Design Dynamics: Key Learnings from NORNORM's Design Projects
Client showcase
#
Design
Sweden
As we reflect back on some of our greatest projects, Emma delves into her experience of working with two distinct clients. It's a story of challenges, innovation, and the seamless blending of client identity into spatial design.
Design Dynamics: Key Learnings from NORNORM's Design Projects
SCALE UP YOUR BUSINESS, DOWNSIZE, PIVOT
Regardless of why you're moving, a new office offers the opportunity to create a work environment that fosters creativity, well-being, and productivity. One that better reflects your company’s core values and strengthens your brand. But to set your business up for success—both today and in five years—you need to make the right choices.
The moving process itself requires careful planning and can feel overwhelming. But don’t worry. Like any process, it can be broken down into a series of simple steps. We’ve put together a 10-step checklist to help make your move both easier and more enjoyable.
See the move as an opportunity – not just a necessity!
Technology advancements, market changes, and future business plans—since you’re considering a move, you already know that your company’s needs are evolving. It’s important to think about what functions your new office should accommodate: open workspaces, quiet rooms, meeting rooms, kitchens, and social areas. But also, think long-term.
Can the space be easily reconfigured?
Will a meeting room today need to become an open workspace in a few years?
Location is another crucial factor—along with budget. The office’s area can impact both your brand image and attractiveness as an employer. A well-connected location with good transport links is always a plus.
2. FIND THE RIGHT OFFICE SPACE: USE BOT LOGIC AND EMOTION
Your new office should satisfy both the head and the heart. Practical factors like size, budget, and lease terms are essential—but it should also feel like a place where your team can thrive.
To navigate the market, you can work with a real estate agent who represents property owners. However, searching on your own often gives you better control over available options. Use websites like objektvision.se and lokalguiden.se, or visit property companies’ websites directly. There are also platforms that specialize in flexible office and co-working solutions.
3. REVIEW YOUR CURRENT CONTRACTS
Before booking viewings, review your existing agreements.
How long are you committed to your current lease?
What services (e.g. alars, internet, printers, coffee machines) are tied to the office?
It’s also important to set a realistic timeline for your move—establishing clear deadlines for when you need to be in the new space.
4. MASTER THE OFFICE VIEWINGS
Ask lots of questions! When evaluating an office, it’s not just about square meters, but also how efficiently the space can be used.
Are there wasted areas, like long hallways? Is the layout flexible for future needs?
Take as much documentation as possible. In addition to floor plans, photos and videos can help when discussing options with colleagues.
5. SECURE THE INFRASTRUCTURE
At this stage, you should have signed a contract and can start detailed planning.
Check what’s included in the rent. Discuss with the landlord how electrical outlets, networks, and security systems should be positioned.
6. SIMPLIFY THE FURNISHING DECISIONS
Now it’s time to think about furniture—this should be a fun part of the process! Instead of buying expensive furniture that may not suit future needs, consider a subscription model.
With NORNORM’s furniture subscription, for about the price of a cup of coffee per day per employee, you get fully furnished, flexible workspaces.
Need to convert a meeting room into workstations? No problem. No need for certain furniture anymore? They get restored and reused elsewhere.
NORNORM furnishes your dream office in just six weeks—from design to installation.
✔️ Send a floor plan → Receive a 3D design proposal within 48 hours. ✔️ No large investments. No hassle. No dealing with multiple suppliers.
7. CUSTOMIZE YOUR OFFICE TO REFLECT YOUR BRAND
Your office is a showcase for your brand. To create an environment that truly represents your company, think beyond expensive furniture.
✔️ Wall colors, lighting, signage, textiles, and decorations can make a huge difference. ✔️ Plants not only enhance aesthetics but also reduce stress and boost productivity.
As they say: "The devil is in the details."
8. BOOK MOVERS, ENAGE EMPLOYEES AND INFORM STAKEHOLDERS
Next, hire a moving company. Check references and compare quotes. Decide if you’ll pack yourselves or let the movers handle it. Also, consider:
Do you need moving boxes? Should employees work from home during the transition?
