If you’re a business owner with staff and an office, you’ll know how important your office design can be.  Through your design, you can turn prospective clients into long-term partners. Office design is a fusion of visual parameters like aesthetics and functional parameters like lighting and infrastructure.

There’s a fun side to this too though, you can express your personality through your design styles. You can apply trending décor ideas to give it a modern look. You can apply green and eco-friendly decor ideas. You can design the best office of your dreams with acoustic felt panels. Acoustic features are an important contributor of overall office room decorum. These have visual as well as functional importance.

If you’re not sure where to start with your office space, here are 12 things to consider:

1. Switch over to open concept layout

Create interactive workspaces for fostering team spirit, with open concept layout. In this kind of environment there is generally a better flow of creative ideas. The space distribution is also improved. You can place felt partitions at strategic locations in the office and you can alter their orientations when required. By doing this you can create a vibrant and dynamic feel in your organisation.

2. Create a theme in your corridor

With wall felt you can fabricate a thematic wall background. So you can reflect your business goals to the observer in an artistic manner. Acoustic felt panels can provide the impression of depth and look more interesting than standard walls. An inspiring corridor on the way into the office can fill employees with enthusiasm before starting on a new day.

If you own an architectural office, you can design a wall with monumental prints on panels. The sight of eye catchy prints on panels stimulates creativity.

3. Acoustic design

Soundproofing a room is a must to have the positive work vibes flowing. Acoustic felt is easy to install, and better listening and message interpretation enable better project design and goal actualization. Acoustics are indispensable for seminar halls and meeting venues.

You can have acoustic ceiling suspended solutions even on unfinished ceilings. These are available in all sorts of designs and they make your ceilings soundproof and add visual beauty to space. Acoustic baffles are available in geometric shapes and colours, so you can create elegant looking halls and cafeterias. Absorption panels are available in multiple styles are colours, and they are pretty flexible in terms of application on walls and ceilings.

You could have felted tiles on your floors and felt panels for your ceilings. Acoustic ceilings help to create a tranquil atmosphere and are available in miscellaneous designs and textures. Clients can also order custom specific designs of panels.

Before purchasing acoustic fiber ensure that it has a high NRC value. NRC value indicates the ability of acoustic material to mitigate reverberations. Refined wool is a natural product with high NRC and valuable properties like insulation and shock absorption qualities.

4. Inspirational quotes on your walls

Motivate your employees by having inspirational art and quotes on your walls. You can also write a thought on whiteboards or chalkboards, placed strategically in the office.

5. Have smart and portable furnishings

Your furniture must be comfortable for your staff throughout the working day.  Think about having quality, adjustable desk chairs for your employees. You can find furniture that can be used in multiple ways if your office space is limited. Think about picking innovative furniture designs to create dynamic interiors. Add closets and cabinets for organized storage.

6. Create a dynamic interview point

New entrants bring freshness and energy vibes to an office. Have acoustic partitions in interview rooms, so that the candidates get a relaxed atmosphere and feel comfortable during interviews.

7. Maintenance

Maintenance is a must to retain a posh office interior. Have linoleum floors, which are easy to clean. Have moisture resistant tiles in your washroom. Go for routine maintenance. Alter your design periodically to make maintenance easier.

8. Apply green and sustainable décor ideas

Go green is an emerging corporate trend. An office owner must opt for eco-friendly appliances as much as possible. Purchase energy-saving lighting installations. If there are many redundant paper files or documents, do not discard them; you can get them recycled to get useful materials paper or cardboard. Recycle your scrap to make decorative items. You can even recycle old and worn put furniture to create new décor items. While purchasing felted tiles, ensure they are made of biodegradable stuff or renewable in nature. In addition these must be free of volatile organic compounds (VOC’s). Also check parameters like durability and fire resilience.

Ensure your office room has ample windows and ventilators for natural air circulation. Try to have a mini-garden if you have space. Try to minimize the consumption of air conditioners. Have only energy saving conditioners and use them sincerely.

