An office should be more than just a series of desks and chairs. To make an office a truly productive and comfortable place to work, it’s essential you have the right mix of office accessories. Want to know what those must-have office accessories are? Then keep reading…
Office storage solutions
No office is complete without a range of storage solutions. Be it somewhere to store files, paperwork, books, or marketing collateral it’s essential you have a set of stylish, tidy, easy-to-use storage solutions.
Aside from making your employees more productive (it being easier to find relevant paperwork etc), quality storage solutions can declutter a space, making it safer and generally more pleasant. Furthermore, good storage solutions can make your office more appealing when prospective clients come to visit.
In short, a series of appropriate office storage solutions should be at the top of your office accessories shopping list.
What types of office storage solutions are there?
Okay, you’re going to want some office storage solutions. But, what are your options? Let’s take a look.
Lockers
When it comes to providing somewhere safe and secure to store items in an office, you can’t beat the classic locker.
However, it’s important you buy the right type of lockers with the right type of features. Take our Probe Steel Lockers, for example. These are a highly configurable set of lockers that are available as single units, or in nests of two or three.
They are also configurable in terms of the number of individual storage units they contain. You can choose to have one, two, three, four, five, or six individual compartments within each locker.
As the image below demonstrates, by mixing the number of compartments within an overall ‘nest’ of lockers, you can offer a huge range of storage options for your employees.
Shop Now – Probe Steel Lockers
Other features that make the Probe Steel Lockers ideal for an office include:
- A huge selection of colours for both the locker doors and the locker carcass’.
- Coated with a special antibacterial ACTIVECOAT technology.
- Fire tested in accordance with EN 13501-1:2007 +A1:2009.
- Conforms to BS 4680:1996 ‘Standard Duty’ (excluding size specification), ISO 9001:2000 and Environmental Management System ISO 14001:2004.
- Manufactured in the UK in accordance with health and safety certification OHSAS 18001.
These lockers will also withstand the daily wear and tear and abuse that can occur in high traffic spaces such as the communal areas of offices/receptions. They feature an air vent system on each door, with five knuckle hinges and a welded internal door strengthener.
Locker walls
A new generation of lockers has started to appear in the office – the ‘locker wall’.
As the name suggests, these are lockers which – instead of being freestanding like traditional lockers – are effectively ‘built in’ to a wall. Being designed in this way, means locker walls are typically designed and installed specifically for your space.
Being built in also means that locker walls can include some features that you won’t ordinarily find in traditional lockers. For example, some locker walls are available with integrated charging points (e.g. a power module within each locker compartment so that users can charge their laptop/phone).
Other features available on locker walls include electronic locker systems that allow people to drop off or pick up items using an electronic code. The S³:hub from Sedus, pictured below, is a great example of this type of modern locker.
Filing cabinets
Aside from somewhere to store sundry items like coats and personal belongings, no office is complete without plenty of filing cabinets.
A great, all-round example that’s suitable for offices of all types is the Executive Filing Cabinets available here at Rosehill. As they are lockable, these are great for any sensitive information (such as HR files or accounts files) that needs to be securely stored and only accessed by authorised individuals.
These are available in a variety of formats, including; two drawer, three drawer, and four drawer. In addition to variable sizes, the Executive Storage Cabinets come in a selection of finishes, from muted, corporate tones through to bold, bright, brilliant primary colours.
They’re also more than a match for the biggest of suspension files (the bits where you store the paperwork). Each drawer with the Executive Filing Cabinets has an impressive 40kg suspension file carrying capacity.
And, none of this comes at the expense of the environment. In fact, the Executive Filing Cabinets are manufactured using sustainable steel, significantly reducing their carbon footprint.
Shop Now – Executive Filing Cabinets
Other features that will make the Executive Filing Cabinets perfect for your office include:
- Each unit is lockable, with a master key available.
- Divider kits (for either A4 or Foolscap files) can be chosen as an optional extra.
- 15-year guarantee.
Modular storage units
Want to avoid more traditional storage solutions and explore something a bit different? Then why not consider purchasing a modular storage unit for your office.
These have become an increasingly popular option in recent years as offices have less need for traditional filing cabinets (with less physical, paper records needing to be stored).
Here at Rosehill, our favourite modular storage unit has to be the OXO from Nowystyl.
As the photograph above shows, the OXO is a fun, stylish way of storing items of all kinds.
If you’re thinking it vaguely resembles Lego blocks – you’d be right. The OXO has been intentionally designed to be modular akin to Lego, with each individual ‘block’ able to be stacked and connected in whichever way you want.
Got something that needs to be stored discreetly? Then the OXO is available with three different types of door; sliding door, hinged door, drop-down door. Just pick the type that suits your office.