Communicate with your team! A move affects everyone. Make sure they understand why you’re moving and get them excited about the new space.
✔️ Organize office tours before moving to help employees feel involved. ✔️ Inform customers and service providers about your new address.
9. MOVE IN!
Congratulations! You’ve reached the finish line. Take a deep breath and enjoy the moment.
(And remember—it’s always more fun to unpack than to pack!)
If you've chosen a flexible office furniture solution, you can be even more relaxed, knowing your setup can evolve as your needs change.
10. CELEBRATE! (AND ADJUST IF NEEDED)
Now for the best part—celebrate! Host a proper office-warming party and showcase your new space to employees, clients, and partners.
(And if you’ve subscribed to NORNORM, you’ll never be stuck with a fixed office design—you can continuously adapt your workspace at no extra cost.)
Design Dynamics: Key Learnings from NORNORM's Design Projects
Meet Emma Bornholm, a Spatial Design Expert at NORNORM, where creativity meets functionality in the world of office design. In 2023, our design team, led by talents like Emma, celebrated the remarkable milestone of completing over 2,200 office designs and flexible workspace changes. As we reflect back on some of our greatest projects, Emma delves into her experience of working with two distinct clients. It's a story of challenges, innovation, and the seamless blending of client identity into spatial design.
Project Overview
Nova Consulting Group
Embarking on a project with Nova Consulting Group, we encountered the exciting challenge of a new build. Initially armed with only pre-furnished floor plans, the task was to envision a space that was yet to take its final form. Emma's strategy? To present the space in the three NORNORM style expressions: Nordic Dark, Nordic Light, and Nordic Black & White. The turning point came with the architect's lookbook, allowing for a dynamic division of styles across different workspace zones. This collaboration not only enriched the design process but also allowed for different style expression placements to beautifully complement Nova’s branding, especially in the entrance and social areas.
Holland & Barrett's project brought a different flavour. Our design team significantly reduced the workload of their own team and architect, enabling them to focus on infusing the brand's identity into the office space with more legacy items and artwork. Emma's takeaway? The paramount importance of having comprehensive background information. Knowing about intended space uses, like a multifunctional meeting room, or aesthetic elements like a plant wall, can dramatically enhance the design fit. It was a learning curve, highlighting the need for constant client engagement throughout the design process.
NORNORM excels in crafting versatile office spaces that effortlessly adapt to unique brand identities. Emma's key advice:
Start Neutral: Utilise NORNORM’s classic designs as a canvas for your brand.
Personalise with Accessories: Integrate brand colours and themes through curtains, rugs, lamps, or cushions. One of the simplest ways is to paint your walls with signature brand colours.
Be Bold with Branding: Don’t shy away from distinct elements like plant walls or custom furniture to showcase your brand’s ethos, as exemplified by Holland & Barrett.
Reflecting on Learnings and Looking Ahead:
Our experiences with Nova Consulting Group and Holland & Barrett have crystallised three pivotal lessons:
Detailed Briefs are Crucial: Comprehensive information from the outset ensures designs that are both beautiful and functional.
Early and Continuous Engagement: Collaborate with us from the start to fully realise your vision.
Continuously Evolve: However well things go, challenges do arise, as seen with Nova Consulting Group, particularly around specific functional requirements of their meeting room tables. This experience has been a catalyst for NORNORM, driving us to really look into the gaps in our product range to cater to unique needs - now we will be able to offer that in the future.
Emma's journey with Nova Consulting Group and Holland & Barrett is a testament to NORNORM’s dedication to excellence in office design. Her experiences underscore our commitment to innovative, client-focused solutions, adapting to the ever-changing landscape of office aesthetics and functionality.
How could NORNORM’s principles of adaptable design, detailed planning, and client collaboration transform your office environment? Whether it's finding the perfect balance of functionality and style, or infusing your brand's unique ethos into every corner, our team is ready to embark on this creative journey with you.
