COLUMN: It's easy to dress up an office

DEAR GAIL: We've been in our office for about two years and have just signed a lease for five more years. We never took the time to decorate, as we were too busy establishing the business. We're now ready to dress it up. What inexpensive decorating ideas do you have? -- Sam H.

DEAR SAM: There are several inexpensive things you can do to dress up an office.

The place to start is the reception area. This is the first-impression area, just as your entry makes the first impression in your home.

Sit in the room for the length of time your clients will be there and look around. What do you see? Do your clients have any special needs while waiting? Is it important that the furniture be easy to get in and out of? Will there be children in the reception area and should there be a special place just for them? When decorating any room, whether at the office or home, it is important to meet any needs first; form follows function.

Now onto decorating. First, get rid of those industrial white walls and warm up the room by painting it a medium sand color. If you have one of the standard carpet colors -- charcoal, blue or brown -- painting the walls sand would look nice.

Do you have a logo wall? If not, let's create one with simple paint and lettering. Most sign shops can take a logo and transform it into a foam shape. Depending upon the logo's color, you'll want to paint the wall behind it an accent color. Be bold here, you want to make a statement. If your logo is gold or silver, burgundy is a rich color to use.

You might also consider adding a wallpaper border. It adds a finishing touch at the ceiling and brings color and pattern into the room. Pick up the colors of your walls along with your furniture.

This leads me to my next question: Do you have nice furniture? Simple black leather chairs that you can buy at an office furniture store always look great, no matter what business you are in, and you can find them for less than $200 each. With black leather, maple or cherry wood looks rich for your side and accent tables. Check the discount office furniture stores, as some have great used pieces.

Lighting also makes a big difference in a reception area. If you can, turn off or at least remove every other fluorescent bulb and then add the three types of ambient lighting: task at the desk and side tables; general with up lights from floor lamps; and accent, which you can add with art lamps on pictures and can lights behind plants. This will make the area more inviting and less industrial.

Next, add those decorative elements of plants, artwork and accessories. Greenery softens any room and is no different in an office setting. Use a couple of trees and floor plants, greenery on the side tables, and a great floral on the reception desk. Spend a little extra and purchase attractive greenery.

Artwork does not have to be expensive, as framed and matted poster images work great. Just be careful with the selection of your image so that you do not offend anyone. Landscapes and scenic route images work best.

Finally, add a couple of accessories. I'm a fan of boxes, whether made out of stone, wood, leather or ceramic. Plus, if you have the space, a fountain is wonderful because everyone enjoys sitting and relaxing, even for just a moment, and listening to the calming sound of water.

When you are ready, take these same ideas into the rest of your office, starting with the conference room and then the offices.

Gail Mayhugh, owner of GMJ Interiors, is a professional interior designer and author of a book on the subject. Questions may be sent by e-mail to: gail@gmjinteriors.com. Or, mail to: 8170 S. Eastern Ave, Box 4-275, Las Vegas, NV 89123. Her Web address is: www.GMJinteriors.com.

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