Archive for the ‘Articles’ Category

Hunts New partnership with Express Vending

Friday, July 15th, 2011

Hunts Office Furniture and Interiors are pleased to announce that they have teamed up with Express Vending, one of the UK’s largest vending machine suppliers. We will be working together to help companies who are relocating or refurbishing their offices, by working together we will not only plan and manage your new office fit-outs we can also make sure all the amenities and vending machines are involved in the flow of the new office layout and make sure the process is as stress free as possible.

Express Vending are a privately run company based in Hemel Hempstead with over 20 years experience in providing a complete vending machine solution. We have had the pleasure of working with them on numerous relocation and refurbishment projects and we are looking forward to this new working relationship and progressing together to provide the best possible service to both sets of customers.

Express Vending

Express Vending

Office Furniture – Project Managed from Start to Finish

Friday, February 19th, 2010

For an office furniture refurbishment that brings your building to life, choose an established design and supply company.

Every office needs a makeover now and then, and whether you’re expanding your workforce and need a more organised space, or you’re moving to a new office and want to give it a fresh look and a productive atmosphere, you need someone who can provide you with more than just office furniture.

 A New Life For Your Office

Furniture plays a big role in motivating your staff, welcoming your clients and helping everyone involved with your business to feel confident. Choosing the right configuration, making the best use of your space and ensuring that changes are made without disrupting the day-to-day running of your company are all important factors in a successful office refurbishment. Lighting, communications, reception areas and visitor seating all take time to plan and install, which is why it’s worth using an office furniture company that can help you with even the smallest details:

Planning – getting your project started relies on good planning, and using experienced office developers give you the chance to get things right first time. Making the best use of the space available and taking your business’s needs into account, a good office planner can help you to provide enough working space, break-out areas and meeting rooms to help your office run smoothly.

Office furniture – getting the right mix of team desks, individual work stations, meeting tables and relaxed seating areas can help to create the right atmosphere in your office. From the latest in workstations and ergonomically-designed chairs, to corporate tables and quality reception areas, you need a company that can meet your needs.

Installation – when you need to keep disruption to a minimum, you want a project manager that can handle everything from running computer cables to installing lighting and partitioning. Working around the ongoing needs of your businesses, properly-managed installation gets your office updated without getting in the way and helps you to move seamlessly from old to new.

Office Furniture and Project Management from Hunts

At Hunts Office Furniture, we can managed projects of all sizes, from a straightforward home office to large commercial office refurbishments. With everything you need, from 3D plans to a great choice of office furniture, we can help you to achieve the office environment you want for your business. Take a look at our case studies and online shop today to see how we can help, or call us on 0845 4000 333.

Sit up Straight! Ergonomics Gets to Work

Friday, February 19th, 2010

When it comes to office furniture it’s all about ergonomics. But who knew that ergonomics wasn’t just about knowing how to sit up straight? According to the Guardian newspaper a career in ergonomics can pay up to £60,000. Clearly there must be more to it than putting your elbows at the right angle to your computer desk and not crossing your legs! An ergonomist is also known as a ‘human factors professional’ and a mid-range salary of just three or four years’ experience could get you a salary of £40,000, with £20,000 being the starting salary of a graduate. But it isn’t just about knowing how to buy ergonomic office furniture it seems – you need to do a BSc or MSc in ergonomics to become a professional ‘human factors professional.’

Although some may feel they don’t need a degree to know how to sit properly at their office desk, it’s estimated that over two-thirds of workers suffer some kind of repetitive strain injury costing an estimated £300 million in lost working hours!

Office Relationships, Your Pod or Mine?

Friday, February 19th, 2010

Office Relationships – Your Pod or Mine? 

It’s a bit of a cliché but offices are something of a hotbed for romance, so much so that the Sunday Times has published a feature advising on office etiquette when it comes to affairs of the heart (conducted over the photocopier). 

Perching in a provocative way on the office furniture may not be etiquette in many offices but it seems the office has always been a place of sexual tension. The idea that people sleep their way to the top is an old fashioned one. And yet there can be few offices where eyebrows aren’t raised at certain promotions. It’s true that sexual politics is still a huge subject in many modern day offices. 

The fact that statistically, we are more likely to meet our other halves at the office is proof that office relationships can go further than the stationary cupboard. In fact, it’s been guessed that 70% of relationships are formed in the office (including affairs with clients!) with one in six meeting their life partner at work (according to research by the Work Foundation). Of course, working in close proximity is bound to throw up a few liaisons. But the Times concludes that being attractive or using your sexuality disturbingly could be just as crucial in today’s job market as your degree. Because degrees are two a penny, being attractive will give you the edge you may need from the competition. As the Times states: “This isn’t just vanity. Britain in 2010 is a lookist society; image matters.” 

High profile business women – or any high profile women – seem to have a personal trainer as the norm. Likewise, successful men enjoy beautiful suits and are increasingly just as obsessed with their body image as women are, hitting the gym several times a week. In America, mixing sexual politics or attractiveness with work can be more problematic. Some companies have introduced ‘love contracts’ to forbid relationships between employers for fear of sexual harassment claims and legal costs or disharmony in the office if the relationships fail.   

