Quiet Zone: Using the Lounge Area to Support Focused Work

2019-03-04T15:16:28+00:00March 4th, 2019|Workplace Design, Productivity|

There’s more than one type of lounge an office can have. Some lounges are designed to support collaboration, while others offer a private zone where people can block out distractions around them. But there’s a happy medium between working with others and working by yourself in a room with a door separating you from the rest of the office. That’s where quiet zones come in.

Think of quiet zones as being the office version of putting up a “Do Not Disturb” sign. They’re places people can head to when they need to let others know that they need to concentrate and prefer not to be interrupted. They offer some privacy, but not quite as much as something like a private enclave. If you’d like to add some quiet zones around your office, here are a few things you should consider.

Two Bivi Rumble Seats with Rumble Seat Hoodies attached are arranged to face each other in an office space. A Campfire Paper Table is placed between the two sofas.Two Bivi Rumble Seats are arranged to create a quiet zone that can be used for solo work or collaboration. The Campfire Paper Table in between the sofas offers a convenient way to share ideas.

Get Screened In

Screens are an effective way to make it clear that a person doesn’t want to be interrupted. But just because you need to focus on something, that doesn’t necessarily mean you want to be completely shut off from the rest of the office. Bivi Rumble Seat Hoodies are one way to help give people the best of both worlds. Hoodies are semi-transparent screens that attach to Bivi Rumble Seats, so they communicate the need for quiet, but still let people feel connected to the rest of the office. Campfire Screens are also ideal for quiet zones. They provide space definition and privacy, but without fully shutting people out.

A corner of an office is transformed into a quiet work area with a Campfire Screen placed next to a Jenny Round Low chair. The space also includes a Campfire Footrest and Campfire Skate Table.With a Campfire Screen and Jenny Round Low Chair, this corner of an office is turned into a comfortable space that helps people concentrate so they can be more productive.

Get Comfortable

It’s never easy to be productive when you just can’t get comfortable, so as you plan your quiet zones, look for ways to make people feel right at home. Campfire Half Lounges and Campfire Big Lounges offer the comfort of residential sofas while providing the support people need to work. If you prefer chairs to sofas, Jenny Club Low and Jenny Round Low chairs are stylish options to consider. Regardless of which seating style your go for, why not add a Campfire Footrest to give people more ways to get comfortable?  

A woman works while sitting on a Bivi Rumble Seat with Hoodie. A dog lays next to her, resting its head on a Campfire Ottoman, while she works on a laptop placed on a Campfire Personal Table.The Campfire Ottoman in this lounge makes it easy to go from solo work to collaboration at a moment’s notice — even if your collaborator is a four-legged friend.

Pull Up a Seat

Sometimes, the best way to get things done is by getting some help from a coworker and when those times come, it’s nice to have a little extra seating ready to go. By including impromptu seating options such as Bassline Benches, Campfire Ottomans, and Campfire Poufs, it’s easy to add seating anyplace it’s needed.

A woman looks at her phone while sitting in an office quiet zone. She sits on a Jenny Club Low chair with a Campfire Skate Table next to her and one foot on a Campfire Footrest. A blue Campfire Screen is behind her.Campfire Skate Tables feature a low-profile base that easily fits under lounge seating, such as the Jenny Club Low chair pictured here.

Get to Work

When you need to get things done, you don’t want to be without a surface to work on. To find the best table for your quiet zone, consider how many people will be using the space at a time. If you want a space to support small group collaboration, a Campfire Paper Table makes it easy for people to share ideas and work together on problems. On the other hand, Campfire Skate Tables and Campfire Personal Tables are perfect for solo work.

Looking for more ways to create quiet zones in your office? Browse the full selection of Turnstone Products for more ideas or contact our design team. Our team can work with you to create spaces that meet your needs.