Month: January 2022

Using Flooring as Office Noise Control with Broadloom Carpet

Post author By Key Interiors
Post date January 31, 2022
No Comments on Using Flooring as Office Noise Control with Broadloom Carpet

Research indicates that noise is becoming a significant problem in the workplace. According to one study, “63 percent of employees say they lack quiet space for focused work, which has a negative effect on their productivity, satisfaction and well-being.” It’s a shocking revelation, one that has serious repercussions (pun intended!), especially since little is being done to remedy workplace noise issues. Indeed, the same study found that “a mere 6% percent of executives report having equipped their office with noise mitigating features.” With little respite from noise distractions, employees are less productive, often irritable and “more likely to say they may leave their [positions] in the next six months.” The good news is that there are relatively easy solutions to correct office noise, one of the best of which is changing out the flooring. Broadloom carpet, in particular, is a great option for reducing noise. Here’s what you need to know about using broadloom carpet for noise control:

What is Broadloom Carpet?

Broadloom carpet is a tufted textile floor covering that is installed across the expanse of a room, from one wall to the other. Originally, it was handwoven on an extra large, traditionally-styled loom, but today broadloom carpet is most often mass-produced via a mechanical loom, usually in widths of 12 to 15 feet. Various materials can be used to make broadloom carpet, including wool, sisal and various synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon and olefin. The heavier, more tightly packed the fibers of the carpet, the more effective it will be at noise reduction.

Broadloom Carpet Absorbs Sound

Sound is a type of energy produced by the vibration of objects within a liquid (like water), solid (like the ground) or gas (like the air). The faster the vibration, the louder the sound. However, sound waves are impacted by the density of the medium in which they occur, so placing anything in the path of sound waves effectively slows the frequency of their vibration, reducing their amplitude and lessening their sound by the time they reach our ears. Carpets covering a large area have millions of fibers that absorb the energy of the sound waves instead of distributing them. Add a pad underneath the carpet and the vibrations decrease even more. The result: less sound wave movement and less unwanted sound (a.k.a. “noise”)!

Broadloom Carpet Reduces Floor Impact Noise

Furthermore, carpet helps reduce impact noise up over 20 decibels. The wide coverage offered by broadloom carpet helps insulate the force of impact made by footsteps, falling objects and the movement of chairs as they strike a floor, thus reducing the sound waves emitted with each impact and dampening the noise that each of those impacts make.

Broadloom Carpet Helps Control Reverberation

Finally, broadloom carpet inhibits the reverberation of sound waves. Reverberation occurs when sound waves bounce off objects in a medium rather than being absorbed by them. The repetition of these sound waves creates even more noise by the time they reach our ears. As mentioned, however, broadloom carpet absorbs sound rather than reflects it, thereby controlling unwanted sound reverberation.

The Key Interiors Advantage

Broadloom carpet is a great solution for controlling noise in many instances, but there are also other options available. To learn more about using interior and exterior office design to control noise in your office space, please contact our team at Key Interiors.

Tags broadloom carpet, flooring

office design practices office redesign Office Renovation

The Best Wall Cladding for Modern Offices

Post author By Key Interiors
Post date January 17, 2022
No Comments on The Best Wall Cladding for Modern Offices

Wall cladding is a type of decorative feature used to cover the face of a wall. It involves the application of one type of material over another and, in most instances, does not provide any functional benefit other than sometimes delivering insulating and/or protective effects (especially when installed on exterior structures). When installed on interior walls, wall cladding basically serves as an artistic focal point, concealing and/or embellishing the surface of a wall in some way. Here’s what you need to know about using wall cladding in modern offices:

Types of Wall Cladding

Wall cladding can be made of various — and numerous — types of materials, from wood, stone and other organic elements to composite and/or manmade substances like plastic, concrete and certain fabrics, ceramics and more. The type of material(s) best suited for modern commercial or home office use is really just a matter of taste, but should be chosen based on the following considerations:

