Savvy Magazine - Summer 2011

hermanmiller.com/savvy

SAVVY

IndIVIduAlSBusiness people we admire

KnowledgeThe future of small business, building trust, generations, and attainable design

ProductSYour office: A user’s manual

Small Business: The Next 10 Years

Creating Offices for Small Businesses Summer 2011

2 | SAVVY Spring 2011

Who is Herman Miller?Herman Miller, Inc., is a leader in the office furniture industry. We designed the original open plan office system, Action Office®, in 1968. We’re well-known for the iconic Aeron® chair introduced in 1994. We haven’t stopped innovating. S3 is one example; it’s a program that focuses on creating offices for small business. Together with our dealer partners, we’re your local resource for furnishing your office right so you can get on with your work.

Savvy is published twice a year by Herman Miller, Inc. If you have comments about or suggestions for SAVVY, please email the editor at [email protected]. For more information or to sign up to receive future issues of SAVVY, visit hermanmiller.com/savvy.

Contents

IndIVIduAlS Small business owners share their stories.

Cheryl Bell 4Akshay Kothari 6Sam Simon 8

Knowledge

Ideas and facts that inspire us.

Attitudes That Build Trust 11Attainable Design? 12Small Business: The Next 10 Years 14People, Not Generations 20

ProductSResources to help you furnish your workspace.

Seating 25Tables 27Systems 28Filing & Storage 30Accessories 31Materials 32

Contributors

Herman Miller Small Business TeamNathan ChandlerKim MonksRandall BraaksmaMitch Larson Becky Billinghurst Wanda VanNoord Niki Ainsworth Eric MoesDan VanIddekinge

Contributing WriterDavid Foster

PhotographerPeter Baker

Editorial DesignConcept A

SAVVY

© 2011 Herman Miller, Inc., Zeeland, Michigan Printed in U.S.A O.MS2358 ® Y, Herman Miller, Action Office, Aeron, Ardea, Aside, Avive, Caper, Celle, Eames, Embody, Equa 2, Intersect, Limerick, Mirra, Resolve, SAYL, and Setu are among the registered trademarks of Herman Miller, Inc. TM 3D Intelligent suspension, Advo, Canvas Office Landscape, Everywhere, Flute, Sense, Swoop, and Tu are among the trademarks of Herman Miller, Inc. SM S3 is among the service marks of Herman Miller, Inc.

2 | SAVVY Summer 2011

Just when everyone seems to be touting the end of reading in general, and magazines in particular, here’s another one: SAVVY. Why? Because we think ours can help your small business be better. With SAVVY, we aim to inform, inspire, and share knowledge. Along the way, we’ll introduce you to the Herman Miller brand, our values, and our products. Insight never goes out of style, no matter what vehicle is used to communicate it.

Here’s another “end is nigh” misconception: Nobody goes to the office anymore. Why should they, with so many virtual tools? For one thing, research says people value face time; they say it’s still the best way to work together. The complexity of what you’re doing and the speed at which it has to happen, require people to collaborate. Here’s to making your office a place where your best and brightest want to show up and, once they’re there, do their best work. So, we invite you to check out our SAVVY. Let’s begin the conversation about what it takes to give small businesses like yours what they need to thrive.

a note from Herman Miller’s Small Business Team

SetuGoes anywhere. Fits anybody. Unlike anything.

hermanmiller.com/savvyIntroducing Setu®. How we live and work now.© 2

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IndIvIdUalS | KnowledGe | ProdUCTS

Learn more at hermanmiller.com/savvy | 5

cheryl

BellFAIRLY PAINLESS fairlypainless.com

Type of business: Advertising and marketing

No. of workers: 17

Big insight:

