When you’re shopping around for office furniture and thinking of buying second-hand, one aspect that you might find difficult to get right is brand identity. Having a budget and list of what you need, such as must-have features or customer service requirements, can be easier. But, finding furniture that aligns with your business image can be a little more difficult to get right. It can be particularly tricky to get the balance right when you need to buy in bulk and if you want to go for furniture that has quirky colour schemes.
However, the good news is that professional second-hand suppliers can stock quite the treasure trove of furniture designs. They can have multiple lines of the same product in stock as well, so you can keep things consistent in your office. This also keeps things simple. After all, buying 10 or more office chairs that are all the same provides a smart, uniform look and it’s so much easier than tracking down individual pieces.
But, where do you start when it comes to capturing brand identity? We’ve got some expert tips to share with you in this guide.
Think about your brand personality
Thinking about your brand personality is a fantastic starting point. Are you loud, playful, rebellious and modern? Or are you a more subdued, formal, serious, traditional company? The furniture you choose can help demonstrate your brand vision to your employees, clients, stakeholders and even to the outside world.
Choose your colour scheme (carefully)
Some behavioural scientists believe that colours evoke certain emotional responses. Whether that’s by association or some other mechanism, it’s important to consider how your office furniture will make your employees and clients feel. For instance, red is associated with passion and is considered to be a fairly loud and distracting colour, while green and blue is often associated with nature and have a more calming effect.
If you’ve already chosen your brand colours, you can stick to your current colour palette. However, if you have brighter shades, such as pink, yellow or red, – that’s not to say that you’re suddenly going to choose those colours for your desk surfaces and ergonomic chairs. But, you could incorporate these into your breakout spaces, reception areas and canteens.
A word of caution: If you’re due a rebrand any time soon and colour schemes are up for debate, it’s certainly not worth investing a lot of money on furniture that features colours that could get scrapped. A more neutral colour, such as black or grey, could be a safer choice in this instance.
If you’re a particularly youthful, loud brand that likes to break the mould, you may be thinking that this will leave your office looking and feeling off-brand. But, you can still have fun with your accessories and other interior design elements, such as wall paintings.
Typically, it’s recommended that brands work with 1-4 colours for their branding. But that’s not a strict limit. You can have more than four.
Think about your brand values
Another consideration is your brand values. If you value employee wellness or sustainability, for instance, that could impact your final choice of furniture. You may choose to go for office chairs with the latest ergonomic features that inspire health and wellbeing. Or, you could choose a brand that you know has an excellent reputation when it comes to producing environmentally-friendly furniture.
If one of your corporate responsibility goals or brand values is to be environmentally-friendly, a second-hand supplier is a great way to harness sustainable design in your office.
A final note
Keeping things consistent should save you time and money while helping to create a professional on-brand environment. It’s important not to forget the basics: practicality and function should always come first when it comes to office furniture. But, if you have the opportunity to capture your brand identity with second-hand furniture – we say go for it! Browse second-hand furniture online at LOF today. We deliver and install.