But of course when it comes to matters of the heart, it isn’t always possible to solve problems in the same way you would solve a health and safety regulation. However the case of a more junior office worker being made redundant by her boss after their affair had ended is an important lesson for HR departments; she won £11,000 for unfair dismissal after a court ruled her boss was holding a grudge against her after their relationship ended. 

About Hunts Office Furniture:

Hunts Office Furniture is the most comprehensive online directory of stylish and practical office chairs, desks, workstations, conference tables and reception furniture ranges, available in the UK. Whether you are embarking on an office refurbishment, relocation or revamp we have office furniture solutions for all.

Office Furniture, No Place Like Home

Friday, February 19th, 2010

Most of us keep our home a world apart from ergonomic, functional office furniture, but could this all change as more people take up home in office space?

According to a report in The Independent newspaper, the home-work divide could be getting a little bit blurry. Fancy a filing cabinet for a chest of drawers? Or how about an executive office chair to watch the box from? Renters may not literally be living with office furniture but a trend has emerged in London whereby renters turn to empty office buildings to set up home rather than traditional residential flats. 

Are Offices the New Lofts?

It’s been dubbed the ‘new work-life balance’. But no matter how much you love your job, the idea of waking up in an office block complete with garish office lighting, harsh grey carpet and off-white walls, isn’t something many of us would cherish. In fact, it sounds like a living hell. But London has always been an expensive place to rent, and when times are tough, needs must. Demand for rental properties also outstrips supply in the capital, so it’s not surprising more people are willing to brave office furniture in the comfort of their own home. Cost-conscious tenants are snapping up the empty office blocks – many victims of the recent recession – and embracing office-loft-style living.

Room with a View

It may be hard to think of the benefits of home life in the office. Office furniture is geared after all to getting the most out of workers, whereas home furniture should be geared to relaxation. But many high rise offices in the city offer incredible views – views that would cost a fortune if they belonged to a residential block. Moving into offices is now considered a ‘creative solution’ for tenants. Landlords and squatters have already begun the trend of grabbing big empty office buildings and putting them to financial use – just as they did with the lofts and mill buildings that fell into disrepair. Before you know it, old office blocks could become the Next Big Thing, or even – like lofts – become the lifestyle choice of the well off city dweller. After all, space is one of the most valuable commodities in the London property market.

However if you do opt for office living, you may need to consider a change in taxes, fire regulations and legalities – as well as re-wire, install showers and kitchens and invest in the basic facilities found in the home but not in the office – such as dishwashers and washing machines. Tenants who have embrace office living have said it can take plenty of ‘energy and creativity’ making an office into a home to get rid of the institutional feel many office blocks have. 

Hunts Office Furniture –For all Your Workspace Requirements

Established in 1990, Hunts Office Furniture has expanded over the last 20 years to become the leading supplier of office furniture. Have a question or need advice? Call us on: 0845 4000 333 or email:sales@huntsoffice.co.uk

Home Comforts in the Office

Friday, February 19th, 2010

According to the Society of British Interior Design, offices have increased their refurbishment work in 2009 by a whopping 43%. It’s a staggering figure when you consider 2009 was the year businesses staggered under the weight of the recession. But the reason for a whole swathe of office refurbs has been put down to changing working habits. As flexible working is in and more employees are opting for home working options over office based work, employees are beginning to feel demoralised by ugly office furniture or strip lighting. As a result, more offices are upgrading their office space with office furniture that looks more like our living room furniture; making offices more welcoming is one way of alluring employees back from the comfort of their homes.

As well as a move to homelier offices, there’s a trend for offices to become increasingly open plan, with office furniture that stimulates team work rather than creates divisions for a less hierarchical approach. Trends include kidney shaped computer desks that are softer and more approachable and cushion covered pedestals for people to perch and chat to colleagues on.

Choosing The Best Office Desks For Your Office Needs With Hunts Office

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

Office furniture has come a long way over the years and there are those companies that provide vast ranges of office desks, chairs, filing and storage to those that are finding their offices could benefit from a refit.

Whether you are looking for a complete refurbish or just to freshen up the face of your interior then there are those specialists that have solutions to help. With ranges from bench desks, glass desks, executive desks and even budget desks, there is such a vast range to choose from.

Whatever you are looking for you have to ensure that comfort, practicality and style all come under your specifications, and luckily there are those companies that provide this and more with all their furniture.

View from their ranges online to see the vast array of colour and styles you can choose from. Everyone has different tastes, and there are companies that cater to those that are unsure of what they want, not only online via their website. There are those companies that have a mass of stock within their warehouse to view and purchase

Choosing the best office desks is a matter of personal opinion, but ensuring you pay for quality is vital to helping your desk last longer than most. Fortunately such specialists pride themselves on their quality products that are guaranteed to stay in good condition longer than most.

Whether you live near of far, it is definitely worth visiting the showroom of such specialists of office furniture. 22,000sq ft is packed with office furniture that you can see, feel, and try out. Situated only 30 minutes outside London, the showroom contains all the office furniture you could want to really make the most of your interior.

