If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Commercial Interior Design and the Problem with Christmas
Why Christmas is such a problem for Commercial Interior Design and Fit-Out Projects in Perth
How come Christmas comes around so fast…in fact faster than before!
You have to laugh because we say this every year and it’s true it does seem to come around so fast and faster every year. Perhaps it’s because we live in a technology age that is always pushing us to have everything faster, easier and cheaper.
So how does the Christmas period affect The Commercial Interior Design Industry?
Well you know this is another one of those clichés we have been saying for years that as Christmas approaches things get crazy, people get crazy and the whole Interior Design and Fit-Out Industry goes into a kind of frenzied overdrive. I can almost guarantee that Commercial Interior Design projects that have been on the shelf for the past few months or that have at least been a low priority list will suddenly emerge as a priority around November and December with the mandate that it must be completed by Christmas or during the Christmas period when the company is on skeleton staffing levels.
This is where the dilemma comes in because companies often see the slow Christmas period as being an excellent time to get work done on their office as it won’t cause so much disruption. Unfortunately we are always in the position of having to explain that everyone in our Industry also wants to have some time off and that as much as we would like your work we don’t have anyone to do it.
On top of that Christmas and January has been a traditional time for many factories to shutdown and perform maintenance. This causes a second problem for us where even if we can find the labor to do your office fit work we cannot get all the supplies we need. Silly things can cause us a problem, like lack of availability of door handles, Aluminum and getting glass cut to size.
For nearly 20 years I have been in this country and I have really not seen any change with this situation. Even if we make labor available there will be a premium price to pay which customers baulk at and so it seems a situation that really can never resolve itself.
I have sent out messages to clients to warn them of the Christmas period shutdowns and to get their orders in early and this seems to make very little difference also. Many companies even close off taking orders around November time although it would seem many people choose not to believe this.
Now the second part of the problem with the Commercial Interior Design & Fit-Out Industry in Perth over Christmas is January.
As I said earlier many companies take January as a time to perform routine maintenance and many employees and contractors take time off as well. So when we get tasked with any projects we really don’t have many resources to call on.
Effectively I have always told clients that we lose at least 2 or 3 weeks over this period where little or nothing will be able to happen and that it is important for them to factor this into any timeframes for projects they might want to risk ( and I say risk) undertaking at this time of year.
You can basically write off the days leading up to Christmas because as you have probably guessed everyone is having the annual Christmas parties and it is literally impossible trying to get hold of anyone….at least in sober state! The period between Christmas and New Year is virtually out of the question for everyone and then many people don’t start coming back until at least around the 4th Jan or later.
So really from around the 21st December to the 8th January as pretty much useless for us in getting anything done which is why we say just take this period out of your timeframe.
Some Advice you probably won’t take any notice of..!!!!
Once again as I have done for many years with many clients my advice is to get any Commercial Interior Design and Fit Out projects you might think could happen later in the year up and running well before December, preferably in October or November.
- If you are planning to use the Christmas and early January period as the time to get the Fit Out work done in your office then plan this early. Talk to Fit out companies, Project Managers and Commercial Interior Design companies and find out what the feasibility is and expect to pay some premium prices so add a bit more to the budget as well.
- And lastly, you should expect that there will be some delays a few problems and the completion date is very likely to drag out. You might be able to use the office but there will very likely be items that are unfinished and some items not even delivered. You could be waiting well into mid/late January and even February before everything is completed.
And on that note…..Enjoy your Christmas and Happy New Year!…..and don’t forget to like and share this article if you enjoyed.
Fit-Out Process and Why it takes time to start on site
Interior Design and The Disability Discrimination Act AS1428
The impact of AS 1428 on Interior Design for Offices in Perth
In another post I will discuss the new legislation for Building Acts which is due to come into effect early in 2012. One of the most significant impacts of BCA compliance for Office buildings and fit outs is probably AS 1428 The Disability Discrimination Act and so I will discuss briefly how this impacts office spaces and will continue to write on this topic in the future.
Disabled access to office buildings increasingly important
Over the past 15 years or so there has been a steady increase in the impact of the DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) on planning for offices. At that stage there were not many Designers who had much knowledge of these standards and hence it was not often incorporated into Interior Office Designs.
But things have changed significantly in the last 5 years…..So I will briefly outline how it really impacts your office design
How the DDA affects Interior Office layouts
- Office buildings need to allow adequate access for people with disabilites like those persons who are in a wheelchair or who have some form of disability.
- Basic Interior layouts need to allow adequate access for people with disabilites like those persons who are in a wheelchair or some form of disability.
- This means that circulation spaces throughout the office need to be designed appropriately so wheelchairs are able to freely use all spaces in the office area. This is particularly important for doorway areas which need to be a specific width as well as the space around the doors.
- Toilet areas are another important aspect of the DDA with the requirement for fully disabled toilets as well as Ambulant toilet spaces the extent of which needs to be assessed in relation to each individual building and office space.
- Stairways need to be noticeable to visually impaired people with the use of color coding and also tactile indicators on floors.
- Lifts are also another important aspect of the DDA requirements and need to be designed to enable disabled people to use them effectively.
What does it all mean?
What I have noticed over the years is many companies are not particularly aware of the increasing requirement to comply with this Act within their office space. Although they likely notice how areas have changed in public places and their own building lobbies they seem not to realize that these issues also need to apply within the office space as well. Because to date the Act is not retrospective meaning they do not need to change their existing spaces unless they carry out new works it really has been a case of ‘out of mind’.