Function. As mentioned, most interior wall cladding is primarily decorative in purpose. It is meant to add interest and energy to a space. Sometimes, however, offices might need to insulate themselves from temperature and/or noise disturbances. Determining the purpose of using wall cladding as part of your design will enable you to pick the right material for its creation.
Location. Theoretically, wall cladding could cover every wall in your office. We don’t recommend that approach since it obviously takes away the intrinsic “wow” factor of having it only in a select one or two areas. Instead, we suggest picking an existing wall in a high traffic area where the wall cladding can be showcased and/or where it contributes to a specific purpose (such as offering sound insulation or protection from the constant movement of passersby).
Style. You also want to maintain the style of the office as a whole, picking a wall cladding that complements the surrounding decor and doesn’t distract from it. If your office has an industrial aesthetic with lots of clean lines, glass and metal, you might not want to add pastel wall cladding into the mix. Similarly, you probably don’t want to use plastic wall cladding in an office centered around a biophilic theme.
Budget. Of course, most people need to think about the expenses associated with adding wall cladding to their office design plan. The range of materials available means wall cladding can run the gamut in cost. Furthermore, while relatively easy to install, wall cladding can be difficult to remove, causing damage to the wall that a cheap paint job can’t resolve. Consider your budget and pick the wall cladding material that matches it.
Maintenance and Durability. Finally, the best wall cladding is durable and easy to maintain, lasting for as long as you need it so that you don’t have to waste unnecessary time or money for its upkeep. This doesn’t mean you have to spend alot; plastic wall cladding, for instance, can be very affordable with the added benefit of being highly durable and easy to clean!

Ready to Learn More?

Picking the best wall cladding for your modern office design doesn’t have to be difficult. While the sheer number of options available might seem overwhelming, an experienced design firm can help you weigh the pros and cons of each and settle on the wall cladding design that matches your needs, as well as your budget. Please contact our team of designers at Key Interiors to learn more.

Tags office trends, wall cladding

Dental Office Renovation office design practices office redesign Office Renovation

The Ideal Dental Office Layout and How to Achieve It

Post author By Key Interiors
Post date January 10, 2022
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The ideal workspace is frequently elusive. After all, different people have different needs. A teacher necessarily considers his or her classroom in a different light than a corporate CEO views his or her office. An architect will need something different from a banker, who will, in turn, want something different, as well. The needs and priorities of individuals, as well as the demands of the job(s) being performed in the space, means no two office layouts should ever be identical. That being said, there are commonalities, especially when dealing with the design of offices in a particular industry, that make working in a space more efficient and a lot more comfortable. Take dentistry, for example. After decades of experience, our team of designers at Key Interiors knows what dentists want and need in a dental office layout. Take a look:

The Ideal Dental Office Layout

Dental offices are shared among the professionals providing dental office services (i.e., dentists, hygienists and clerical assistants) and, of course, the patients needing those services. As such, the ideal dental office layout must satisfy the needs of wide range of people, each of whom has multiple and extremely varied needs and objectives. The goal, then, is to accommodate the majority of those needs in a way that invites and encourages employees and patients alike to enter, find useful and enjoy being in the space.

How to Create an Ideal Dental Office Layout

While no one specific layout works for all dental practices, our designers at Key Interiors have pinpointed certain criteria that should be prioritized during any dental office design. Adhering to these best practices helps ensure a dental office layout that meets the needs of the greatest number of people visiting the space.

- Focus on Creating an Upscale Environment with Modern Decor
  First and foremost, dental offices cater to patients. Without patients, there isn’t a need for an office at all! Unfortunately, however, a lot of people don’t like going to the dentist for checkups, and it can be hard even to get them through the front door especially if they’re met with outdated, uncomfortable decor. Vertical blinds; bright, fluorescent lighting; hard, oak furniture; dusty faux foliage and the like are hardly a draw. But if dental offices are well-lit, hospitable places, it follows that more people might be willing to visit. Focus on adding contemporary features to your dental office layout such as soft, natural lighting, Wi-Fi access, a coffee machine, comfortable, clean seating and pleasant artwork so that patients are engaged and physically at ease during a dental office visit.
- Focus on Function
  A good dental office layout is also one that makes the best use of the space at hand. This doesn’t mean that every square inch of a building or suite needs to be dedicated to a specific task: for storage, waiting, treatment, etc. It simply means that you have thought about how you will use the totality of the space in question and have a plan for keeping each area of the design dedicated to its original purpose so that other areas remain free of unnecessary clutter.
- Focus on Privacy
  Privacy is always a concern during any health service encounter. While dentistry is not as preoccupied with confidentiality as a medical care provider might be, the industry as a whole does aim to maintain a certain level of privacy for all dental patients. No one likes to be on display during a dental procedure and no one wants the details of his or her care to be shared with the masses. Design your dental office layout so that patients feel sheltered and safe to ensure that you’re on your way to an ideal workspace!

Want to Learn More?

To bolster the efficiency and effectiveness of any dental office layout, it’s also recommended that you partner with a reputable and knowledgeable design firm. Our team at Key Interiors, for example, has decades of experience designing dental office layouts for practices of all sizes. We help our clients make the most of the spaces they have, ensuring that their dental office layouts impress patients; boost employee morale; improve work productivity; and reduce unnecessary overhead. Please contact us to learn how we can help you, too.

Tags dental office, dental office layout, dental office renovation

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