Turning a regular apartment into a commercial space requires more than just adding a few extra tables and chairs. It requires proper planning and design to execute this change accurately.
So here are seven things you should consider if you want to turn a residential apartment into an office or any other type of commercial space.
1 Getting Permission
Cities often have restrictions on using residential places as an office or any other type of commercial space. Hence, before doing anything else, you must first check with your local government or building caretaker whether this is allowed or not.
Sometimes, even if the local laws permit it, building owners might not allow you to use such an apartment for commercial use. So after you have checked with your local authorities, you need to check with the owners of the building as well. In some cases, you might even have to seek permission from your neighbors and other residents of the building.
Whether or not you will get permission might also depend on the type of office or business you plan on running there.
2 Bringing Down the Walls and Partitions
Commercial spaces should be open. This allows for more freedom in thinking and stimulates the flow of ideas. Apartments have walls and partitions for privacy. For your office, however, there is no need for such boundaries. Apart from a few sections, like meeting rooms, break rooms, or executive rooms, the rest of the walls need to go down. Before doing so, make sure you have discussed the plans with the building’s engineer and architect.
3 Fixing the Floor
Breaking down the walls and partitions will surely lead to damaged floors. Therefore, you need to get it fixed. Concrete floors might develop cracks and holes over the years. Hence, you should take care of such damages carefully. After that is done you should give the entire floor a concrete polishing. This will make the floor more durable and give it a beautiful flossy finish too.
4 Checking All the Power Outlets
Since you are remodeling the entire place, it is a good opportunity to check on the power outlets. Office equipment, like computers, printers, photocopiers, etc., will consume a lot of electricity. More importantly, they will be running for hours non-stop. Hence, you must make sure that the power outlets they are connected to are working properly.
You should also check the wiring of the place. Faulty connections or leakages can lead to fires. Thus, you must be cautious with all these details.
5 Getting the Office Furniture
There are two things you need to keep in mind while buying office furniture.
Firstly, they must be comfortable for you and your employees. No one should have to suffer physical pain because of poor-quality furniture. Secondly, the size of the furniture should be such that you can accommodate them perfectly in the office space.
6 Ensuring a Common Space for the Employees
Having a common space or lounge area in the office is very important. It is where your employees can take a break every once in a while and just relax. They need this relaxation to re-energize themselves. Such spaces also help to motivate your employees in getting through the day.
The lounge area can have different board games or console gaming systems for your employees. It should also house a few tables and chairs so that they can enjoy their meals or coffee breaks. The lounge space need not be too big, but it should be large enough to accommodate at least 15-20 people at a time.
7 Setting Up Some Light Decor
The office space will look dull and boring without a bit of decoration. While you can always give the office interior a glamorous look, try not to go overboard with the decor. Instead, keep it simple. Go for a minimalist style if you have to.
One common trend that you can follow to decorate your office is decorating empty spaces with potted plants. White or light grey colored walls with a bit of greenery here and there would look amazing. You can also have some flowers in a flower vase at each desk as well as at the reception. Avoid making word clouds on your walls. That trend died in 2010, and there is no reason to dig it up again.
By keeping these points in mind, you will be able to turn your apartment into a proper commercial space.
