Style vs. Function: The Age-Old Battle

We’re often called upon to choose one or the other, and function usually wins out.  Dornob discusses this in their article on the Milk desk designed for Mac users, which offers sleek functionality with a few extra points in style and a few less in function.

How little is too much?

I like the look of the simple top with its cord ports and innovative drawers, but an outlet-powered lift?  I’d prefer to keep my desk low-tech, just in case.  Call me a Luddite, but this almost seems too complicated for a simple, classic girl like me, even though I’m a Mac user.

Our Mayline Napoli desk  is much more to my liking.  It’s contemporary, simple and above all, functional.  Do I sacrifice bringing my goldfish to work with me?  Possibly.  But I know I’m using a product that’s designed to last a long time, and I don’t have to plug it in.

stroller desk by steuart padwick

Now this is a sexy desk.

No, not just because there’s a naked lady sitting at it…because this is the Stroller Desk by Steuart Padwick for the UK company Made, and in my humble opinion, it’s pretty special.

This gorgeous multi-function desk features a compartment in the center that lifts up to reveal a mirror. With three finishes to choose from, a very reasonable price, and a high quality of workmanship, I wouldn’t mind snagging one of these babies for myself.

(hat tip to chictip)

sheer frivolity: two office trends

Perusing OfficeDesignGallery.com, as I so often do, I noticed the two things trendy offices these days seem to have going on:

• ping-pong tables
• glass-enclosed boxes in the middle of wide open spaces

Why? I don’t know, I’m still working out that part. Any theories? Other than the fact that everyone loves some table tennis…although I’m surprised to see fewer Rock Band setups, unless people are keeping them in secret underground lairs.

happy valentine’s day from office furniture zone!

Of all the offices I perused today, this one seemed like the most suitable for romance: the red walls, the white roses, the chandelier, and that old-fashioned typewriter! We’re a little early, but whether you’re spending the day with someone or feeding chocolates to your cats, we here at OfficeFurnitureZone hope you have a lovely Valentine’s Day. Love is free, and office furniture for all!

oxford communications via the office stylist

The Office Stylist is one of my favorite sites for office design ideas, as I think I’ve mentioned before. They also have a real leg up on some of the coolest offices around. Today I feel like sharing one of them here, though I have my own reasons for doing so…

This is just one room of the fantastically eclectic space at Oxford Communications, which interests me so because it’s located in an old hangout of mine, namely Lambertville, NJ. Definitely check on the link for more of this unique space, which feels more like a very cool home to me than an office!

the cool hunter: world’s most creative office environments

I’ve been scouring The Cool Hunter for inspiration as of late. Self-described as “the world’s most-read culture and design site,” just a few moments wandering its content-packed pages would have you believe that. Bill Tikos, its formidable founder, compiled a book in 2008 chronicling what he considers the hippest, edgiest, coolest, and most luxurious places to stay on the planet.

Now Tikos and his team are back in research mode for their next project, and one that has me very excited: The World’s Most Creative Office Environments.

I’m pretty sure I’ve linked to bits of this blog before, but I never took the time to truly dig through The Cool Hunter’s offices section – until now. Really, there are too many incredible spaces to choose only one to spotlight. Besides, The Cool Hunter’s done it all for me!

So just take my advice and check out the most stylish and fascinating office environments on the planet, courtesy of The Cool Hunter. Perhaps someday, every office will be cool!

orange office

Orance is a vibrant, inspiring color. It always makes me think of Frank Sinatra – it was Ol’ Blue Eyes’ favorite color, and he famously wore suits with an orange pocket handkerchief. At least one of his ’60s houses was decorated primarily in orange. And really, was anyone more ring-a-ding-ding vibrant than Sinatra?

A lot of folks seem to think orange is a good color for an office, and it’s not just some new designer fad as at least one of the photos I’m presenting here looks to be vintage ’60s/70s.

not your average chair mat

There are only so many things you can do with chair mats. For most folks, affordable and durable will do. But some people have to push the extra mile…and maybe car people have to  push a lot more extra miles! In this case, we have a chair mat made from shiny, sturdy diamond plate:

 

If you’re looking for something a little more conventional, OfficeFurnitureZone can hook you up with chair mats galore. Check out our extensive selection for all matter of carpets and floors!

 

lego boardroom table

I am absolutely blown away by this boardroom table, built by Dublin-based architects abgc for a new advertising agency called Boys and Girls:

At first glance, I didn’t realize that this table was so painstakingly crafted from individual Legos, but check out one of the closeup shot! This table brings new meaning to creative design, a fantastic way to include a lot of color in a space without painting walls or completely remodeling.

(source)

miniature office

At first glance, this office may seem like any perfectly normal cubicle seen from above. But these are all miniatures! This is part of a collection of dollhouse furniture for enthusiasts who want to put their dolls to work. I particularly love the amazing detail on the office chair! It retails for about $26, which is a lot less than you’d pay for a similar chair in everyday, adult human size.