National News
Christmas Give Back 2019
Again this year for our Christmas Give Back we will be collecting donations for CLE Animal Control and Friends of the Cleveland Kennel! Adoptable pooches featured here but...theres more! https://www.petango.com/cacc For more information on the programwe are supporting: http://friendsofclevelandkennel.com/about-friends-of-the-cleveland-kennel/ Donation Ideas - Suggested by Friends of the Cleveland Kennel XL Black Kongs Martingale style collars, size medium and large Freedom Harnesses, size medium and large Flat nylon leashes, 6 Ground canned food (pedigree brand preferred) Advantage flea treatment II for 45-88 lb dogs Capstar flea treatment Mendota style slip leads Spray Cheese Jolly balls and large rope toys Large soft toys Frozen Bil-jac dog food Crates for 50-90 pound dogs (plastic transport style preferred, wire accepted) Towels/Blankets PetSafe Busy Buddy Jack Dog Toy NationalOffice will be accepting donations until Friday - December 20th @3pm. NationalOffice
THE KEYS TO OPEN OFFICE SUCCESS
Furniture and layout play an outsized role in the success of open office designs. Heres why and what you can do about it. More than any other single factors, furnishings, and layout drive the success or failure of open plan office design. Creating an open plan office where people can be productive demands an honest look at your clients company culture and the way they do business. Open office design means different things to different people, notes Dave Madson, principal at CBT, an architecture, interior design and urban design firm. Even the companies that fully embrace the open office concept still need enclosed or semi-enclosed areas forgroup collaboration, private conversations, and individual work. Its a good idea to start the design process by understandingwhy your client wants an open plan design solution in the first place and envisioning how other spaces and design features can make that approach successful. Companies that implement an open office strategy tend to do so for
Best Selling Seating Solutions of 2019
Looking for end of the year upgrades? Another year has come and (almost) gone. Your Q4 results are beginning to roll in and its time to start making some serious decisions for the next year, but first.....here are some great options for finishing out your 2019 expenditures. Weve collected our three top-selling task chairsfrom 2019 for more information on these products and more - Contact Us Derby by Compel - Click here to download brochure Factor by Global -Click here to download brochure Hands down our best seller of 2019 - the Kimball Joya - Click here to download brochure Prices shown are for standard models - some features shown here are not included on standard models, contact your Account Manager or info@natoffice.com for specific pricing.
Educational Design
The average age of the American school building is 50 years. Schools are one building type that were all familiar with because weve all been to school, says Prakash Nair, president and founding partner of Fielding Nair Architects, specialists in learning space design. Schools followed the sage on the stage model that is, a classroom layout with a central platform where the teacher stands, and chairs that face it. Its simple enough, and it worked well enough. The challenge now, according to Nair, is to imagine what a school could be, as opposed to what it has always been. What Is Usually OverlookedIn Learning Space Design According to teacher and former interior designer Erin Klein, space plannersoften miss incorporating the students ideas and opinions. Its not the architects fault. One of the first things architects and designers do is they have to bid for jobs that theyre interested in or clients come to them. Either way, theyre consulting with the client. However, that doesnt
Industrial Commercial Design
Industrial styleorindustrial chicrefers to anaesthetictrend ininterior designthat takes clues from old factories and industrial spaces that in recent years have been converted toloftsand other living spaces.Components of industrial style include weathered wood, building systems, exposed brick, industrial lighting fixtures and concrete This modern yet vintage-inspired trend is heavily influenced by early 20th-century manufacturing and Victorian style. Youll find exposed beams, rustic metal columns, lighting with antique-style bulbs and mechanical details like pulleys, gears, and valves. Inspired by the interior spaces of 19th and early 20th-century manufacturing factories, theIndustrial stylecombines a purely functional aesthetic with stylish refinements. During the height of the Industrial Revolution, these factories were a symbol of the lives of everyday working people. Inside these massive structures of commerce, there was no need for fussy details or overt ornamentation. Instead,
Article in Business of Furniture featuring Kara Treen
Kara Recently won Check out this article from the September issue of The Business of Furniture - Article Here If you have been to National Office or our downtown location Inspire Workplace Interiors then you mighthave seen our always smiling designer, National Office 2018 Employee of the Year - Kara Treen;Kara is known for her design abilities almost as much as she is known for her sick mixologist skills! Every year Kara submitsdifferent designs into numerous commercial furniture contests; due to her modern and unique design skills, she has gotten a lot of exposure. Here is the Chicago FB Live Interview with 2020 Spaces Featured video from her 2018 Employee of the Year Award
Seating Solutions
Advances in materials science and a better general understanding of human anatomy in the 70s led to the development of the ergonomic chair, which spread quickly through the office ecosystem. As more and more people spent more time tied to their chairs, the shortcomings of the original design became apparent, and more advanced supports were needed. In recent years, theres been a flurry of activity and advancement in the office chair ecosystem leading to a corresponding explosion of different types of desk chairs. Big and Tall chairs, computer chairs, conference chairs, drafting chairs and stools, executive chairs, kneeling chairs, ergonomic chairs, benches, stacking chairs, folding and nesting chairs, and most recently height-adjustable options for standing height desks. There are dozens of different types of seating solutions, made by a host of different manufacturers. We carry only the highest quality varieties for our customers satisfaction. Here are a few examples of the different
1st Annual Bowling Event
NationalOfficecolleagues spared* some time recently to take part in friendly competition at a local bowling alley. A total of eight teams comprised of colleagues from many different departments including our manufacturing facilityhit the lanes for the 1st AnnualBowling Event.We had over 50 people show up and it was a ton of fun, said Teresa Corl, Vice President of Operation at NationalOffice. A striking* level of skill was present! Awards were given to not only the highest-scoring team but also to the best style, best cheerleader and of course the You Stink trophies to the lowest-scoringteam. Everyone had a ball* as evident in the pictures below! We are truly looking forward to the next event. *Puns very much intended :-) - Article by Mandie Lee (1-minute read)
100 Years of Bauhaus
Bauhaus is one of the greatest design movements of the 20th century. Founded in 1919, the famous design school has influenced all kinds of cultural fields with its revolutionary ideas and theories. Its indelible mark has been stamped on art, design and architecture. But you dont need to be an artist to have heard about Bauhaus. We all have a feel for what Bauhaus design looks like, but cant necessarily explain it. Until now Weve put together this Bauhaus infographic to summarize everything you need to know about the movement. Scroll down and let us take you on a Bauhaus journey, fromits principles and characteristics to the history, milestones and evolution of the Bauhaus movement in graphic design today. A journey through 100 years of Bauhaus Designed byLera Balashova 100 years after its inception we can still clearly see the influence of Bauhaus on the design world today. Its iconic and timeless characteristics will probably never go out of style. We cant wait to see howBauhaus
How the Color of Your Office Impacts Productivity
If your office walls are painted dull gray -- the coldcolorof warships, concrete and cubicles -- its time for a makeover. AUniversity of Texas studyfound that bland gray, beige and white offices induced feelings of sadness and depression, especially in women. Men, on the other hand, experienced similarly gloomy feelings in purple and orange workspaces. Similar scientific studies have shown that colors dont just change our moods, they also profoundly impact ourproductivity, for better and for worse. Thats why its best to decorate your workplace with a vibrant medley of stimulating hues that increase output and spark creativity. Low-wavelength colors, like restful green and calming blue -- two of the most common colors in Mother Natures palette -- improve efficiency and focus. They also lend an overall sense of well-being. Bottom line: If you want happier, more effective workers, green and blue are wise choices. Red, a high-wavelength color, is active, intense and alarming at times.