“Everyone can contribute ideas, though some do it more loudly than others.” Cheryl is a creative director. Hmm. “Creative”—playful, curious, courageous, expressive. “Director”—someone who controls. Just the kind of opposites that generate great ideas. In a fairly painless way. And it’s just the conflicting skills you want if you’re launching a business from the ground up, as Cheryl and her partners did. Now, they encourage rubbing opposites together in order to stay ahead in the competitive and changing ad game. Says Cheryl, “Everyone can contribute ideas, though some do it louder than others. An ocean of great ideas is always floating around in here,” she adds. “It’s my job to stay removed enough to spot the best ideas and make sure they surface.” Keeping everyone on track is as simple as looking to the firm’s name. “Our agency name is also our philosophy,” says Cheryl. “That’s how we want it to be for our clients, and that’s how we want it to feel for our people, too. We don’t have any layers here, and we play nice.” And, in the process, Cheryl and her team make great work that gets results. No pain in that.



Akshay KothariALPHoNSo LABS alphonsolabs.com

Type of business: Technology (news reading app for mobile devices)

No. of workers: 8 and growing

Big insight:

“If you want to solve a problem, learn to think about things differently.” When Akshay and his partner Ankit Gupta had an idea, they headed to the lab. But their idea didn’t really take hold until they went to class, one for entrepreneurs at Stanford’s Institute of Design. To pass, they had to launch a new product by the end of the 11-week course. That forced them to think differently about what was bugging them; they loved to read news on their mobile phones, but they hated having to open so many different apps to do it. By getting closer to others who shared the same frustrations, they were able to refine an idea they’d been working on. A mere five weeks into the course, they emerged with Pulse, a news reader with a clean, sophisticated user interface. So far, so good. Getting Apple to approve it and make it available on iTunes was another big step. Then, while watching a broadcast of Steve Jobs at the annual developer conference, they heard him single out Pulse. Theirs quickened. And so did the pace of everything else, from sales to hiring to financing.





Sam SimonATLAS oIL atlasoil.com

Type of business: National petroleum products distributor

No. of workers: 400+

Big insight:

“Service matters big-time; provide it well and profits will follow.” A call from the boss is a good thing, right? It is at Atlas. Sam Simon, the CEO, calls every one of Atlas’ employees on the anniversary date they started with the company. He thanks them for their work and asks how they’d suggest Atlas do things differently to serve customers better. And they speak up, because everyone at Atlas helps the company grow, or they go. That may sound harsh, but in a commodity business like gas and oil, Sam knows there’s no other way. He learned that early. By 11, he was pumping gas at a full-service gas station. He made more on tips than he did in wages because he took extra care in washing windows and checking tire pressure. That focus on service got wired into his brain, so much so that today he listens—to customers and his employees—and then does the right thing for them. And the profits follow. The approach works for Atlas, and it keeps the workplace vital: For the past three years, the Detroit Free Press has named it a top place to work.


the new HermanMiller Sayl® chair by yves Béhar.hermanmiller.com/savvy

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Recently, the Corporate Executive Board (CEB) looked at what drives the purchase decisions of small businesses. We think these findings apply to any business, but especially smaller ones.

What the CEB found is that trust is key to purchase decisions. Small businesses rely on a network of “advisors”—primarily other small business owners—to help guide them in making large purchases.

Consequently, word-of-mouth referrals become a key component of marketing. They are credible and powerful methods of building advocacy. To earn a referral, however, you must first earn a customer’s trust. In other words, trust becomes the currency that is passed on by customers who have had a “reliable and delightful” experience (The Brand Gap, Neumeier).

So how do you build trust with your customers? Here are four principles that can make a difference.

Attitudes that

Build trust

In summary, an engagement that is reliable and delightful will build the trust that generates a relationship and the sale. Sounds a lot like the “golden rule.”

ProvIde 1:1 ServICe

“They were with me through the whole process and took care of everything.”

Customers want to feel as if they are in control but they also greatly value personalized or customized service. They seek guidance and advice, not a hard sell.

UnderSTand

“They understood that I had lots of other things to get done so they didn’t waste my time.”

Your employees must under-stand and empathize with your customers. They must know the challenges they face and highly respect the customer’s time, ensuring each interaction adds the highest value.

