dry weather hides defects

By limiting your decorative repair and maintenance to the Summer, you may miss emerging defects in walls and brickwork. It’s therefore important to make checks year round and communicate them to your decorator. Make sure that the walls have been checked for any signs of structural disrepair such as internal mould or condensation that may have occurred over the rest of the year.

It’s true that Summer is a great time to decorate an office. However, it’s not the only season! When you work with a good, experienced decorator your finish will be perfect and the work efficient whatever the season.

If the mantra: “There’s simply not the budget for redecoration” is oft quoted within your organisation, this can cause frustration. Employees may become constrained and despondent at the state of the office! So if you’re keen to see a decorative refresh for your office, but the powers that be are holding on tight to those purse strings, read on to discover why a can-do attitude is the way forward. 

Productivity

An office redecoration need not cost the earth. However, there are benefits to a fresh and clean working environment. These can be very real and tangible for a business. Businesses that rely on sales or creative thinking find an increase in productivity from a fresh working environment. So the question should not simply be ‘can we afford an office redecoration’. But rather ‘what’s the balance of cost and productivity’.

Greenery

Adding elements of greenery are a great and relatively low cost way to make an office environment feel reinvigorated. So if budget is limited, this is a good place to start. Perhaps the ongoing maintenance of plant care is an obstacle? With some great fake greenery out there, you can give your office a natural edge without the ongoing cost. If you do find some extra in your budget, why not consider adding a living wall to your reception area. It’s a great way to give a contemporary feel and create a talking point for visitors and clients.

First Impressions

When a potential client visits your premises, what impression is made by your decorative repair? Both external paintwork and internal office decoration are equally important here. The outcome of pitch meetings can be influenced by how a potential client feels about your working space. This may be that your organisation appears thriving because of your modern and vibrant office. Or alternatively that your organisation shows due care and attention by a well maintained building exterior. Whether subconscious or deliberate, these impressions will affect your business.

Interactivity

A great and creative way to update an office on a budget is to make an office wall interactive. This could be in a social or meeting area. By having a wall painted in good quality whiteboard or blackboard paint, these areas become more innovative. You can use the walls for notices or brainstorming. Therefore the functionality of the wall is increased, and the space can even feel more supportive to creativity.

Scheduled Decorating

It may be that a full office refit or redecoration really is cost prohibitive. So consider a longer, slower schedule to your office redecoration. By spreading the cost, your office can be refreshed and modernised without incurring a huge upfront cost. At HL Decorating, we are expert in drawing up schedules that work around the needs of your business. Not only this, our schedules also minimise disruption to your daily activity. By taking it slow, your office space could enjoy a full redecoration without employees even noticing!

Sustainable Solutions

How about the long term impact of your redecoration? If you need to make changes to your office infrastructure, it may not be prudent to opt for the cheapest solution. LED lighting can reduce your ongoing utilities costs. How about the properties of your office flooring? Flooring is an often neglected area of office decoration. However, the temperature and acoustic insulation of flooring impacts your office day to day.

There are essentially three solutions to a limited budget when it comes to office decoration. These are to add small details such as greenery. To focus your budget into one element such as lighting, flooring or interactive features. Or to structure your redecoration into a long programme. If you need help and guidance, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

The way that your colleagues and staff use the office changes with the seasons. Therefore it’s vital that your fit out is designed with this in mind as we come into Summer. The key word here is ‘British’ rather than ‘Summer’. Over the course of a Summer in London you can encounter blistering heat, biblical rainstorms, howling wind, even the odd bout of hail! So how can you ensure that your office is set up to be a positive environment come what may? [Read more…] about Managing British Summertime in Your Office

When we talk about office decoration, it’s easy to become preoccupied with colour and vibrancy. However, there’s a very important dimension to office design that is focused on minimalism and lack of colour. Far from being boring, done right this concept can work beautifully. The ultimate balance of modern and classic, white tones are brave and striking. But how do you avoid the sterile and achieve an office where blank decoration has a big impact? [Read more…] about A Blank Canvas: when Less is More for Your Office

What does the future hold for the office? As practical demands on places of business change and evolve, so too do trends of office layout, furnishings and decoration. So where are these trends heading and what direction should your business follow to make sure you remain current in your working environment? If you are planning an office refit or redecoration this Summer, whether in London or beyond, check out our 6 tips for office trends.  [Read more…] about 6 of the Best Office Decorating Trends