Designing Smarter Office Spaces: A Room-by-Room Guide to Office Design Planning

Designing or remodeling an office space isn’t a single room project. Each office typically covers a variety of functions and therefore requires specific approaches. While achieving such functionality, each area also needs to support your business’s brand and culture, while welcoming staff, clients and guests. That means balancing productivity, comfort, and flexibility, while avoiding common design mistakes that can lead to additional costs and disruptions. 

From private offices and cubicles to shared workstations and lounge areas, each part of your workplace serves a different purpose. At Extra Office Interiors, we often design entire office spaces, from the lobby to the conference rooms and work stations. We understand that each has specific goals and work to achieve them through user-friendly design choices. 

We’re happy to share some of those insights and guide you through the best practices for functionality and layout, along with how to avoid those common pitfalls.  Whether you’re designing a new space or rethinking an existing one, these tips will help you make every area work harder for your team.

Modern Office Cubicles

Modern cubicles aren’t the boring and bland room dividers you might think of. They offer a smart way to set movable boundaries. These spaces give employees a semi-private space where they can focus without feeling cut off from the team. Today’s best cubicle systems are modular and easy to reconfigure, with thoughtful touches like integrated power, ergonomic seating, and layered panel heights that mix privacy with openness. Glass or fabric panels can reduce noise and visual clutter while maintaining light flow, making even dense office layouts feel bright and breathable. When done right, cubicles support deep work while still promoting a sense of connection and a “home base” for each team member.

Common mistake: Choosing uniform, enclosed cubicles that isolate employees. Today’s designs often blend panel heights and materials to create visual variety and a more open, inviting layout. Look for panels which enhance the aesthetic of your office space, rather than detract. 

Open Plan Workstations

Open-plan offices are designed to foster collaboration and create a vibrant, liberated environment. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t without their challenges. An open space filled with many staff can quickly become noisy and chaotic. One trick our designers use to calm the chaos is to define specific zones within the openness. We’ll use visual cues like acoustic panels, plants, or varied furniture heights to suggest separation without building walls. This not only maintains the open feel, but cuts down on cost. For your open office space, add in a mix of workstation styles: individual desks, shared benching systems, and spaces for quick huddles. Lighting and circulation are just as important. Natural light should be shared evenly, and traffic should flow without cutting through work areas. The best open-plan layouts encourage communication while respecting personal space.

Common mistake: Packing too many desks into a space without softening noise or distraction. Fix this by breaking up large areas with acoustic elements and layout shifts that give employees a sense of personal space.

Private Offices

Private offices are essential for concentration, discretion, and as a method for reinforcing leadership roles. Whether it’s an executive suite or a quiet spot for team leads, these spaces should balance comfort with authority. Start with a layout that supports the occupant’s daily work tasks, which will typically include meetings, focused work, calls, and perhaps confidential conversations. Thoughtfully chosen furnishings, like a well-proportioned desk, guest seating, and streamlined storage, can speak to the brand’s aesthetic while supporting all of these functions.

Natural light is a must wherever possible in private spaces. Glass fronts or clerestory panels offer privacy without completely shutting off the space. We believe that while private offices should reflect individual workstyles, they shouldn’t feel disconnected from the rest of the office. That’s why we work to include shared design elements, like consistent color palettes, flooring, or finishes, to help maintain a cohesive look.

Common mistake: Overfurnishing with bulky or outdated pieces that dominate the space.Instead, choose furniture scaled to the room. This will help to preserve flow and visual openness in smaller spaces.

Conference Rooms

It’s easy to think of a conference room as simply a large desk and many chairs, but the truth is this space needs so much more. This room should act as a centerpiece which reflects your company’s style in a memorable way, while having the capabilities for many types of presentation scenarios. This room may be used for client meetings, team brainstorms, or virtual calls, as well as large meetings, so the layout should be flexible and tech-ready. Start by right-sizing the space: too large and it feels empty; too small and it’s uncomfortable. Make sure your conference room table has enough clearance for movement and seating is supportive enough for longer sessions. Seating should be comfortable, but not so cushy that it encourages slouching or disengagement. Chairs with proper lumbar support and durable upholstery strike the right balance. Coordinating the style and finish of your table and chairs with your broader office design also helps maintain visual cohesion, especially in glass-walled rooms where everything is on display.

Common mistake: Choosing furniture or tech setups that overwhelm the room or disrupt acoustics. Since sound bounces off hard surfaces (creating echos and distraction), opt for soft finishes, built-in tech, and integrated cord management to keep things functional and polished.

Lounge and Lobby Areas

While not the spaces where work gets done, these areas are just as important. The lobby’s atmosphere will set the first impression that your brand makes on visitors. Thought and attention should be given to this space in order to provide a deliberate aesthetic that enhances your brand’s image. Likewise, any staff lounge will relay subtle messages to new employee prospects about the type of work culture they may be entering. 

Both spaces should feel welcoming, comfortable, and reflective of your company’s personality. Use layered lighting, natural textures, and a variety of seating types to create a space that encourages informal conversation or quiet relaxation. Sofas, accent chairs, coffee tables, and even soft background music can all contribute to a hospitality-inspired experience.

Common mistake: Relying on generic furniture and sparse layouts that feel cold or impersonal. Instead, bring warmth and intention to the space by adding plants, artwork, or branded design elements that visually tie back to the rest of your office.

Glass Walls & Office Partitions

When you’re looking for a compromise between creating boundaries and maintaining an open atmosphere, glass walls and partitions often solve the problem. They’re ideal for defining space while maintaining an airy modern feel. Both allow natural light to flow through the office, creating a brighter and more expansive atmosphere. Use clear panels for openness or frosted/partially opaque designs for added privacy where needed. These pieces can be especially helpful in meeting rooms, private offices, or focus areas. Pairing glass with acoustic seals, soft flooring, or fabric panels helps balance transparency with sound control.

Common mistake: Overusing glass without accounting for glare, noise, or privacy concerns. To avoid these issues, we like to suggest combining glass with practical materials that reduce sound and manage visibility where it matters most.

Team Building Areas

Team building spaces should feel different from the rest of the office to inspire free thinking and creativity. These spaces should be more relaxed with greater flexibility. We often suggest an intentional design that encourages connection and conversation. These areas can be used for workshops, informal meetings, celebrations, or even a quick mental reset. Incorporating modular furniture like ottomans, mobile whiteboards, and lounge seating allows for easy reconfiguration. Writable walls, bulletin boards, and nearby storage make it easy to use the space for both structured and spontaneous activities. If possible, place these areas near windows or green space to create a natural break from the workday routine.

Common mistake: Treating team areas like an afterthought or tucking them away in low-traffic corners. Alternatively, work to integrate these spaces into your office flow so they become part of the daily experience, not a forgotten zone that collects dust.

Make Every Space Count with Professional Design

Designing an office isn’t just about filling rooms with furniture. Your space provides an immense opportunity to improve productivity and make a positive impression on everyone who enters the space. To maximize its benefits, you want to make intentional choices that support the way your team works and what your brand stands for. 

Each area, from cubicles to conference rooms, plays a unique role in shaping your company’s daily experience. When you get the details right, your space becomes more than functional, it becomes a powerful tool that enhances productivity and connection.

At Extra Office Interiors, we specialize in creating holistic, modern work environments in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. We believe each room should feel as good as it functions. Whether you’re planning a full office overhaul or just looking to optimize a few key spaces, our team is here to help you design with purpose. Remember, each room demands its own special approach and touches. We’re happy to help you make the most of your office spaces, with creativity and innovation. It all starts with a conversation, which can transform the way your business works.