Sienna Lynn Studio stands by these 5 tips for designing cost-effective and creative office spaces:
1. Focus on your people
No matter what your budget, think about your culture. That means how you
can provide a workplace for your employees that gives them choices in how they
like to work, access to natural light and places to step away from work and
recharge.
2. Maximize space use
Real estate is expensive. Use new workplace strategies to reduce your
footprint and maximize use of available space. For example, consider new bench workstations
that reduce the square foot per person and provide an open work environment. Or
consider “free-seating,” which means employees are not assigned a permanent
workstation but work in open stations.
3. Set a realistic schedule
Time is money. Sometimes not enough time is even more money. Avoid rush
charges and overtime by having a realistic move-in schedule and creating a detailed
program of needs and a realistic construction timeline at the start of the
project.
4. Think outside the 'walls'
Be open to recycled materials and repurposed furniture. Not only are
they often cheaper alternatives, they are also more sustainable. Create drama
and uniqueness in the space with graphics and color.
5. Hire a good designer
Consider hiring a good designer, who will save you money in the long run
and deliver a space that will provide real value to your business. Employees
are at their most creative and productive when they feel valued and inspired.
Source:
DallasNews Business by Ted Kollaja, Gensler, Hanah hcho@dallasnews.com.
(Photo courtesy of Charlie and Violet)
Pantone describes the choice as: 
Ahhh, those carpet squares -- designers love 'em! A few years ago I knew if I was in the home of an interior designer because of commercial carpet tiles creatively placed throughout (we are very resourceful with our extra samples)!
I just got back from the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Monday event: 
