What We're In To: OFS - Eleven

OFS is just one of the many success stories in the industry running with a clearly minimalist design pattern. We love the Eleven workspace, designed around this concept of "Architecture Uninterrupted" by Swiss architect and designer Daniel Korb. He "developed Eleven around a fundamental concept: 'Furniture is Architecture on a Different Scale'." Korb was able to use this to design an effortless blend of function, storage, and media integration for interior spaces. Inspired by the international style and backed up with an architect's eye for detail, Eleven "presents an adaptable, sustainable aesthetic that scales from private to collaborative and open spaces."

We're definitely into making lives easier at the office, and we're always looking for new ways to integrate fresh technology into our spaces. The Eleven tables are perfect for charging up iPads, iPhones, laptops, you name it. When work goes uninterrupted, office productivity can only follow suit. Their sleek design is just an added bonus to these extremely functional tables. There are no visible fasteners or bulky eye sores to interrupt the visual aesthetic of the product, remaining faithful to a truly minimalist design idea. What a perfect addition to your newly renovated space, bringing your office to the 21st century.

Coming in a variety of finishes, these well designed tables aim to match the look you're hoping to achieve...and that's something we can get behind. Here's a closer look at Eleven at work: 

Contact us at NWOI for more details!

Products shown include: Eleven Workspace, Madrid chairs, and Flexxy Swivel Chairs

Just in case...

If you weren't able to come see us last week for a look at our selection of sale items in the warehouse, don't worry! We've decided to extend our offering and keep the sale event up and running thru the end of this week from 9am-4pm, as well as on Saturday April 20th from 9am-12pm.

Don't miss out on these amazing deals! If you're in the market for a single new chair or desk, this is the time to buy. Deep discounts on these gently used showroom samples are the way to go for that little pick me up your office needs. Come down to check out deals on multiples of the same item as well! We've got around 20,000 sq. feet full of product to move and everything is marked to guarantee smart savings for you.

Our warehouse is located just down the street from the Rose Garden at 524 N Tillamook, Portland, OR 97227.

We'll see you there!

Get the Look: Ergonomic Options

Earlier we pointed out the importance of comfort in employee satisfaction and overall productivity. One of our favorite trending products is the height-adjustable table. This desking solution provides a simple switch between sitting and standing postures throughout the day, perfect for supporting those employee's physical comfort needs. In a successful office, "the focus should be on the well-being of the individual, even in shared workspaces."

One of our designers currently utilizes the height-adjustable table from Kimball Priority in our showroom, pictured here. The push of a button simply brings the work surface to the perfect height for standing or sitting, promoting motion in the workplace known to be beneficial for health. Kimball says, "A genuinely productive and dynamic work environment doesn't have to stop short at facilitating the free passage of ideas from place to place. It can also focus on the physical needs of people to change things up (or down) throughout the day."

With Priority, healthy functionality can maintain a sleek and stylish look at the same time.

In addition to employee-friendly desks, the right chair can make a world of difference. We love the Freedom chair by Niels Diffrient from Humanscale, shown here. Designed to give the maximum ergonomic benefit, once the chair is adjusted to the sitter no further fixes are needed. Winner of ten design awards to date, the Freedom chair was made to encourage and support spontaneous movements without locks or tension springs to mess with. Special mechanisms automatically adjust to support the body throughout the day while its position sensitive headrest cradles the head while reclining and moves out of the way when sitting upright. Talk about the perfect chair for comfortable posture and essential body movement!

Come see these ergonomic picks in action in our working showroom!

Now Trending: Comfort

As a new work week starts, we wondered, "what makes a happy employee?" Though the answer isn't exactly cut and dry, one could guess a few things that may keep workers satisfied in the office. For one, studies by Alan Hedge, Ph.D., CPE, and Cornell University have shown that comfort in the office often leads to greater productivity from workers. Think about it: there must be a reason why so many young talents enjoy working from home rather than in a stuffy office.

Comfort can come in the form of ergonomic seating options, through open door policies and good moral with the management, or even in decent room temperatures. In fact, Hedge found that when office temps drop "from a comfortable 77 degrees to a chilly 68, typing mistakes increase by 74%, while typing output drops by 46%" at cooler temperatures.

When it comes to comfortable desk solutions, new height-adjustable desks are becoming increasingly popular among employees who may want the option to stand and work throughout the day. According to Hedge, during his study, "over 80 percent of workers who received a height-adjustable workstation preferred it over the traditional one. A survey also found that the average musculoskeletal discomfort index score for users of the height-adjustable workstations was 20% lower than for the users of the fixed-height desks."

Ergonomic seating options are important, as well. Along with providing comfortable, "residential" seating areas for chance meetings and employee collaboration, as mentioned before, having the right desk chair for specific employee needs is also key for maximum productivity. The correct support promotes better posture, and a happier, more comfortable employee!

Check back on Wednesday for a closer look at some of our favorite ergonomic picks.

Get the Look: OFS

Earlier this week we pointed out a new trend in interior design: sleek, simple pieces with clear European influence. So how do you get that look in your space? The answer is in OFS Brands. Presented with two Best of Year 2012 Awards in Product Design for these two chairs, OFS is a leader in modern office furniture.

The Madrid Seating Collection, pictured first, was designed to complement a variety of table heights. This is key in keeping a cohesive look throughout the office. The collection offers a great seating solution for conference tables, personal desks, and occasional table environments alike. Its clean lines and modern design add to the trendy, refreshing
aesthetic of your newly revamped workspace.

Similarly, The Flexxy Swivel, at right, is another great example of modern design by OFS. The chair was "inspired by the surface flow of the Sansevieria plant," so "continuity among edges and surfaces was critical" during the design process. The twisted structure provides strength, allowing for a consistent thin edge throughout the frame, while its unique mechanism offers chair adjustment without disrupting the visual flow. The Flexxy Swivel is available in two back heights, three frame colors and, in keeping with the idea of a cohesive aesthetic, it has a series of complimentary stacking and nesting side chairs to complete the family.

 

Pair these new seating solutions with the Eleven Work Space from OFS and bring your office in to the 21st century with clean, low storage, open concept work areas, and overall visual simplicity. Swiss architect and designer Daniel Korb developed Eleven with a "seamless blend of functionality, connectivity, storage, and media integration" in mind. To get set up with this adaptable, internationally inspired look in your space, contact us at NWOI for a consultation.