Your brand encompasses everything your business stands for, from the way you communicate to the colours you use
However, too many businesses still expect their employees to get their creative juices flowing in bland, identikit offices. Bethany Walker, head of interior design at Styled, explains the importance of reflecting your brand in your interior design. We’ve all heard of Google’s infamous headquarters, in Mountain View, California, which are home to bowling alleys, Indian street food and sleep pods, among other mood-busting initiatives. Then there’s Airbnb’s San Francisco base, which takes its inspiration from some of the iconic locations it hosts property in, and features vintage caravans, tents and an Egyptian-themed street café. However, while most businesses don’t have the space – or budget – for such large-scale operations, there are smaller ways in which they can reflect their brand in their interior design.
But why is it so important?
Well, think about it: pandemic notwithstanding, your staff will spend an average of eight hours a day at work. While they’re there, you want them to live and breathe your brand, and the best way to inspire them is for them to feel, quite literally, immersed in it. If you’re a customer-facing business, there are also your clients to consider; the interior of your shop, restaurant or premises offers a valuable snapshot into your brand, allowing customers to see at a glance what you’re offering – and if they want it. You may not have space – or budget – for a slide, like Google, or a full-on village, like Microsoft, but there are plenty of ways to match your brand with your interior design.
First impressions
To make sure your space reflects your brand, first you need to know what your brand is. Are you traditional, experienced, a safe pair of hands? Or maybe you’re more forwardthinking, quirky, innovative? There are so many ways to incorporate these elements into your spaces, from the colour you choose for the walls and floor to how you do, or don’t, use accessories. Different feels and finishes convey very different, almost subliminal messages; gold, clearly, is a signifier of wealth and success, while clean, white, minimalist spaces are often associated with innovation and forwardthinking. On a smaller scale, for example, if you own a coffee shop and your brand is all about being cosy and relaxing, style your space with comfy chairs, muted lighting and soft music. On the other hand, if your marketing firm is all about being fast-paced and collaborative, make sure your office is brightly-lit and easy to move around in, with plenty of breakout areas for brainstorms. Another key consideration at this point is your staff, who are, after all, a major part of your brand too. What do they want, how do they like to work and what do they need to do the best job they can?
How to make it work
Of course, unless you’re a huge business that owns your premises outright, it’s going to be hard to make major changes, even down to painting the walls, so it’s important that you work with what you’ve got. Even if you inherit a plain white space, the conditions of which stipulate that you can’t make any major changes, there’s still plenty you can do. Choose office chairs and decorations that match the colour of your logo, or highlight your eco-friendly ethos with plants and flowers – it all adds to the impression of your brand, and will look striking against a plain backdrop. Pictures (or anything else you put on the wall) are also your friend here, as they are easy to move and remove, and can help you spell out your brand quickly and cheaply. Office layout, too, is a relatively easy way to reflect your brand; are you going for an openplan, collaborative working space, or do staff need space away from the rest of the team to focus?
Interior design doesn’t need to cost a huge amount, but ultimately, it can have a huge impact on how both staff and clients feel about your brand.