So, don’t struggle on with your old or shabby office desks. Look out for specialists who have so much to offer that makes every job much easier.

Meeting and Conference Tables – Office Furniture from Hunts

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

Meeting & Conference Tables

Office Furniture That Meets All Your Needs: Meeting and Conference Tables
When choosing new office furniture there are many factors to take into consideration in order to ensure you achieve the best possible end results.  The right office furniture can promote a company ethos – from a friendly and informal vibe to a driven and intense corporate environment, so it is important to consult experts to create the appropriate atmosphere.  The office furniture you choose should also reflect the type of work your company emphasises; from conferences and presentations to group work or solo projects.

Clearly there is a lot to consider, so calling a reputable company for specialist advice is highly recommended.  Many of these companies will not only be able to suggest ideas and help with designs, but also to supply the correct furniture from leading global manufacturers at cost effective prices.

Currently a popular option is to incorporate meeting and conference tables into your office space.  New technological and ergonomic advances mean that these can integrate audio/visual equipment including in-desk AV ports, AV presentation walls and other tools.  By having a quality integrated system installed in your office it is easier to carry out higher quality presentations, with no need to worry about tangled wires or wobbly displays.

There are a number of excellent ranges available on the market, including table options that extend up to 9 metres and provide seating for up to 28 individuals at one time.  These are on offer in a variety of materials and facades as well, including those with extremely sophisticated solid timber edges for a truly classic look.  Other ranges that are stocked include those that come in an extensive variety of sizes, shapes and veneers, so you are sure to find the meeting table you are looking for.

So, whether you need to seat two people or fifty on a whole range of budgets, there are companies out there who make it their mission to provide you with the perfect office that meets all your requirements.

Advanced Ergonomic Chairs, Okamura Contessa Ergonomic Task Chair

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

Advanced Ergonomic Chairs

All About Office Chairs – The Latest Advances In Ergonomic Design

There are many reasons why you should prioritise the selection and purchasing of efficient office chairs in your business.  By ensuring your employees have the maximum levels of comfort, you can help to promote their efficiency levels, in addition to maintaining a stylish and modern office environment.

The latest ranges of ergonomic office chairs come thanks to a new rush of fantastic creative inspiration from a leading Japanese designer.  These can now be ordered and purchased easily online or in showrooms from the UK’s largest office furniture showroom, thanks to the leading independent supplier of office furniture in the South East of England.

Structurally and scientifically these chairs have come about as a result of the best minds in Japan, combined with the stylish designers of Italy.  This stunning combination has led to the new office mesh chairs that are both functional, and fashionable.  They are spearheading a revolutionary new attitude towards style, comfort and design, for all your office requirements.

Its cost-effectiveness helps to ensure that this excellent design is available for all budgets, and it comes in a variety of styles.  The mesh chair is available in ten stunning colours, complete with three individual frame option and two body colours, guaranteeing the best possible fit with the office aesthetic you already have in place.

Office chairs of this high calibre are on offer now in expert showrooms, where you can try them out yourself.  Once you’ve done this, you won’t look back.  These chairs are extremely comfortable, very versatile, and above all, the ergonomic design ensures long term comfort and style.  So when you need office furniture advice, from help on what to purchase, to full office redesign packages, there are specialists available based in the South East of England who are sure to be able to help you out.

Stylish Reception Counters – UK Office Furniture

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

Stylish Reception Furniture

Give A Great First Impression With Stylish Reception Counters And Other Office Furniture
They say a persons mind is made up in seconds in regards to first impressions, so when it comes to your business the look of your company should be high priority. Many companies think their offices look professional enough until they see what else is available on the market.

Furniture specialists have stylish reception desks that can set off any reception or waiting room. It can make the difference between a good or bad first impression, therefore the difference between new business and potential failings.

There are many specialists that offer a wide variety of reception desks made from materials such as wood and glass, in a range of styles including budget reception counters, factory reception, fusion veneer and ultimate veneer. All of these reception counters are modern, stylish and accommodating to the office environment.

It is essential to know what is being bought buying before the final purchase is made. Sometimes a clear judgement cannot be made purely by photo’s online, so some office furniture specialists have large showrooms to accommodate their stock for customers who want to try before they buy.

This therefore guarantees you are buying what you’ve seen. For many people who are looking into re organising and furnishing their offices, they want the products to be exact to their requirements, which makes visiting showrooms essential.

As well as reception counters, specialist office refurbishment companies don’t stop there. Chairs, accessories, filing and storage solutions are also available from these companies that understand the need for quality. Once you choose an item of office furniture from these specialist companies, it is hard to purchase anything else. After seeing the impact this stylish furniture can have on business, it is difficult to see your office furnished with any other products.

With the economic climate as it is first impressions count tremendously and it is easy for business be lost through the wrong impression. Many people say to never judge a book by its cover, unfortunately this isn’t the case. Just ensure your offices amaze the first time round with stylish décor and office furniture.