How To Create A Breakout Area As Part Of Your Office Refurbishment London

One of the major office design trends within the last decade has seen workers spend less time sat down, glued to their monitors, willing inspiration to come. Instead, they have been spending more time sat within innovative, engaging spaces.

Known as 'breakout areas', you could define them as a staffroom of sorts; they are places in which an employee can switch off from a stressful environment, recharge their batteries or undertake informal meetings in a more comfortable setting.

Within an office refurbishment London, the design and decor of these spaces is vital to get right in order to make these areas a worthwhile addition to the workplace.Which is why here, we're going to be delving into how to create a great breakout area.

Office refurbishment London: What exactly is a breakout area?

A breakout area is a space that has been separated from the general working areas; not just physically separated but mentally separated too, with completely different decor and furniture used within them. The aim is to provide staff with a change of scene, as well as an all-purpose area for work and play. Undertaking regular breaks is important for health and safety reasons, of course, and breakout areas present the ideal solution to achieve that requirement.

The make-up of breakout areas can vary, depending on the needs of the business and its staff. They can be dedicated 'chill out zones' for people to relax or even contain televisions,computer games and pool/table tennis tables. Breakout areas can also be utilised as additional meeting areas; instead of the 'work feeling' that formal meeting rooms bring, breakout areas, with their comfy seating and separation from the immediate environment, can help to boost collaboration between people.

Creating a great breakout area

Perhaps the best thing about creating a breakout area is that they can be (and can contain) anything that the businesssees fit. They can be as creative and quirky as the business would like; so here are aspects to look at when thinking about creating one as part of your office refurbishment in London:

The layout

A breakout area does not have to designed extravagantly, in fact, the 'simple and engaging' way works just as well. If your business is relatively small and you don't have rooms to give over for breakout purposes, then putting up screens in an area of the office will also work to create a separate environment. Placing in little touches such as tea point, vending machine or placing seats near natural light or plants will help to create a better, mindful environment for staff to relax in.

Comfort

It's vital for the business to present the breakout area as a place in which staff are able to unwind and escape the stressfulness of work. Therefore, comfy seating, carpets and a warm, inviting colour scheme are a must.

Furniture

Speaking of furniture, with office refurbishment in London becoming increasingly experimental with its designs in recent years, everyone has the opportunity to place their own unique touch to the spaces they inhabit.Different colours, materials and patterns can be used to reflect a myriad of feelings, as well as provide that reassuring comfort. Soft-seating is also a must; items such as giant beanbags are a breakout room regular, as are sofas and armchairs. With tables and chairs being important to host these informal meetings, better make them ergonomic so they provide maximum comfort to those who use them.

Collaboration

Using the breakout areas for informal meetings is also a great way to relieve other meeting areas from constantly being booked up. Not just that, of course, but they also act as productive,intimate space for teams to develop ideas and grow their rapport. So for these collaboration spaces, a business should think about installing whiteboards or writing walls to allow expressed ideas to be recorded. With the addition of a few comfy chairs and facilities that provide a brew and biscuit, you may just have the perfect 'think tank'!

Staff

Finally, perhaps the most important step to make when designing a breakout area for staff is to ask them what they need from such an environment. Not only will asking their opinion help to find the best medium with which you can design the ideal breakout space but it will allow them to feel more involved within the decisions that the company is making; growing an attachment in them that plays heavily in the retainment of talented individuals. It may sound like a small gesture but they sure go a long way.

Inspiration

By now, we've realised that we cannot just sit in front of a screen and hope inspiration will come to us. It's how we feel that provides that innovative spark and it's the environment we're in that affects the way we feel. When creating their breakout areas as part of their office refurbishment in London, plenty of businesses spark inspiration by decorating them with colours and images attaining to nature, using natural light and plants too. This method (known as 'biophilic design') can help to stimulate employees, invigorating tired and frustrated minds to help them feel refreshed and ready to tackle the work ahead.

Create your ideal London office fit out with Oaktree Interiors

If you're looking to take advantage of the benefits that a breakout area can bring to your office space, why not consider an office refurbishment in London from Oaktree Interiors?

We are an office refurbishment company based in south-east England that has spent the best part of 30 years creating innovative, bespoke work spaces for a multitude of clients. From recent start-ups looking to make an impact, right through to long-established firms who need to expand or to solidify their presence in the area, we have a proven track record of delivering high quality office fit-outs, refurbishments and relocations.

Please feel free to browse around our website to learn more about our company and service. If you would like to speak to us directly about any type of project you have in mind, we would be pleased to hear from you. Give us a call on 0345 21 86955 or send an e-mail to.