As you’d expect from such a stylish item of office furniture, the OXO is available in a number of diverse finishes, including; maple, slate, cashmere, acacia light, and kaiserberg oak (and many more).
This range is Rosehill approved too – and what we use in our own office HQ!
Planter storage units
In a similar vein to the modular units described above, it’s possible to buy planter storage units.
These are storage units that also incorporate a planter section for a variety of indoor plants (be they organic or artificial).
With studies indicating that plants in offices can reduce stress, improve wellbeing and even boost productivity, why not invest in a storage unit that also includes a planter section?
Shop Now – Pren Storage
A perfect example is the Pren Storage range from Bisley. This comprises a highly configurable collection of wooden freestanding lockers, cupboards and wardrobes which can be arranged as you see fit.
The range also has a ‘contra-facing’ design, providing dual access. From an aesthetic point-of-view, the Pren range is available in a range of warm wood tones and natural colours – that will perfectly complement any flora you decide to put in the planter.
Credenza
A credenza – also known as a dresser or sideboard – is an increasingly popular addition to office environments. A perfect accompaniment to executive suites and boardrooms, credenzas provide an elegant way of storing important items – and, with the addition of things like planters – can also aesthetically enhance a space.
Here at Rosehill, we have the Bridge credenza (which you can see in the photo below). This highly-configurable sideboard not only provides storage space, but a place to perch, and subtle space division.
Shop Now – Bridge Storage System
As you would expect, it’s available in a large choice of colours and wood textures and can even be specified to include a number of vibrant fabric elements.
Here at Rosehill, we’re also big fans of the Cubas from ASSMANN. As their name implies, these are a cube-like series of credenzas that are enormously configurable. Each module within a Cubas can be hand-rotated by 360º without the need for tools. This allows you to configure a Cubas to suit individual or context-specific needs. See the image below for an example:
Not only are the Cubas from ASSMANN perfect for storage, but are brilliant at delineating space and helping to subtly divide up office spaces as required.
Acoustic solutions
With a large number of calls and communications now taking place over video following the COVID-19 pandemic, the acoustic suitability of offices has become more important than ever.
Which is why – although it’s not the first thing that springs to mind – acoustic solutions are an essential office accessory.
As anyone who has tried to take a video call in a busy office can tell you, acoustic solutions that dampen ambient noise are an absolute Godsend.
Office acoustic solutions take many forms, ranging from simple acoustic panels that can baffle and diminish sound in open-plan spaces, through to acoustic booths that provide an enclosed environment for maximal sound deadening.
Let’s take a look at your options…
Acoustic panels
One of the easiest and most convenient ways you can add a degree of sound deadening to an office space is through the use of acoustic panels. These take a number of forms, but arguably one of the most versatile options is freestanding acoustic panels.
Take the Kielder Freestanding Screens, for example. Available in two different heights, these screens are designed to explicitly reduce reverberation in open spaces.
Shop Now – Kielder Freestanding Screens
Aesthetically, they have a rather charming design, being shaped akin to trees (with accompanying natural tones to boot).
If you’re looking to help reduce the cacophony of unwanted noise in your office, you should definitely have the Kielder Freestanding Screens on your shopping list!
Apart from freestanding acoustic panels, it’s also possible to buy acoustic panels which can be affixed to walls. These act in a similar way to their freestanding siblings by helping to absorb reverberations and dampening sound in open-plan environments.
One of the best examples of such wall-mounted acoustic panels are the Formo Acoustic Wall Panels.
Shop Now – Formo Acoustic Panels
Available in myriad shapes, sizes, colours and finishes, the Formo Acoustic Wall Panels not only provide an excellent acoustic dampening function, but are of such beautiful craftsmanship that they can play double duty as an art installation, too!
Another Rosehill favourite when it comes to acoustic wall panels is those manufactured by Acoufelt. They are of fantastic quality and are available in a wide spectrum of beautiful colours. In fact, we like them so much that we had some installed at Rosehill HQ!
Acoustic booths
Should you want to provide your employees with a true place of sanctuary and quiet, then you could do worse than invest in an acoustic booth or two.
Akin to telephone boxes – or in the case of larger models, freestanding meeting rooms – acoustic booths provide acoustically-dampened spaces where calls and meetings can be conducted in peace.
As we described in our guide to acoustic booths, ‘In addition to dampening sound, acoustic booths will typically incorporate other features such as a desk/table, seating, and sometimes even LED lighting, whiteboards, and ventilation fans’.
In many ways, they are a self-contained workspace.
Shop Now – Bea Roofed Dens
If you’re considering investing in an acoustic booth for your office, then we’d highly recommend the Bea range ‘roofed dens’. Available in two person, four person, and six person configurations, the Bea Roofed Dens not only look great, but are fantastic at deadening sound, creating a placid, calm place to work.