TalK STraIGHT

“They were up front with all fees, and there were no surprises.”

Make certain your company has integrity and is transparent. For example, there are no hidden fees; employees do not pretend to know information they do not know. As cash flow is king for smaller companies, be complete and accurate out of the gate.

Be SIMPle

“They made it so easy, I really didn’t have to give it much thought.”

Most important, be easy to do business with, easy to under-stand, easy to get up and running, easy to use. How easy it is to buy from you is very important. Use language people understand. For example, Intuit’s accounting software does not use “debit and credit.” They use “$ in” and “$ out.”


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Béhar is known for tackling big challenges and pushing the boundaries of technology and design in a cost-efficient way. He’s the founder and principal of a thriving small business called fuseproject, a design studio in San Francisco. He and his team of about 25 designers, engineers, artists, and thinkers design for Coca-Cola, Birkenstock, Jawbone, General Electric, One Laptop Per Child, Puma, as well as Herman Miller.

With such big-name clients, you’d think they’d be the big source of pressure on Béhar. Not so. As with many entrepreneurs, Béhar is compelled from within: “I believe one of design’s most important promises is to create attainability. This has been a central pursuit of my studio. So we approached the SAYL chair project by asking this question: How can we make a comfortable, supportive, healthy, and, yes, beautiful task chair at a fundamentally lower price than anything Herman Miller, the leader and innovator in the field, has yet accomplished?”

EvErY MOLECuLE WOrKING HArDEr

The approach that Béhar took with his fuseproject team and their counterparts at Herman Miller was to go microscopic. “Attainability can only be reached if every molecule in the product is working harder,” says Béhar. “Fewer parts and less material ultimately mean less cost, and a smaller carbon footprint.”

A critical element in achieving more with less is the chair’s full-suspension back. It is literally frameless. It has no hard edges. Different degrees of tension are infused directly into the injection-molded back’s proprietary material. This provides the right kind of ergonomic support and flex for the lower back and spine.

TAKING INSPIrATION FrOM A BrIDGE

Inventing a new way to use suspension material was only part of the challenge. Without a good—and reasonable—way to anchor the material, the chair wouldn’t work. For that, Béhar took early inspiration from observing the way suspension bridges carry tremendous loads. “The Golden Gate Bridge is near my home,” he says, “and its structural towers and cable system led to some ideas. What if we use a tower for vertical support, cables for back tension and comfort, and a lower span as base?”

This early intuition led to experiments in the studio’s workshop that eventually defined the engineering principles of the SAYL chair. But, as with any good product, the science takes a backseat to the fun and comfort of using it. That’s the case with SAYL chairs: an inspired design at an attainable price, with the base model starting at an attainable price.

what does It take to Make great design Attainable?

For designer Yves Béhar the answer is to “live unframed,” going beyond expectations to surprise and delight, as he did with the SAYL chair.



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Change happens, daily, and no one knows that better than a small business owner. The key is how you react to it or, better yet, anticipate it.Anticipating change is the idea behind recent research by Intuit, Inc., with the help of Emergent research. The research points to significant opportunities for small business over the next 10 years. Here is a look at some of the 20 demographic, social, economic, and technology trends the research says “will shape the next decade.” To download the full report, go to http://about.intuit.com/futureofsmallbusiness/.

Small Business:the next 10 Years


lower BarrIerS For STarTInG a BUSIneSSTrend #11 says you’ll “no longer need cash to start a business.” Well, at least a lot less. The reason? Everything will get smaller, lighter, and smarter. And, depending on when you jump onto the price curve, less expensive too. The dramatic drop in the price of rapid prototyping equipment is one recent example.

The research also indicates that everything from technology to the ways products are made to the parts used to make those products are all heading in the smaller, lighter, smarter direction. And, as trend #20 states, the smart machines (think hardware and software) will just get smarter. That’s going to help “people make everyday decisions and streamline complex tasks.” All this technology—what the report calls “intelligent devices”—will become second nature for all of us and continue to change how we live and work.

