Olga

There are few things that one should consider before choosing your office furniture. This room, whether at work or at home, needs to be functional/practical and comfortable.

• Firstly, consider the function of the space. Will it be used for working or studying; will the activities involve writing or working on a PC; is there a need for a large surface area for drawing or graphics; or should the area have enough space for meetings? If the room has a dual function, the furniture and storage you choose for this room should have a dual function as well.

• Lighting is equally important. You will need to take into account the time of day when the room will be utilized the most. The amount of natural light coming into the room will also affect where you position you computer or fax machine. Three types of lighting will affect the positioning of your office furniture, namely:
  
  • ambient light (overhead)
  • task light (on work stations) and
  • natural light (sunlight/moonlight)

Before you rush out and buy your office furniture a little planning goes a long way in saving you endless hassle and time. Draw a floor plan of where you would like to position all your office furniture and equipment. Now measure everything, including the space outside the room so that you can get the office furniture through the door.

Positioning your office furniture

Work triangles are used in the layout of rooms like kitchens to increase efficiency with minimal movement. The three points of your triangle can be adapted to any three pieces of equipment or pieces of office furniture that are required for your line of work. You could use the desk (with drawers for supplies), a filing cabinet and a book shelf or storage cabinet as your three main pieces.