Economics always plays a significant factor when planning new office spaces
Of course the fact is economics always plays a significant factor when planning new office spaces or refurbishing existing and the requirements of the DDA often will incur extra costs which to some may seem unjustified and unnecessary. The truth is there are some grey areas as the DDA, BCA and AS do not dove tail seamlessly together and there is no actual law against non compliance with the DDA. It really comes into effect if a non compliance issue is taken to court by someone and so this leaves the loophole for many companies to not worry about full compliance.
So why bother to comply you might ask?
Well the issue is that all new fit out works as well as building works of course require a building licence from local government and failure to obtain one will normally prevent contractors from commencing works on site. The conditions of issue of a building licence will require the works to comply with the BCA which in turn requires compliance with the DDA and that is where it all begins. The truth is however that compliance with the DDA is rather like insurance because there is no actual law against non compliance and is really only an issue if a person with disabilities decides to sue based on the fact that the building or office space does not allow adequate access for them…hence discrimination.
But as I said there are quite a few grey areas between the various Acts and in a recent meeting I had with Perth City Council they talked about the Premises Act which is of most significance the building owners and their responsibilities and requirements to provide suitably accessible buildings.
So what should companies do?
- For companies with existing office space they could arrange for an audit to be carried out on their current space to ascertain the level of compliance and in turn arrange for plans to be created on how compliance can be achieved.
- For companies looking at new space the requirement for a building licence will ensure eventually the DDA is complied with to the extent required to approve the work. New laws will also make occupation certificates mandatory before occupation.
- It is highly recommended that building owners and managers also seek an audit on the level of compliance with the DDA and appropriate measures employed to bring buildings up to standard as well as becoming more aware of their responsibilities and requirements as owners and landlords.
- In short these rules and regulations are not going to go away and it is predicted eventually they will be mandatory and possibly even retrospective and so it is well worth taking measures now so effective planning can be implemented for both financial and structural reasons.
This is an open resource so please feel free to leave a comment if you have any information about this post.
More on Interior Design Perth
Exterior Design issues
Exterior Design issues are similar to Interior Design issues and planning is the key.
Although this blog is about Interior design and primarily Commercial we do get asked to talk about Interior and exterior design issues for residential applications. I have always found residential design to be more demanding on time as you are dealing with a husband and wife who will most likely be living in the house and so they will naturally have a very keen interest in every little detail.
I have also carried out extensive renovation works on my own homes and so I can fully relate to this.
So what about Exterior design issues? Here in Australia one of the biggest issues is the back garden and entertaining areas and that all important Aussie asset the swimming pool. For most couples this will be a very important area because much of the Australian lifestyle is outside and much entertainment is done at the home with plenty of bbq’s and pool parties.
My general advice here is to really think about your potential useage, the age of your family and social status. For example I have had 2 swimming pools in my lifetime but now I don’t have one or want one because my children are grown up and I simply wouldn’t get the use out of it now. I would most likely get more use from a spa because being a lot warmer I could use it all year round and use it for relaxing. Unless I had a pool with swimming pool heating ( which BTW is not a bad idea) this would be the best option for me.
Certainly grass areas would be a minimum these days and having plants and trees that are essentially native and generally don’t take much maintenance would also be on top of my list. However if you love gardening, have young kids or pets then the opposite might well be better for you.
In short that is why I always recommend just as with Interior Design that you should consider your full lifestyle, the age of your family and where you see yourself in 5 years time before making any big decisions on your design plans.
Interior Design Tips on Home office Design
Having the Best Office at Home
Having the Best Office at Home
Home offices can be a conundrum; especially if you do not have the dedicated space required or the money to invest in expensive office furniture. Nevertheless, with the primary needs relating to the tasks you will perform met, a home office is the one place you can really express yourself – making going to work a real pleasure.
Selecting Your Office Space
The first task in office space planning is deciding exactly where to put your home office. You may have a room available or this or it may be a dedicated area in another part of the house. Things to consider include when determining where to place the furniture include:
- Where are the windows? Natural lighting is important for health, so having a window is ideal. However, natural light can also be a nuisance in that it causes glare on your computer screen. So consider window position when deciding where to place your desk.
- Some people need to face the door; otherwise, they find it distracting. If door placement is an issue, make sure to consider it.
- Map out the sockets and points before you start placing furniture. Where are the points you will need for power, internet, television, telephone, etc?
Home Office Design Tips
One of the most important elements of a home office is its ability to strike that balance between domesticity and functionality. This is especially true if your home office is not a dedicated room. Here are some design tips to help you integrate one with the other.
- Having a home office does not necessarily necessitate having office furniture. Select ergonomic designs for chair and keyboard desk, but consider converting a wardrobe to serve as filing and storage and use wine racks or baskets as alternatives to traditional in-trays.
- Add seating. While a bed may be necessary (if your study doubles as a guest bedroom), by adding seating – even if it is not required – can break up the room in a way that allows for better focus. You will feel more like you are in a working environment.
- Add wall art. A clock, a calendar, and a memo board may be functional necessities, but do not forget to add prints or photos. These extra touches add inspiration to function.
- In addition to natural lighting, make sure your office space has good task lighting as well.
Remember, it’s an Office
While your home office may have to share space with the guest room or the dining room, it does not mean it deserves less respect than a traditional office. By treating your office space like office space, your ability to focus and work when you are there will be much improved. Avoid using your office space for other things, especially storage for household items and clutter. Avoid using your office space as a habitual socialising space. Teach others in the family to respect the office and to respect you while you are there. You may be visible and/or reachable, but when mommy is “in her office”, it means she is working, so do not disturb.