Women will see the biggest change in how they work, according to trend #3. Lower barriers to starting a business,

especially in countries where the economies are picking up steam, means many women will go to work, and many of them will do so as owners of their own businesses. The report cites analysis by Booz & Company that estimates by 2020 “870 million global women who have not previously participated in the mainstream economy will gain employment or start their own businesses.”

level PlayInG FIeld For larGe and SMall FIrMSAnything that’s smaller, lighter, smarter is something entrepreneurs understand. Given their agility and passion, entrepreneurs will be more able than ever before to go toe to toe with larger businesses. According to the Intuit report, in the next decade small business owners can take advantage of “variable-cost infrastructures, virtual stores, the marketing reach of mobile technologies, and a contingent workforce” to “start up and perform more like larger firms than at any other time in history.”

47 million women in North America who have not previously participated in the mainstream economy will gain employment or start their own business by 2020.

Smartphones, tablets, and other mobile computing devices will become the go-to computing devices.



Small businesses will shift from fixed-cost to variable-cost business models, adopting a pay-as-you-go approach to minimize both the investment risk and the up-front cash requirements of their business.

The amount of data being produced grows exponentially. Those who become proficient in collecting, managing, and analyzing this information will gain competitive advantage.

In fact, the report sees large and small firms working together to serve each other and the customer.

In this changing ecosystem, collaborative partnerships between big and small firms will be on the rise. Small firms will contribute innovative practices with market agility and customer knowledge that big firms can’t easily achieve. Big firms will offer small businesses marketing and distribution power, enabling them to penetrate broader markets more effectively. The Web and mobile technologies will become the great equalizer of big and small, with customers no longer knowing—or even caring—about the size of the firm that provides their goods and services.

lIFe STyleS wIll Favor loCal BUSIneSSeSA funny thing happened on the way to the Internet opening up the world to us: We turned our focus to all things local. As trend #7 of the report notes, people will “invest in the places they live to make them better, forging new

communities. This weave of community fabric will see people re-establishing stronger ties with family, friends, and community spawning local economic development in new dynamic ways.”

The importance of local is an offshoot of a concern for the earth that has gone mainstream. Consumers will expect that the products they buy and the companies that make (or import) those products are good to the earth. Trend #12 calls this sustainability moving “from social novelty to business necessity.” One of the biggest expectations will be for cutting carbon emissions: “The return of economic growth will renew pressure on resource supplies and prices, with regulation, taxes, and other efforts to reduce carbon footprints adding to these pressures.”

Sustainability will become a requirement to compete. Small businesses may well be better positioned to get there faster than larger firms. Changing course is always faster with a speed boat than it is with a ship.


By 2020: As consumers adapt to and embrace social commerce, the opportunities shift for small business. By taking advantage of real-time manufacturing, virtual stores, web access to a global market, and marketing to mobile technologies, small businesses can start up and perform more like larger firms than any other time in history. The playing field levels between large and small firms, and often becomes more collaborative.


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we won’t stop until we’ve achieved nothing. Our “Perfect vision” plan: Zero operational footprint and zero carbon

footprint by the year 2020. Thanks largely to the fact we’re now running

entirely on green energy, we’re 91% of the way there, which means we

have only a little further to go. Of course, if getting there were easy, it

wouldn’t mean much would it? See everything we do for a better

world around you at hermanmiller.com/environment.

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People, not generations

Baby Boomer (1943-1961)

Think of the Boomers as masters of change. They have lived it and they have caused it. They excel at

adapting to change and they know it. The workplace is no different: they

have been dealing with constant technological changes their entire

careers. Another change? They can handle it.

according to some in the media, and other places, there is a storm brewing—a generational storm that is threatening to change office life as we know it. Predictions of trouble abound, as a new generation enters the workforce and mingles with the generations already there.

