A striking office design shows a room that is well thought out, from the standpoint of both aesthetics and function. To update oak office furniture, spiff it up with a good cleaning and polishing so that even antique oak office furniture appears as though it were just delivered for this specific office. Add accessories for the individual pieces to integrate the oak furniture into a more updated look. With a few inexpensive products, an accent color and some lively items, your oak office furniture will be up-to-date in one afternoon. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Clean all the oak furniture with wood soap and allow to dry. Open the windows, and use a soft rag, such as microfiber or a T-shirt, to apply a light coat of refinishing oil in the right finish color (golden oak or dark oak). Use a brush (stiff paintbrush or toothbrush) to detail carved areas and small spots, such as between the slats on Mission-style office furniture.
2. Purchase new desk accessories, including a blotter, file-folder holder and equipment organizer for the desk. Go for something bold; look at chrome, red leather or multicolored items. Refrain from buying anything in black, smoke, gray and tan as these are overused and outdated office colors. Select sustainable, natural materials rather than plastics. Choose matching accessories with clean, straight lines or curves to make a well-designed, up-to-the-minute statement. This will bring even an old oak desk into the present.
3. Measure the chairs and get some updated seat cushions. Introduce a strong accent color to bring the office decor into the present. An accent color is an accessorizing color used to to add more interest, as distinguished from the room's primary colors (walls, floors, furniture). Try red, burgundy, dark green, cobalt or midnight blue, and consider using a bold print, such as a tropical motif. Avoid yellow or orange as these don't provide enough contrast to the oak finish.
4. Dress up oak file cabinets with bright runner cloths (like those used on tables or pianos) to add more color if the oak furniture dominates the room. Natural fiber place mats (woven palm, for example) work well on top of office cabinets for a more up-to-date look.
5. Place new vases with S-curves or other strong lines on oak file cabinets or end tables.Use flowers and foliage to make the office more lively. Add plants (or silk plants for offices lacking natural light). Use pots or pot covers in the accent color. These living and color-coordinated accessories bring more dimension to corners of the office and liven up the oak office decor.
Tags: accent color, file cabinets, into present, office decor, office furniture, office furniture