Signage probably isn’t the first thing you think of when outfitting a new office. Between the furniture and décor, you’ve got a lot to think about already. But consider how important signage is for your space. From directing guests where to go to facilitating effective communication between professionals, signs send a message. Below you’ll find a list of the most common types of signage in offices today.

Freestanding signs can stand on their own via a (usually) changeable sign attached to a long pole with a wide base. This type of signage is ideal for temporary use in offices with constantly changing needs and is also great for directing guests at special events.

Wall-mounted signs attach to a wall and may be changeable or hold a permanent message. Examples of these include restroom signage and signs used to display room names.

Outdoor signs are designed to withstand the elements, including rain, snow, and the sun’s damaging rays. This signage is most often permanent, though changeable options are available. Examples include signs for parking spaces and directional signage.

Desktop signs are usually changeable and commonly used as employee nameplates or labeling for reception desks.

Dual-sided signage is usually freestanding and includes a label or message on both sides of the sign.

Crowd control signage is signage that can be attached to the top of a crowd control post. This type of sign is often used to direct guests where to go in a line.

Healthcare alert signage is specifically for use in healthcare facilities. These signs have movable icons that medical professionals can use to communicate with one another at a glance.

LED signs are most commonly used for open/closed signage, though they can communicate any range of messages.

Whether you’re furnishing a new healthcare facility or replacing old furniture in a hospital or private practice, knowing your textiles is crucial to the well-being of staff and patients alike. To help make your purchasing experience as easy as possible, we’re breaking down the pros and cons of commonly used seating textiles. This list is ranked from worst to best in terms of appropriateness for a healthcare setting.

Fabric

Fabric is a woven textile that is not considered appropriate for healthcare settings. The major benefit of fabric is aesthetic: it comes in many color and pattern options. 

Although the appearance of fabric creates a welcoming, homey aesthetic that most medical facilities seek, the good far outweighs the bad in the case of this material. Because fabric is woven, it is porous—fluids can seep into the chair easily and become nearly impossible to remove. This creates an infection control nightmare as fabric will likely harbor bacteria and bedbugs. 

In addition to the health hazards associated with this textile, fabric is not durable enough to withstand regular use in a busy healthcare facility.

Benefits

• Unlimited color and pattern choices

• Welcoming, homelike aesthetic

Challenges

• Porous

• Not very cleanable or durable

• Harbors bedbugs and bacteria

Crypton Fabric

Crypton fabric is specially manufactured with a fluid-resistant backing that makes it more like vinyl than the fabrics it so closely resembles. This textile has the same large range of color and pattern options as fabrics, but it’s much more acceptable for a healthcare setting as fluids cannot seep into the chair as they can with fabric. However, this material is still semipermeable and can hold unwanted odors. 

Crypton requires specific cleaners for regular maintenance, as it can degrade quickly if cleaned improperly, so staff must be well-trained on the correct cleaner to use on this material. This textile can also be expensive and is not the most durable option. Due to this, Crypton is often used on the backs of chairs in low-abuse settings such as private practices and senior living centers.

Benefits

• Same range of color and pattern options as fabric

• Fluid-resistant backing is healthier than fabric options

• Good choice for chair backrests that receive less wear

Challenges

• Semipermeable

• Requires special cleaners and can degrade quickly if cleaned improperly

• Expensive

• Can hold odors

PVC-Free Vinyl

PVC-free vinyl is an impermeable and eco-friendly textile ideal for inpatient and acute care facilities. Because it’s PVC-free, this material emits no off-gas, making it a great choice where indoor air quality is a concern. In addition, this textile has a soft, comfortable feel. Unfortunately, the color palette is limited. Though relatively easy to clean, PVC-free vinyl is fragile and can degrade quickly and pucker if not maintained correctly.

Benefits

• Impermeable

• Emits no off-gas and is great for indoor air quality

• Soft, comfortable feel

Challenges

• Fragile and will degrade quickly if not properly cared for

• Can pucker

• Limited aesthetically—only solid colors are available

Vinyl

Like PVC-free vinyl, regular vinyl is commonly used in inpatient and acute care facilities, including typical hospital settings. Vinyl is also impermeable and Greenguard Certified for better indoor air quality, but this material is much more durable and easy to maintain. 

You should note that over-bleaching can lead to the breakdown of plasticizers (the additive used to make vinyl soft and pliable), and the stripping of plasticizers can lead to cracking and ripping that The Joint Commission will quickly write up as a violation. On the plus side, vinyl is available in a much wider range of colors and patterns than PVC-free vinyl. Bedbugs and bacteria contamination are less of a concern with this textile, though these may still thrive in the seams of the material.

