The kitchen is the heart of your office, and often the key to happy workers.
Your office kitchen needs to be a functional, pleasing space where your employees can unwind, socialise and get away from the hustle and bustle of a busy office environment.
Relaxation and socialisation between your employees ultimately has a great impact on the success of your business, so should be nurtured where possible.
Furthermore, if you’re able to provide a comfortable and enticing space for your employees, they’ll be less likely to head out of the office for a quick (and often unhealthy) lunch.
In essence, this means they’ll be more likely to eat food brought from home. This equates to healthier employees, and a happier, more productive work environment.
However, many businesses believe that all of this adds up to an expensive venture, and that a great office kitchen presents a large financial hurdle.
This is not true; installing a fantastic office kitchen can be a very cost-effective enterprise.
Here’s how.
Recycle
Before you go ahead and purchase brand new joinery and appliances, consider using recycled items.
For example, there are many former display kitchen units available, which are in excellent condition and a fraction of the cost of the brand-new units.
This usually includes cabinets, benchtops, fixtures and splash backs. And often, you’ll be able to purchase a kitchen that may have been out of your price range when brand new.
That means you’ll still be getting top quality, while saving money.
As well as that, it’s also a great idea to go with second hand items when purchasing appliances for your office kitchen.
Recycled items will be much more affordable, and there are many available which have been barely used.
Going recycled saves you money, and is more sustainable in the long run.
Storage
How much storage do you really need in your kitchen?
Too many office kitchens have plenty of cabinets, full of… absolutely nothing. This is simply a big waste of space and money.
Closely analyse how much storage you actually need before fitting your office kitchen.
By installing the right number of cupboards, you’ll be maximising the amount of space, as well as saving money on unnecessary joinery.
Decoration: Less is More
The decoration in your kitchen doesn’t have to be over the top.
Extensive decoration is expensive, so avoid oversaturating your kitchen with artwork, plants and too many fancy light fixtures.
In fact, minimal is often more, and saves your business money. A simple but vibrant colour scheme, a couple of plants and one or two pieces of artwork is plenty.
A minimally decorated space is also conducive to a relaxing atmosphere, as your employees won’t feel overwhelmed by too much stimuli.
Floor Finishes
There are plenty of options for cost-effective and appealing floor finishes.
For instance, laminate flooring is a very affordable material. It is extremely durable and many variants are completely waterproof, meaning it’s ideal for your office kitchen.
However, if you already have a concrete base in your office, it’s much more cost-effective option to simply use this.
Polish and wax the concrete, and you have an excellent, durable kitchen floor for cheap.