The range of Bea Roofed Dens can also be configured with many of today’s office ‘must haves’ including motion-activated light sensors, power modules, ventilation, USB-A and USB-C ports and glass doors.
Phone booths
If you don’t have the money (or space) to stretch to a full modular booth, a great alternative is a phone booth.
Now, we’re not suggesting literal phone booths – but, rather, acoustic pods that physically resemble outdoor phone booths of old.
Shop Now – Penelope Pod
A frankly stunning example is the Penelope Pod. Providing an acoustically-dampened one-person meeting space, the Penelope Pod can be fitted with all mod cons. These include:
- Motion sensor (PIR) activated lighting.
- Power units.
- Ventilation.
- TV brackets.
- USB-A and USB-C ports.
- Integrated table.
- Glass door.
A wide range of customisable extra features and finishes are also available for the Penelope Pod. Just speak to the Rosehill team for more information!
Charging stations
These days, the majority of office-based jobs are almost completely reliant upon the use of laptops, tablets, and desktop PCs for much of their workflows.
With that in mind, why not invest in some mobile charging stations? These are freestanding charging stations that allow multiple items to be plugged in and draw a charge simultaneously.
The real benefit of these solutions is that they are location-independent. You can use them near enough anywhere – making them perfect for large open-plan offices where power sockets are typically confined to main walls.
Now, don’t think that mobile charging stations have to be ugly, utilitarian lumps of plastic. As the example from Sedus below demonstrates, the opposite can be true.
The Sedus Mobile Power Supply has a distinctive PET felt outer cover with a convenient integrated carry handle. And, with four power sockets, it can play charging duty for multiple devices at once.
Office sofas
Not necessarily an accessory per se, but sofas make for an excellent addition to offices.
They offer somewhere away from the desk that allows individuals to work, relax or socialise with colleagues. In the words of one think tank, sofas in offices are perfect for inducing ‘spontaneous serendipity’ – where colleagues accidentally meet up, and in the process come up with new ideas and innovations.
Beyond that, sofas also offer visitors somewhere comfortable to sit whilst they wait to meet your staff etc.
So, when it comes to buying a sofa for your office, what should you be looking for? Take a look at the questions below and consider how you would answer each one:
- Do you want a standard two, three, or four-seat sofa? Or would you prefer a modular type of sofa that is more configurable?
- Do your chosen sofas need to be rated to a certain fire safety standard? If you’re going to be placing a sofa in a typical office, then it will need to be upholstered in Crib 5 rated material.
- Do you want to incorporate power and data modules into your sofas, so people can charge their devices whilst they’re sitting down?
Your answers to these questions will influence what type of sofa(s) will be most suitable for your office.
Shop Now – Oban Sofas
Here at Rosehill, we have many office owners choosing to buy the Oban Sofas. This is a range of sofas that includes one, two, and three seat versions (with low or high backs). What really makes the Oban range appealing for offices, though, is their integrated power module. This makes Oban not a comfortable choice, but a utilitarian one.
Guide – for more information about office sofas, read our detailed office sofa buying guide now.
Mobile monitor/media wall
If you work in an industry which needs to stay abreast of the latest news, current affairs and world events (and really, every business does need to do this), then a great office accessory to buy is a media wall.
Also known as monitor walls, media walls are exactly that – walls that incorporate a monitor.
Now, although some people go down the route of actually building a physical stud wall, plastering it and embedding a TV or monitor, you don’t have to go to all that effort.
As the mobile monitor wall from Sedus demonstrates, it’s possible to buy media/monitor walls that can be easily moved around an office or building. These offer the best of both worlds, a static installation that can keep your staff informed, and they’re mobile so can be moved to where they are most needed at any one time.
If you’re interested in buying the Sedus Monitor Wall for your building, speak to the Rosehill team now.
We also offer a wide range of whiteboards, notice boards and screens for your office too.
Don’t forget those miscellaneous items!
Aside from the various accessories outlined above, don’t forget some of those smaller, perhaps more mundane office accessories. These include coat hooks, kitchen units, umbrella stands and more.
Complete your office with Rosehill
Accessories like those listed above are often the perfect finishing touches to an office space. If you want to create a healthy, happy and attractive office space, then speak to the Rosehill team today.
We offer a consultative approach that will help you find the best furniture, at the best price, that perfectly meets your needs. We also have long-standing relationships with the leading office furniture manufacturers, meaning we can often secure you bulk buying discounts that you just won’t get anywhere else.
Even better? We offer free delivery on orders over £950 (before VAT, for customers with a UK mainland shipping address).
Shop office furniture at Rosehill now
For more commercial and contract furniture buying guides, information and advice, read the Rosehill blog…
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