9. Create a stress-free atmosphere

You can select plush and premium felt designs to provide an elegant look to your office. So the rooms look more engaging, while the employees feel more motivated to accept challenges. You can get a soothing and soft experience with the placement of felted tiles. Pacific and stress-free atmosphere created by the placing of acoustic felt motivates employees to concentrate on the present moment.

10. Lighting

Ensure that there is ample availability of light during the daytime. You can control the light intensity with window curtains. Install pleasant and energy saving light appliances for evening or night office sessions. You can have fancy lights at entrance points and corridors.

11. Infrastructure design

Having advanced computing equipment and networking systems adds to the firm’s brand value. Also have security amenities to ensure safety of office assets.

12. Focal points

Focal points add points to your brand value. You can create focal points with your creative décor ideas. You can use acoustic panels at strategic locations like reception or lobbies to create focal points. You can select from among different designs and dimensions, as per your room layout. With 3D acoustic panels, you can create a pleasing sensation of depth. You can add modern artworks or artificial flowers to create focal points.

Conclusion
Having an office space with an elegant view is a goal every entrepreneur has. You can create an office with premium looks by following a few strategies. Create a dynamic and interactive atmosphere. Have optimum lighting and smart furnishings inside. Take green and environment-friendly design initiatives. Invest in acoustic solutions. In an office room with acoustic infrastructure there is better interpersonal communication., and people can exchange their thoughts and ideas.

Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post

If you are looking to take out an international health insurance plan, there is certainly a lot that needs to be considered. In this post, we are going to take a look at some important pieces of advice and information regarding international medical policies.

We will tell you all about the different policy options that are available, as well as taking a look at some of the essentials every good health insurer should be able to offer.

This should help you to narrow down your search for the best policy. So, let’s get right to it…

FIVE THINGS ALL GOOD INTERNATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE PROVIDERS NEED TO HAVE

There are many great benefits associated with international health insurance. Not only will they ensure you are protected in terms of your health, but also financially as well. It is of little surprise that more and more people are turning to this solution. Nevertheless, you do need to make sure you choose your global medical insurance provider with care. So, look out for the following five factors:

1.    Lots of options – You need to have the ability to essentially cater your international medical insurance plan to suit your requirements. Therefore, the provider should present you with an assortment of options, ranging from basic cover to comprehensive cover. This guarantees you will benefit from a policy you are completely happy with.

2.    Great reputation – You should always go for an insurer with a good reputation in the industry. Read reviews that have been left by previous clients to discover what they have had to say about the service they experienced. Would they recommend the insurer? Were they easy to deal with?

3.    Free no obligation quotation – It is vital to ensure that the health insurance provider you are considering provides you with a free no obligation quotation. You should never have to pay for a quote for a global medical insurance plan. Moreover, you should not be tied into a contract by merely requesting a quote.

4.    Online management – It is also recommended to go for a worldwide health insurance provider that allows you to manage your plan via the internet. This will make your life much easier.

5.    Comprehensive geographical cover – The whole point of global medical insurance is to ensure that you are protected no matter where you are. In order for this to be the case you need to make sure the company in question covers a wide assortment of countries. You should never merely assume that this is the case.

To conclude, if you look out for the five points that have been mentioned, you should have no issue finding the best provider for international health insurance. Make sure they have a good standing in the industry with great feedback and that they are able to provide you with all of the benefits and cover options you expect from your policy. Of course, choosing the provider is only half of the battle, as you then need to make sure the plan itself is right for you…

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE POLICY OPTIONS

Now you know about the different things you need to consider in terms of choosing a provider, but what about the plan itself? When it comes to acquiring international medical insurance, you have lots of different policy options at your disposal. It is imperative to consider each and every option carefully. You need to be sure that the plan is customised to suit your needs. Keeping that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the global health insurance options you have available to you…

Hospital Network

First and foremost, you should take a look at the network of hospitals, doctors and facilities you are going to have access to. After all, one of the main benefits of worldwide medical insurance is the fact that you will benefit from a much higher level of health care and you will be able to choose what doctor you see, which is something you cannot do if you rely on state healthcare systems. Therefore it is imperative to make sure you choose an international health insurance plan with a hospital network you are happy with. There are also some plans that come with extras, for example, being able to order from an online pharmacy as part of your policy. This can be highly beneficial for those who do not live close to a pharmacist, as well as those who lead busy lives and simply would prefer the convenience of having any medication delivered directly to their door.

