Bold New Choices In Freestanding Office Furniture

By Author: John Tang
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Today the term freestanding office furniture has evolved from what else is there? to become one of the many choices available for office facility planners and interior designers. This contrasts to the time when the office landscape consisted only of freestanding desks, tables, files and other accouterments whose design and style, if any, depended primarily on the status of the office occupant.

"Business-themed movies of the 1950s sometimes depict large open offices with names such s ‘steno pools' furnished with row upon row of identical desks, says Mark Bassil, co-founder and vice president of MAiSPACE, a Mt. Olive, NJ, based manufacturer of modular office furniture systems. These early open office furnishings have been replaced by today's highly styled systems furniture providing employees with attractive workspaces offering options in privacy or collaboration corresponding to the particular tasks being performed."

Although there are exceptions, systems furniture designs are based on panel units that enable easy reconfigurations in size, height and layout. Attached to the panel units, which can carry ...
... concealed voice, data and power cabling, are worksurfaces, shelving and storage systems.

Freestanding Furniture Solutions

The popularity of systems furniture does not mean it is the only solution to office floor plans, Bassil comments. Freestanding furniture - including desks, storage files and credenzas - must be included in the overall design concept. Applications include initial placements or upgrades in private offices that otherwise might be unsuitable to systems furniture, or in providing offices for midline executives.

MAiSPACE has addressed this market through a new line of freestanding office furniture to complement its popular systems furniture for open offices, full-wall offices, conference rooms and reception areas. "While our attention to style and quality would do justice to the corner office, we are offering this line at price points averaging 40% below designs of comparable quality offered by our competitors, Bassil says. "Offered in designs combining brushed steel with Coverseal finishes in woodgrains and a variety of colors, the line includes desks with unhanded returns, bridges, corners, modesty panels, hutches and credenzas. Seating, tables and movable files are included in the MAiSPACE freestanding line."

Corner office style at midline executive prices is possible because MAiSPACE applies the same advanced manufacturing processes to its freestanding furniture that it does for its systems furniture. "Our Coverseal surfaces provide an excellent example of this," Bassil says. Citing woodgrains as an illustration he points out that these surfaces are extremely durable and fade resistant, yet have the look of expensive solids and veneers found in the most costly furniture offerings. Options include cherry, maple, walnut and mahogany, and application includes any design component that lends itself to a woodgrain finish." Brushed steel trim, modesty panels, table pedestals, hutch doors and other accent components provide an elegant contrast and eye appeal.

Creating an Elegant Workspace with Freestanding Furniture

Coverseal patterns and colors carry through to panel systems, trim and doors, enabling facility managers and office designers to create elegant workspaces around the freestanding furniture concept.

Private or semi-private offices can be created from open spaces by using MAiSPACE stackable panels and movable walls, Bassil says. Imaginations run free through choices of enclosures ranging from 48 inches to ceiling height. Panel elements can be painted steel, Coverseal, fabric, or clear, frosted or patterned glass using dividers in complimentary or matching colors. Space saving sliding glass door options offer privacy to occupants without making them feel isolated.

MAiSPACE support services are available to help facility managers plan and populate their floor plans using a combination of systems and freestanding furniture. Changes are expensive, and to minimize that we support customers with AutoCAD and GIZA design software to ensure that furniture and floor plans are virtually fault free, Bassil says. Installations are supervised by MAiSPACE personnel or those of our authorized dealers and distributors. These services combine to help ensure a pain-free installation ready for move in within 6 weeks of placing an order.

Other elements of the MAiSPACE value proposition include a lifetime warranty and guarantee against obsolescence.
Bold New Choices in Freestanding Office Furniture. MAiSPACE.com will help business owners and operators make smart choices in Office Cubicle Systems and Office Furniture for their offices and selecting the right systems furniture.