An effective workspace is one that can synergise the different elements in the room to create a balanced environment that works best for our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Feng Shui is a great way to incorporate in your office space planning and office interior renovation design because it helps bring harmony to a workplace and improve health and work performance. Let’s look at it in more detail. 

What is Feng Shui in design?

In the world of design, Feng Shui is the art of arranging objects and spaces to establish a harmonious connection between people and their environment.  

There are five important elements in Feng Shui – wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. These need to be balanced to create a harmonious environment. Successful implementation of these five elements to your office design in Singapore will help remove unwanted blockages that can inhibit positive energy and thus, get you closer to achieving the best optimum work environment for your team and business. 

Incorporating The Five Elements in Your Office Design

Wood

Wooden interior makes a room feel cosier and calm. The easiest way to incorporate wood in your office is to have some wooden furniture or plants (also considered to represent the natural element) in the room. Nature brings ample benefits like decreasing negative thoughts and improving cognitive function.  

Fire

The colours that appear fire (red, orange, and yellow) give out warmth effects to the room and promote stimulation, which is essential in a workplace. Obviously, fire can be dangerous in the office, but you can play around with the colours. For instance, have the wall painted red, orange, or some artwork with fire elements. 

Earth

The mother earth brings serenity and positive energy. Include earthy tones (brown, beige, soft greys) in your office interior design and play around with ceramic tiles or some stone flooring. Remember that unusual interior design, if applied correctly, can make your business stand out. 

Metal

This is rather easy to apply as elements of metal can be found everywhere in the office, like in metallic chairs or lighting fixtures. Colours like white and silver also represent metal. This element brings unity (metal blends well with wood and stone) and increases focus and sharpness. 

Water

This element creates calmness and is refreshing. There is a wide range of options you can include in your office interior design. For example, have a tabletop fountain or anything that represents the colour of water like blue or add in wavy shapes that’ll create texture.   

Applying Feng Shui Philosophy to Create The Desired Environment

Keeping The Mess to A Minimum

One of the most important aspects of Feng Shui is the smooth flow of positive energy. Inviting good energy to a room will help make people in it feel more balanced and happy. We all know that a happy workforce is a healthy and effective worker. 

The first step when starting your office renovation in Singapore is to get rid of the clutter. The mess is believed to hinder the flow of energy in the room. So make sure you don’t have anything lying on the floor and take out objects that can potentially make you feel negative. 

After you’re done organising the mess, open up the windows, let the air and the natural light in.  Keeping the room fresh will help improve the air quality, and ideal lighting condition is crucial for workplace productivity. 

Applying Ergonomics

When it comes to office design suitability, an ergonomic workplace is the best option to go for. One way to achieve this is by having ergonomic office furniture. Why? Because comfort is crucial to the health of your workers. Not only that, ergonomic office furniture can help your employees work better because they’re designed with a focus on functionality and decreasing discomfort. 

Now, the placement of office desks and office chairs is equally important. You certainly don’t want your workers to be facing the wall. You can imagine staring at the computers for hours, and another sight you have is a blank wall. Ideally, you want to have your desks facing  the windows with nice views. If the outside view is not an option, you can have the desks facing other spaces in the room with paintings or plants. This is critical as pleasant sights can positively impact work performance, especially with sparking creativity.  

Focusing on Your Workforce Well-being

Improving the well-being of your workers should be the main goal when undergoing your office renovation in Singapore. The health of your employees has all to do with their performance. 

There are many options you can do to help improve the health of your workers. Sticking to the concept of Feng Shui, create positive energy in the workplace by applying some greeneries, nice scents, and pleasant sound.  

Any workplace distractions can prevent employees from working effectively, including  noise disturbance.  Therefore, it’s important that you cancel out these distractions to ensure your workforce can focus and work in the best condition. 

Scents can also help people feel at ease when things are tense. Lavender and peppermint are two of many scents you can infuse to help your employees clear their minds and recharge. 

Plants are also an excellent choice to go for. They’re pleasant to see, and some of them have amazing scents as well.  How about adopting a green office design? A biophilic design is known to improve wellness and heighten productivity. Incorporating all the elements of Feng Shui requires elaborate office space planning and the right team. At SORDC, we have the experience and the professionals ready to take on the challenge of building the best office for our clients! So give us a call, and let’s start working together.