How to Make the Most of Your Mezzanine Office

A mezzanine office can bring many benefits to businesses. From increased space utilisation to cost-effectiveness and flexibility, it’s easy to see why so many companies seek industrial units with a mezzanine already in place or look to install their own.

Mezzanines are particularly useful for those who manufacture, store, and sell products. The ability to bring multiple operations together in one central hub is great for streamlining workflow and boosting productivity. However, it’s important to get the initial set up right.

In this blog, we look at how to make the most of your mezzanine office, offering some great tips based on previous success stories. So, if you’re about to invest in a mezzanine, here are some ideas to ensure you’re a success too!

Use Glass to Create a Sense of Openness

In our recent blog on office design ideas for SMEs, we discussed how using glass partitions can help to make a space look bigger, brighter, and more open. The same principle applies to mezzanine offices, as glass allows light to pass through the structure and create depth.

For example, Simpsons Wine Estate made use of glass to transform a disused mezzanine structure as part of a winery fit out in Kent. By installing glass to create large perimeter windows and internal offices, the mezzanine maintains its open feel. Moreover, the windows allow employees to overlook the activity in the wine vat area below, helping to maintain a connection between the two operations.

For safety purposes, it is important to find a health and safety accredited fit out contractor that can advise you on the best type of glass.  Structural and fire rated glass is essential to ensure compliance in these areas.

Create a Multiuse Breakout Area

If you’re looking for a place to locate your breakout area, a mezzanine could be the answer. Take the example above, where the client used an entire floor to create a visually stunning and enticing space for employees to rest and rejuvenate.

By using the entire first floor, the breakout area is also big enough to serve as a secondary workspace. With plenty of furniture options, employees can work on a laptop if they choose, giving the overall workplace a more relaxed, flexible feel.

Aesthetically, note how the breakout area also has a biophilic theme, with plants integrated into the furniture and displayed on the walls. This is certainly nothing new, but it is still an effective way to create an oasis of calm that will undoubtedly boost wellbeing.

Introduce a Guest Area

If you’ve got a product to put to market, then one smart idea is to create an inviting, comfortable area for meetings with potential buyers. This will provide a space where they can view and sample products, discuss investments, and get to know the people behind your business.

Simpsons Wine Estate did just that by creating a state-of-the-art wine tasting room, which doubles up as a space for tourists visiting the winery. Known as ‘The Glasshouse’, the space comprises a stunning bar area and luxurious lounge where guests can unwind while taking in the stunning view of the winemaking operations below.

Even if you’re not the type of company that attracts tourists, a guest area will still create a sense of occasion for those visiting. This will undoubtedly help to get deals over the line and contribute to the long-term success of your business.

Get Space Planning Advice

To understand the full potential of your mezzanine office, it’s a good idea to get some space planning advice from a reputable design and build company. That way, you may uncover some enhancements that can improve workflow, maximise the space, and make the office more comfortable for employees.

Take cleaning and facilities company DB Services, which required space planning advice for a mezzanine office refurbishment in London. After receiving the advice, DB Services invested in changes that previously looked like major obstacles, such as an extension to the mezzanine’s first floor to create more space for employees. This also gave DB Services confidence to reconfigure the ground floor office area, helping to accommodate an employee re-shuffle to improve workflow.

As demonstrated by DB Services, space planning is essential for businesses that feel their mezzanine is becoming impractical. So, before you go investing in a new office, consider getting some advice to assess the spatial possibilities of your mezzanine and existing facilities.

Make Your Staircase Safe and Stylish

As part of DB Service’s mezzanine transformation, the Croydon-based company installed a steel staircase with distinguishable nosing for safe, easy access to the ground level. While this is essential for health and safety, businesses can also use their stairs to add aesthetic interest to their mezzanine.

Over at Simpsons Wine Estate, the wine producer implemented a display feature within the lower part of its mezzanine staircase, which is situated at the building’s entrance. The glass-fronted display includes a bespoke wine rack effect feature, shelves to hold bottles, and Simpsons Wine Estate branding.

As you make your way up the Simpsons Wine Estate mezzanine, you will also see wine themed wall features illuminated by elegant downlights, helping to build anticipation for guests entering the Glasshouse tasting room. A simple, but effective idea.

For another example of a staircase display, check out Alcatel Submarine Network’s reception refurbishment here.

Think Outside the Box

When we say think outside the box, the Simpsons Wine Estate project once again comes to mind. As part of the Kent office design project, Simpsons Wine installed a helter skelter style slide that transports guests from the wine tasting room to the ground floor for an unforgettable post-tasting exit.

Additionally, the directors introduced colour changing LED floodlights to illuminate the wine vats below, making for incredible spectacle for those watching from above. The interchangeable lighting, which transitions from one colour to another automatically, also helps to create a relaxed atmosphere that’s perfect for evening events and tastings.

Go for a Modern Industrial Look

If you’re in the process of brainstorming design ideas for your mezzanine office, consider adding a modern industrial look to the list. Mezzanines are often situated in industrial units, so the “modern industrial” aesthetic is a natural fit.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, modern industrial office design is a style that combines the raw and edgy elements of industrial style with the clean and minimalist lines of modern design. Here are a few key themes:

• Metal Accents – Metal accents can be used to add a raw and modern aesthetic to a space. While metal elements of the mezzanine will likely be left exposed, you can also bring in complementary features like metal-framed furniture, as in the image above.
• Dome Pendant Lights – Pendant lights are a popular choice for an industrial feel and can assist in setting the tone for the establishment. Moreover, they come in finishes that complement the industrial style, such as brass, copper and metal.
• Sustainable Furniture – In addition to being good for the planet, sustainable furniture can support the modern industrial theme. For example, Frovi’s stunning Foundry shelving unit is made from recycled steel rebar for a raw but sophisticated look.

Ultimately, the modern industrial look is just one idea amongst many avenues you could go down. If you’re still unsure, let your company identity inform your design decisions, as Simpsons Wine Estate did with the biophilic theme.

Thank You for Reading

If the time has come to make changes to your mezzanine, then we hope our ideas have given you plenty of inspiration. As we’ve seen in the examples, it’s possible to make mezzanine offices look visually arresting while offering practical solutions for employees. Not only that, but they can provide an ideal space to entertain business associates to get important deals over the line.

So, with benefits for businesses, employees, and associates, a well optimised mezzanine is good for everyone. All you need is a bit of careful planning and imagination, and you’ll be on to a winner!

Written by Chris Sparham

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At Rap Interiors, our team has vast experience in carrying out industrial and warehouse fit outs across London, Kent, Sussex and the UK. In over 30 years of business, we have worked with countless clients, transforming everything from mezzanine floors to reception areas to breakout spaces and washrooms.

If you’re looking for a company that can optimise your space, then we’d love to hear from you. To get the ball rolling with your project, please fill out the form below or call 0333 600 1234.