Policy Coverage

Because these plans are called ‘worldwide’ and ‘international’ health insurance plans, a lot of people assume that they provide coverage all over the world. It is only natural that you would think this. After all, it is in the name! Nevertheless, there are often countries that are excluded, which is why you need to read the terms and conditions of your policy with an extreme amount of care. To be covered in places like the United States, for example, you may actually need to pay more. This is something a lot of people have learned about the hard way when they have assumed that they have been covered for something when, in fact, they have not.

Excess

Excess relates to the amount of money you have to pay before your insurer covers you. Therefore, if you opt for a policy with £500 excess you will have to pay £500 of your treatment before your insurer will cover the rest. You need to consider your excess amount carefully. The higher the excess on your policy the lower the premiums will be. Nonetheless, don’t simply opt for an astronomical sum when it comes to the excess, as you don’t want to find yourself in a position whereby you cannot afford treatment.

Cover Options

The next thing you need to think about is the level of cover you require. In general you will be able to choose between international medical insurance plans with basic, intermediate or comprehensive cover. You essentially need to decide what cover options you want your policy to have. Do you require maternity care for example? What about dental care or optical care? If you want any of these you will likely have to go for a high cover policy.

As you can see, there is certainly a lot that needs to be taken into account when it comes to choosing an international health insurance plan. Hopefully, all of the pointers that have been discussed above will have given you a better understanding regarding what you should be looking for in a health insurance provider, as well as the different options you have at your disposal when it comes to putting together the perfect plan for you.

Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post

It’s one of the strangest times of the year, where the days sort of roll together and no one has a clue what day it actually is any more.

I’m talking about that void between Christmas and New Year.

For those people who are lucky enough to not have to go into work, it can be a really weird time that no one seems quite sure what to do with.

So for anyone finding themselves at a bit of a loss this ‘twixmas, here is the ultimate list list of things to do in this weird timeless zone between Christmas and New Year.

Have a clear-out of the children’s toys.

Chances are your children will have a whole pile of new toys that you need to find homes for.

So it’s a great time to go through all their old toys and games and see what can be passed on to younger family or friends, what can be sold or given to the local charity shop and what needs to just be thrown away.

Declutter

This strange bit of time after Christmas is actually the perfect time of year to go through all your belongings and have a good declutter.

Work your way round the house room by room, clearing out things you don’t use or love any more.  You can sell old dvds, cds and book with Music Magpie or Ziffit.  Other items can go on ebay or your local Facebook selling page to make a bit of extra money.

I like the Marie Kondo approach to decluttering which basically involves you asking if each item you own sparks joy.  If the answer is no, and it’s not an item you actually need and use on a regular basis, then out it goes.

You might not be able to get the whole house done in the twixmas break, but you can get off to a good start.  If you want to commit to a slightly longer project then take a look at Katy Kicker’s 30 day declutter challenge.

Do some digital de-cluttering

Spend a bit of time clearing out and sorting out your digital life.  Clear out your emails, delete old files and folder from your PC, back up all the photos you have stored on your phone.

Katy Kicker has a great post on 11 ways to have a digital declutter that is full of brilliant ideas and tips.

Visit the local library  

Check the opening hours for your local library and wander over to get some new books to read.

While you’re there you can also check out the dvds, and see if there are any fun activities on for the family.  Our local libraries often have craft activities on for the children which are always great fun.

Organise your photos from the last year. 

This one might take a bit of time if you’re anything like me and take thousands of photos.

Get all your photos organised into folders on your computer.  Edit any that need to be edited.  Print out your favourites and put them in frames around the house.

Choose a whole host of them from the year and put them into a good old fashioned photo album.  Or have them made into a fun photo book for the family to enjoy.

Go for a walk 

Nice and simple, just head out the front door and start walking.  If you can though, try and explore somewhere new that you’ve not been to before.