Benefits

• Impermeable

• Greenguard Certified for better indoor air quality

• Many patterns and colors available

• Durable with good light resistance

• Easy to clean (though this varies depending on manufacturer)

Challenges

• Can degrade if over-bleached

• Seams can harbor bedbugs and bacteria

IC+

Ideal for emergency departments, IC+ is the top-of-the-line choice for high-traffic hospitals that require the very best in durability and cleanliness. Healthcentric is the only company that manufactures IC+. The treatment is applied via a spraying technique rather than sewn. As a result, IC+ has no seams for bacteria and bedbugs to thrive in, making it the best choice to prevent the spread of infection. 

This material is also 10 times stronger than vinyl, completely impermeable, does not degrade, and has a very high abuse rate, making it ideal for busy emergency rooms that see patients with a vast range of ailments. Not only will this material not rip or crack, but it’s also safe to clean even with harsh bleaches. 

IC+ is truly the best option available for healthcare facilities, but it is worth noting that color options are limited, and this material is not the most comfortable for patients due to its durable build.

Benefits

• 10 times stronger than vinyl

• Does not degrade

• Seamless design does not harbor bedbugs or bacteria

• Highest abuse rate

• Easy to clean

Challenges

• Not the most comfortable

• Very limited color palette

Bringing lamps into an office may have unexpected benefits. Not only can they help illuminate a workspace at an employee’s desk, but they can also change a room's entire mood. Lamps come in various forms, from those that serve a basic purpose of brightening up a space to those that are true statement pieces, acting as crucial elements of décor that can really set the tone in an office.

Download the infographic here.

Types of Lamps

Desk lamps are commonly used on a desk to light up a small area that may otherwise not get much light. This is the smallest type of lamp, and most options measure around 20” tall. Although decorative options exist, most desk lamps are used more for their function than their design aesthetics.

Table lamps are designed as decorative pieces and often used as décor in waiting rooms and private offices. Although they serve the practical purpose of helping to illuminate a room, they are more commonly sought to bring style into a space. Aptly named, table lamps are designed to be positioned on an end table or console table; therefore, they are larger than desk lamps, usually measuring 30” – 40” tall.

Floor lamps are designed to be placed on the floor and can be decorative or no-frills. This lamp is the tallest option, usually measuring 60” or taller.

Torchiere lamps have a torch-like design consisting of a straight body extending upward into an upward-facing or upside-down lampshade.

Types of Lighting

Ambient lighting, also called general lighting, provides a room's overall source of light. Ambient lighting is typically achieved with overhead bulbs on the ceiling or strategically placed floor lamps.

Task lighting, as the name suggests, enables users to perform tasks better in a specific area. Desk lamps and reading lights are common forms of task lighting.

Accent lighting creates visual interest in a room and is typically used to highlight a certain feature of a space. Table lamps are commonly used as accent lighting.

Light Color

Bulbs produce hues measured on the Kelvin scale (K). The higher the number on this scale, the more the light will be like natural sunlight.

Natural light is ideal for reading and has an intensity of 5000–6500K.

Cool light looks artificial. It has a slightly blue hue that’s ideal for workspaces and hallways. Cool lighting has an intensity of 3500–4100K.

Warm light is the color of incandescent light bulbs and gives off a more subdued light ideal for lounge and waiting areas. Warm light has an intensity of 2500–3000K.

Light Bulb Types

Incandescent bulbs are probably what you picture when you think of a light bulb. This type of bulb works via a filament that is heated until it glows, producing the light within the bulb. Incandescent bulbs typically last around 1,000 hours, though energy-efficient options can last longer.

Halogen bulbs are similar to incandescent lights in that they contain a filament that is heated to the point of glowing to give off their light source. But halogen bulbs are more energy-efficient than incandescents and use less wattage. As a result, halogens typically last around 2,000-3,000 hours, which is why most automobile headlights have halogen bulbs.

Fluorescent bulbs are common in most office buildings because they use far less energy than incandescent bulbs and can cover a larger area. A fluorescent light uses about 1/3 the energy an incandescent bulb uses to cover the same amount of space. Fluorescents also last much longer—usually more than 10,000 hours. Fluorescents work via mercury vapor that emits UV light. The long, tube-shaped bulbs are coated inside so that the UV rays within emit visible light.

CFL & LED bulbs are the most energy-efficient options available. These light bulbs have a lower wattage than incandescent options, and they emit the same amount of light. Here’s how they work:

• CFL bulbs have an electric current that flows between electrodes at each end of a gas-filled tube. This produces UV light and heat that is turned into visible light when met with the phosphor coating inside the bulb.

• LED bulbs use an electric current that passes through a semiconductor material to light up LEDs (light emitting diodes), hence the name. The heat that is produced gets absorbed, which means this type of bulb is cool to the touch despite the bright light it emits.