It’s rare that an executive’s office is just an office; in most cases, it’s many different things all in one. It’s a place for working individually. It’s a place to hold small business meetings. It’s certainly a place where they’ll hold private calls. The space should reflect these different uses accordingly. Create different “zones” for each purpose. One zone can be for the CEO’s desk. Another can be for meetings, with a sofa or a small table and chairs for sitting and chat with others, either one-on-one or in a small group. (Provide a few guest chairs for visitors in front of their desk, too.) Depending on the areas surrounding the office, you may also want to incorporate soundmasking material to cut down on exterior noise.
The office should also be branded to reflect the company’s values and serve as an external expression of what drives the business. There are a few ways you can do this. One is to decorate the office using the company color scheme or logo. Perhaps the furniture you choose could match the company’s colors, or you decorate with wall art that reflects the company culture. You could also think about the company’s values and mission, and use those to drive your design choices. If the company values simplicity, for example, you may want to decorate with a minimalist style and monochromatic color scheme. If it values fun and vibrancy, you may want to decorate with colorful, playful furniture.
In addition to keeping branding and space in mind, talk to the executive and find out their personal working preferences. Do they want peace and quiet, or do they need some sort of background noise? Do they want to be close to their employees, or would they prefer an office that’s set further apart? What do they want their new office to do that their current office doesn’t? You may want to set up a meeting with your CEO to talk through these different questions.
Obviously, an executive should have a say in their office design; they know better than anyone else the conditions under which they’ll thrive, so you should let their preferences guide your design scheme. But even so, there are a few functional things that you should keep in mind, like the furniture they’ll need: shelving for books and reference materials, a small table for their printer, a desk with a large surface area that also has drawers for file and supply storage, etc. A contemporary office is useless if it looks good but makes getting work done impossible.
What are some of the things you’ve had to keep in mind when designing a CEO’s office? Let us know in the comments below.
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