Get out for some fresh air

If you need something a bit more than ‘go for a walk’ to get you out of the front door, then Emma from Farmer’s wife and Mummy has some great ideas for getting outside in the country.

Try a new recipe with Christmas leftovers

I think it’s safe to say that we all buy a little bit too much food at Christmas.

Once you’ve had your fill of turkey sandwiches, get a bit creative and try out some new recipes with the rest of your festive leftovers.

Beth at Twinderelmo has a great post of ideas for turkey leftovers and if you have mincemeat leftover from making mince pies then this Christmas crumble from Kirsty at The Mummysphere is a great way of using it up.

Go to the cinema

Whether it’s with the children, on a date with your partner or by yourself for a blissful few hours of peace.

Have a cinema day at home

If you’re not a fan of the cinema, or none of the new releases take your fancy, then have a cinema day at home instead.

All you need is a couple of your favourite films, some popcorn and chocolate, and plenty of cosy cushions and blankets to cwtch up on the sofa with.

Hit the sales

Pretty much all the shops will have big sales on after Christmas.  If you’re feeling brave then you can head into town and see what bargains you can find.  Or you just stay at home in the warm and check out the online sales instead.

Plan out your new years goals/resolutions

Before the New Year rolls around take a bit of time to think about the goals and resolutions you want to make.

Hayley from Devon Mama has this great post on how to set goals and achieve them in six easy steps, to walk you through the process if you’re not sure where to start.

Learn a new skill

If you’ve always fancied learning to knit, play the guitar or even juggle, this twilight zone between Christmas and New Year is a great time to start.

Get a jump on spring cleaning

If you like to get your Christmas decorations down quite quickly, then use the post-Christmas-clean-up momentum and get some deep cleaning jobs down now so there’s less to do when it comes to spring cleaning.

Have a spa day at home

If you’d rather do something a bit more relaxing then try having a spa day at home.

Get some gorgeous scented bubble bath and a face mask and have a long soak in the tub.  Apply a deep conditioning hair treatment and just relax.

Visit a local museum

See what museums or art galleries in your town are open and give them a visit.

Go ice skating

If your town has a winter wonderland then chances are there’ll be an ice rink there.

Even if you spend most of the time wobbling and clinging to the edge, you’ll still most likely have fun and the children will love it.

Write your thank you letters

Get this big job done and out of the way before the new year and you’ll feel so much better.

If your children write their own letters then get them to do a few every day until they’re all done, rather than making them write a whole pile in one go.  You can get some lovely thank you note paper that makes it easier for them, with less space for them to need to fill than a piece of plain writing paper.

Have a playdate with your child’s friends from school/nursery

If your children are missing their school friends then invite one of them over for a playdate.

You can arrange it so their parents stay too, if you get on well.  Or you can let them drop their child off at yours for a bit, while they go home and have some peace.  Just make sure they return the favour another day if you do it that way!

Soft play

Perhaps not the most appealing of ideas, but if the children are going stir crazy in the house at least a trip to soft play might burn off some of their energy.

Go swimming

Whether it’s with the whole family to the fun pool with slides and a wave machine, or the boring pool by yourself to de-stress by swimming lengths, heading to the pool is a great way to fill this strange in-between time.

Indoor climbing

If your children are old enough then take them somewhere to do some indoor climbing.

Trampoline park

Children of all ages seem to enjoy a trip to a trampoline park.  Just check opening times online and see if you need to book before showing up.

Bake something

If you have children to keep busy then pick a nice and simple recipe that you can do together.

My 2,4,4,4 recipe for fairy cakes is pretty much fool-proof and is fun to make with children of all ages.  If you’d rather something a bit less sweet, but just as tasty, then these Christmas butter cookies from My Everything Beautiful look delicious.

Go bowling

An oldie but a goodie, heading to the bowling alley is a great way to spend a quiet afternoon.

Get the board games out

If you don’t want to venture out anywhere then get out all your board games, old and new, and get playing.

Build a fort

It could be an epic outdoor fort or a cosy indoor one with blankets and cushions.  This time of year I think I know which one I would go for!

Make playdough

Playdough is a classic activity for keeping children entertained.  And you can make even more of it by making the dough yourself.