Of course, there are some differences between the generations. But, are these differences going to be a big deal, as some are predicting? Nope. People of different generations have been working together for…well, a really long time. And, today is no different. Don’t dwell on the differences, find the similarities and use them to get your employees motivated. While there is something to these generational labels, people have shared some common experiences, which certainly helped shape them. But really, it’s key to remember that the generations are made up of people; individuals with their own values, goals, and points of view. In the end, it comes down to differences in individual style. And, dealing with that in the office is nothing new.


generation X (1962-1977)

Named after an unknown variable, Gen X has a hard-to-define quality.

They were the first generation to grow up with video games and computers.

They are comfortable with technology, and they have turned that skill into a tool for getting things done. Think of

them as digital pioneers finding their way with technology.

Millennials (1978-1997)

Beleaguered by the media, Millennials have been given a

reputation for being high maintenance. But don’t believe the hype. This is one

generation ready to take on a challenge, make a difference, and prove themselves.

Technology? oh, you mean my music-playing, Internet-surfing, picture-taking,

text-typing, video-watching cell phone? That’s just a way of life.



Be Authentic Be real. Everyone, young

and old, can smell the half-truth from the truth. People

will be a lot happier if they’re treated honestly.

Be creativeTry something new!

Everyone can be an innovator. Inspire them with originality, creativity, and imagination.Be Appreciative

Reward and recognize. And, it doesn’t always have to be

money or a gift, sometimes a simple “thank you” or “good

job” will go a long way.

Find ways to make everyone happier and more successful in their jobs. It will make you a happier, more successful business owner. Here are a few ideas to get you moving in the right direction.

Understand and motivate individuals, not generations. People are the key to the success of any organization, big or small. Help them realize their potential, and they’ll help you realize yours.

Be clearMake your expectations

for the job clear. Satisfaction at work comes from

knowing what is expected. Communicate goals, roles, and

responsibilities. Establish a channel for feedback.

Be FairPeople are happier at

work when they perceive they are being treated equally and appropriately. Involve them in decisions that affect their jobs, and even the overall direction

of the company. Be SupportiveEmpower people to achieve

by giving them what they need. Provide the tools and

materials necessary to do the job. Encourage professional development, and take an

interest in their career.

Be connectedFacebook hasn’t replaced

face-to-face–far from it. People desire connections; they want

personal interaction; they want to participate. Help

them connect.




A User’s Manual

OfficeHow Do You Go About Choosing Furniture?

So, you have a choice. Stop reading, contact us, and let our local dealer partner do it all. We can because together we have the experience, the products, and the local presence to give you furniture you buy easily and love working in. Find us at hermanmiller.com/S3.

Here’s another choice. Go on reading and get some high-level pointers on choosing the furniture that’s right for you. Why just pointers and not a must-have list?

The last thing you want is to let furnishing your office get in the way of your focus on your customers. That’s why Herman Miller created the S3 Program for Small Businesses. We use technology to streamline buying. We keep choices straightforward to cut complexity and keep prices in line. And we get our products to you fast. You want to buy furniture, love using it, and get on with your work.

Because we don’t tell you what you need, we ask you what you want to be. We get to know you and the goals you have for your business. Then, we use our savvy in creating an office for your business that’s right for you.

Some things to consider. The way you work is unique. So to help you think about what kind of furnishings will let you and your people do their best, it helps to think about where you are on a spectrum.

Aeron®

Pioneering ergonomic design provides healthy comfort and balanced body support.

Task SeatingTake seating, for example. Your chair is critical—if you sit in it hour after hour. You need high-performance adjustments and ergonomic support that you get with Embody, Aeron, and Mirra.

But what if your style is to never sit for more than a few minutes at a time? What if you spend more time pacing while talking on a cell phone than you do sitting on any given day? Then our mid- performance chairs with fewer bells and whistles might be right for you.

If price is a deal-breaker for you, Herman Miller now offers value seating work chairs, offering the same great aesthetic and basic performance features you’ve come to expect from Herman Miller at a lower price point.

