When a client or potential client visits your office, making a great first impression is essential for creating a positive experience. That’s why your reception area should represent your business, creating a welcoming environment from the minute your visitors step through the door. There are many factors to consider when planning the design of your reception area, from functional aspects such as furniture and heating, to the more visual statements such as branding and colour schemes. Here, we’ve listed our top tips to creating a professional, stylish reception area that will help to make your clients feel more comfortable. Company branding…

We all know that travel broadens the mind, but in some places, it can also strengthen the thighs! We’ve taken a peek into different bathrooms around the world to lift the lid on what you can expect to find inside toilet cubicles when you spend a penny overseas… Australian outback Many cultures around the world have toilets separated from the main home, not for privacy but for hygiene (especially in areas when the summer climate could make these loos a very unpleasant place to be!). In the Australian outback these are called dunnys, and although thankfully many have been now abandoned,…

Public toilets do tend to have a very bad reputation, with the common conception being that public toilets are unhygienic, badly designed, unattractive and often broken. This can lead to people refusing to visit the facilities at public places, such as shopping centres, which can negatively impact their experience and result in customers heading home early. To keep your customers happy and spending more time in your shopping centre, it is vital that you create attractive and clean facilities for everyone to use. Spectrum Interiors have used our substantial experience in the production of high quality public toilets to provide this…

The average worker spends vast portions of their lives in their office or workplace, so it is important for the surroundings to look and feel welcoming. If your workplace needs a bit of a spruce up, you may want to consider the benefits of an office refurbishment. Improved efficiency Refurbishing your workplace can allow you to alter the layout of your establishment, and you may find that by moving certain aspects of your office, you can increase the efficiency of your workplace. You can even take this opportunity to invest in new, high-quality equipment for your office that can increase the speed…

Designing public washrooms can be a much more complex process than you may have initially believed – there are certain criteria and guidelines your public facility must meet. Spectrum Interiors have years of experience in building comfortable and aesthetically pleasing public facilities and have used our experience to put together this guide to help you in designing the perfect facility for your establishment.   Basic Requirements It’s important to cover the basics first, and there are some specifications that must be met to ensure that the facilities are safe, hygienic and suitable for the public to use: Facilities for disabled persons must…

Auto-flush is a feature available for toilets, sink faucets and urinals, and is an especially useful feature for public bathroom’s as they require less maintenance than standard units. Growing in popularity, automatic bathroom features are becoming commonplace in more-developed countries. This article outlines some of the benefits of auto-flush facilities and why you should install them in your toilet cubicles. Improved sanitation Public restrooms receive much more foot traffic than a domestic toilet, meaning that more excrement and urine is deposited. A faulty or sub par flushing system could mean that odours and germs are left lingering in the facilities. This…

Whether you’re looking to build or extend a sports hall, or to update your current toilets and changing rooms, it can be difficult to assess the best layout and amount of facilities you will need. This simple breakdown will help you in your planning. Toilets Locate your toilets close to the foyer for practically and ease of use. You will need at least one unisex disabled access toilet, as well as separate male and female toilet cubicles. The British Standard of Sanitary Installations 6465: Part 1 (Code of practice for scale of provision, selection and installation of sanitary appliances) lays out…

Following on from our most recent blog posts which focus on school washroom design and office washroom guidance, this article will highlight the considerations which must be taken into account when designing medical toilets and washrooms to ensure the highest standards of hygiene and efficiency. Accessibility According to the ‘Health Building Note 00-01 – General design guidance for healthcare buildings’ official documentation released by the Department of Health, evidence shows that a very large number of falls suffered by those in domestic, resident and hospital environments occur on the journey between the bed and the bathroom/toilet, especially during the night. This…

Having previously discussed the main considerations when designing school washrooms in our two-part guide, now’s the perfect time for schools to order their brand-new washrooms so they can be designed and installed in time for the 2015/16 academic year. Here at Spectrum Interiors, we understand that a washroom is a vital part of any building, and it must be fully equipped with all the necessary features to present a clean, hygienic and modern image. The process of having a new washroom designed and installed and the length of time this can take will vary depending on each project. So, as we…

Providing employees and clients with fully functioning washroom facilities in an office environment is essential so they feel completely comfortable using the facilities and that all their needs are taken care of. According to the HSE’s Welfare at Work guidance, employers have a duty to provide “adequate and appropriate welfare facilities” while their staff are at work, which includes: Washing Toilet Rest Changing A clean area to eat and drink during breaks This article will serve to explain the guidance offices must follow to ensure their office washrooms fulfil the necessary requirements. Toilet and washing facilities All employers are responsible for…