Rainy day mum has got recipes for gingerbread and Christmas cake playdough that would smell amazing at this time of year.

If you’re just after a straightforward playdough recipe, and some inspiration on how to play with it, then head over to The Ladybirds’ Adventures and take a look at their Christmas tree play dough activity.

Tackle a big Lego set

With all this time on your hands with no work or school to worry about, you can take all the time you need to build that big Lego set your child was given.

Take on a big jigsaw puzzle

If all your Lego sets are already happily built, then take on a big jigsaw puzzle instead.

Take over the dining room table and leave it out so you can keep coming back to it until it’s finished.

Relax 

Don’t feel you have to fill this time with non-stop activities.

Take some time to just sit back and relax.  Curl up in your favourite chair with a big mug of hot chocolate and a good book and just take it easy.

Visit a holiday attraction you didn’t manage to visit before Christmas.

Have a look online to see what attractions are on in your town that you might have missed out on before Christmas.  Lots of places have winter wonderlands that stay open during this in-between stage until the new year.

Make plans for New Year’s eve

If you’ve not already make plans, use this time after Christmas to decide what you’ll be doing on New Year’s eve.

Fill in your diary and calendar with key dates for next year

This might sound really boring but it’s one of my favourite things to do at this time of year.

Grab your diary and calendar for next year and fill in all the important dates you need to remember.  This for me includes birthdays and anniversaries and school holiday/inset day information.

Volunteer somewhere

Give back to the local community by volunteering your time somewhere.

Get creative with boxes

Before all the boxes head off to be recycled, let the children have some fun with them.

If you’re not sure what exactly to make with the boxes, then this amazing post from Red Ted Art with ideas for boxes of all sizes should leave you feeling inspired.

Do an indoor treasure hunt

This could be as easy as hiding chocolate coins round the house for the children to find.  Or you could put a bit more effort into it and create clues for them to crack and follow to find the treasure at the end.

Play cards

Grab a deck of cards and get playing.

Get the kids to put on a show for you

Let them loose with the dressing up clothes, designate a ‘stage’ area in the living room and sit back and let them entertain you.

Make paper aeroplanes

Such a classic activity that my children still absolutely love.

If you want to make it last longer get your children to draw designs on their planes and colour them in before having some competitions to see which plane will fly the furthest.

Make a family magazine 

Grab some paper, pens/pencils and family photos and get creative to make a magazine about your family’s year.

You can include interviews with each family member, jokes, favourite recipes, memories of your best memories from the year.

Make jewellery

This can be as simple or elaborate as you like.

Young children can make necklaces from pasta and string and older children can be taught to make friendship bracelets.

Go fly a kite

On dry, windy days grab a kite and head to the nearest open space to see how high you can make it fly.

Paint some rocks and head out for a walk to hide them

There are Facebook groups set up for most towns, with hashtags that you can use on your rocks.  Or you can get involved with something with a deeper meaning behind it, like #WilliamRocks.  These are rocks painted and hidden for people to find, in memory of William Coy.

Research your family tree

Grab a big piece of paper and work your way back from the youngest family members.

If you’re serious about going back as far as you can then sign up for a trial subscription with Ancestry where you can search UK census, birth, marriage & death records.

Write a family bucket list/wish list of things you want to do/places you want to go next year

If you need some inspiration for what to put on your family’s list then take a look at this post from Thimble and Twig.

Play hair stylists

If you’re feeling brave then let your children get creative and give you a new do with head bands, hair bands, clips and slides.

Try out some simple science experiments

If you’d rather not do any actual experiments, then look at getting something like Stems for the children to play with.  Jayne from Sticky Mud and Belly Laughs has written a great post on being creative with Stems which has some fab ideas of ways children can use them.

Get your brain working

If you feel like your brain is turning to mush in this strange in-between time, then keep it busy with a crossword or some Sudoku.  You can get all sorts of puzzle books to work your way through, or you can find online versions to play instead.

Hopefully there’ll be a few ideas on this list to keep you busy and entertained between Christmas and New Year.

What do you normally do in this little break from real life and normal routines?