And what about reception or break areas where people spend short amounts of time? They may call for something much more basic from our lounge or multipurpose seating offering.

AdVo™

A simple and quiet structural design lets you dress up or dress down your Advo chair. Available Summer 2011

eMBodY®

Promotes sitting in the most healthful postures, supporting the body’s movements in forward through reclined positions.

MIrrA®

Unique look and superior ergonomics at an attractive price.

SAYl®

The 3D IntelligentTM suspension back gives freedom of movement and proper support. Available Summer 2011

eQuA 2®

Provides equal ergonomics for all with a one-piece shell that flexes to respond naturally to the body and movements of whoever sits in it.

celle®

Flexes with sitter, conforms to shape and movement, distributes weight properly.




Side Seating

Lounge and Multipurpose Seating

cAPer®

Stackable, cartable, and connectible side chairs that move easily to work in meeting spaces, training rooms, and break areas.

ASIde®

Padded contours for lumbar support and a comfortable sitting pocket. Works as guest seating and in conference rooms, training areas, and collaborative spaces. Stacking chair also available.

lIMerIcK®

Comfortable, low-cost, highly stackable chairs. Great seating for cafeterias, classrooms, and meeting areas.

Setu®

Actively bends and flexes with every move while providing support and comfort. Perfect for conference room or short-term sitting areas.

SwooP™

Flexible modular system including seating and tables.

Tables

AVIVe® tABleS Mobile and agile freestanding tables for use in workstations or outside of them to create community spaces.

InterSect ® PortFolIo tABleSTwo folding surfaces and casters let you move them together, apart, or out of the way with ease.

eVerYwHere™ tABleS Top shapes and leg styles combine in nearly limitless ways, putting no boundaries on your creativity.

eAMeS® tABleS Perfectly suited for executive conference rooms, small meeting spots, collaborative work areas.

SenSe™ deSKIng SYSteM Designed to flex and grow as your business needs change, with arrangements that are easily reconfigured.




CanvaS OffiCe LandSCape ™

Canvas landscapes are designed to mirror an organization’s culture and raise the level of its performance. A simple set of elements creates surround, structure, surface, storage, and support for the complete range of workspaces. Canvas results from Herman Miller’s holistic perspective on work environments and the collective experience of work.

Too many choices can be overwhelming. By offering a wide but cohesive array of choices, Canvas helps you create complete, unified landscapes—from private office to wall based open offices—that are flexible, beautiful, and scalable.

aCTiOn OffiCe ®

Evolution and intelligent design. The original open-plan office system continues to change and adapt to the ongoing evolutions in today’s workplaces. But some things should never change, and the fundamental Action Office design principles still apply: space-saving benefits, durability, design options, and interchangeable components. Action Office continues to provide economic value by virtue of simple specification, installation, configuration, management, and updating. This versatile, hard-working system truly preserves your investment.

Systems The spectrum applies to your work area, too. The question is: What level of enclosure do you need? On one end of the spectrum, there’s the private space—four walls and a door. On the other end, there’s a table that everyone works around, perhaps the only privacy coming from the back of the flat screen of the person opposite you. You need to decide where you land on the spectrum. And where your people land, too. Depending on your size and how you and your people work, you could have many points on the spectrum represented in your space.

ReSOLve®

Solving workplace problems is what we do. When sweeping changes were taking place, we realized it was time to re-solve some critical issues. The result was Resolve, a human-centered system that lets what’s natural for people come naturally to the work environment. Its smart structure creates open, inviting, space-efficient workstations where people feel comfortable and connected. It creates the environment to suit your vision while using your resources effectively.



filing & StorageFiling and storage also come into play. The question is, how much? Put another way, what papers do you need at arm’s reach and what can you live without for months at a time? We put active files at one end of the spectrum. They’re the ones you’re reaching for constantly throughout the workday. On the other end, we put archival files—stuff you can’t get rid of but you don’t consult very often. And, just as with work areas, your office may need filing and storage at several points between active and archive.

tu StorAge tower

Ideal for the range of materials people need in their workstations—from books and files to laptops and briefcases.

tu PedeStAlDesigned to hold your materials. Can be ordered with box and file drawers in different combinations.

tu™ lAterAl FIle

A variety of practical choices. Several sizes. All drawers hold letter-, legal-, or A4-papers side to side or front to back.

tu StorAge cASe

Provides secure individual workstation storage and can be shared in team spaces and collaborative areas.

tu BooKcASe

Bookcases can be shared or used in individual workstations.


duAl MonItor ArM Precision engineering allows for two screens to be mounted at the same height on a single post, without the need for a separate back-to-back bracket.

accessoriesAccessories are like icing on the cake. No spectrum thinking applies here. For task lights, organizers, and monitor arms, it’s simply a matter of what people need to do their best work. There can also be a health-related angle: A monitor arm keeps the screen at a good viewing distance, a task light directs light where it’s needed—both relieve strain on the eyes.

KeYBoArd/MouSe SuPPort

Attaches to a surface and holds a keyboard. Has horizontal, height, and tilt adjustments, and swivels.

cPu SuPPort Mounts under a surface and holds a CPU vertically or horizontally. Slides out 11-1/2" and swivels 360°.

MonItor ArM Place your screen right where you want it for ergonomic support and reduced screen glare.

lAPJAcK The perfect stand for laptop users on the move. It folds flat and can be slipped into a briefcase or laptop bag.

orgAnIZAtIonAl toolS

Help you keep all of your stuff where you can find it.

ArdeA® lIgHt Ingenious neck design lets you direct illumination right where you need it.

Flute™ lIgHt Latest LED technology for medium-warm light. Uses 30-50% less energy than traditional task lights.

A great fit is our goal. Wherever you land on the spectrum, no matter how many spectrums your office has, we work to give you a great fit between what you buy and how you use it. And we’re with you all the way—from idea to install—with personalized, local service.

Herman Miller S3SM Program



Your office is an expression of who you are. Be creative.Here are some things to consider. And if you’re all thumbs when it comes to colors, materials, and finishes, don’t fret: Simply set an appointment with your local Herman Miller dealer, who has designer pros on staff.

Touch

The textures people feel are key to their happiness in the office. Since they spend so much time in their work chairs, take the chair’s tactile experience into account—the nap of the fabric, the feel of the armpad—as well as its comfort and support.

Focus

People find spaces friendlier when there’s a natural focus that draws their attention. Color on work chairs is a good way to do this. It can add a splash of accent that spices up the office. Panel fabrics are another way to add color accents.


uniTy

Color is a great way to unify a space. And painting walls is an easy way to add color. You can go from bold and expressive to classic and subdued. And you can change colors without a big investment. Just realize that repainting can be a disruption. If your landlord won’t allow you to paint, consider using large sheets of plywood. Paint them with your color scheme, then suspend or secure them in place.

supporT

Floors are so basic, and going basic with color makes sense. Floor coverings are costly to replace, so choose carefully. Avoiding wild patterns and going for a color that doesn’t easily show dirt or wear are good bets. Carpet tiles are versatile, letting you change out a worn or soiled one and adding more if you expand your space.

LighT

Natural light makes any space a better one to be in. So take advantage of every bit of sunlight, no matter what latitude you are, no matter how many all-nighters you and your staff pull. The basics here are 1) keep the window treatments flexible, so you can adjust them to cut glare when you need to and 2) keep the furniture walls low so the light can penetrate as far into the space as possible.

Your office. our Savvy.

Your work moves fast. So do we.We make furnishing your office easy and affordable, so you can focus on your customers.

Furnish your office. Get on with your work.Choose what you need. See before you buy. About 20 days later, stand back and watch your office take shape.

We’re with you, from idea to install.our service to you is personalized. our commitment to you is for the long term.

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Savvy Magazine - Summer 2011