Nanna Gelebo (BCG) on Bridging Linear and Circular Business Models
Nanna Gelebo has been a Partner at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in Stockholm for 12 years, with a strong track record of driving transformative change in the retail sector on everything from strategy to implementation.
Key Insights
Nanna discusses the concept of 'cross-fertilisation' between linear and circular business models. She highlights the importance of transforming transactional customer relationships into relational ones through circular efforts, emphasising that rental and second-hand products can serve as gateways for consumers into more sustainable consumption patterns. This approach not only benefits the environment but also opens new avenues for business growth.
Takeaway
Linear business models do not have to stay linear. You can start to become more circular by gradually integrating a circular business model into your current linear one, through e.g. rental and second-hand products, building a circular set-up that suits your business specifically.
Marcus Linder (RISE) on Evaluating and Ensuring Circular Claims
Marcus Linder is the Director of Business Design at the Research Institute of Sweden (RISE). He holds a PhD in Technology Management and Economics from Chalmers University of Technology, specified in environmental research, with his research having been applied industrially in procurements by industry giants such as Volvo.
Key Insights
Marcus brings attention to the critical aspect of a product's end-of-life plan. He emphasises that being 'potentially circular' is insufficient without a concrete and, preferably legally binding, plan for product lifecycle management. This perspective is crucial for customers evaluating circular claims, pushing companies to not just promise sustainability but to embed it into their actual business practices.
Takeaway
To remain credible towards industry peers and customers, the best practice is to have a clear, communicable, and incentivised plan for your circular business model that customers can trust and rely on. It is important that customers should be able to evaluate and ensure your claim of circularity and end-of-life product plans.
Vojtech Vosecky on Being Authentic when Marketing your Circular Efforts
Vojtech Vosecky is one of the leading circular economy advocates, with experiences ranging from being the co-founder of the successful think-tank Institute of Circular Economy, working for the European Parliament, and the world-leading organisation Circle Economy. In 2022, he was also selected as one of the Top Green Voices to follow in Europe by LinkedIn.
Key Insights
Vojtech stresses the importance of being hyper-authentic in the communication of your circular business principles. For him, it’s about being bold in stating what you stand for, challenging misconceptions, and creating moments of realisation for your audience (think true “aha-moments”). His approach - educate, inspire, and agitate - is a formula that companies can use to effectively market their circular efforts. Vojtech highlights that no matter the format of your marketing, and to avoid the trap of greenwashing, be authentic and stand your ground, whilst always backing up with research. That always wins.
Takeaway
When marketing your circular or sustainable business efforts, especially on LinkedIn, use the three principles of educating, inspiring, and agitating - ideally in one go. Be authentic, use visuals, and create truly educating moments. Use facts whenever you can. However, be careful not to over-do them - and always, always, double check them.
“In the end, what is it about? It's about creating a relationship between the user and this object. I think we all have a strong link to things that are meaningful, that have been charged by accompanying our life.”
Some subtitle
In the end, what is it about? It's about creating a relationship between the user and this object. I think we all have a strong link to things that are meaningful, that have been charged by accompanying our life.
Design Dynamics: Key Learnings from NORNORM's Design Projects
Meet Emma Bornholm, a Spatial Design Expert at NORNORM, where creativity meets functionality in the world of office design. In 2023, our design team, led by talents like Emma, celebrated the remarkable milestone of completing over 2,200 office designs and flexible workspace changes. As we reflect back on some of our greatest projects, Emma delves into her experience of working with two distinct clients. It's a story of challenges, innovation, and the seamless blending of client identity into spatial design.
Project Overview
Nova Consulting Group
Embarking on a project with Nova Consulting Group, we encountered the exciting challenge of a new build. Initially armed with only pre-furnished floor plans, the task was to envision a space that was yet to take its final form. Emma's strategy? To present the space in the three NORNORM style expressions: Nordic Dark, Nordic Light, and Nordic Black & White. The turning point came with the architect's lookbook, allowing for a dynamic division of styles across different workspace zones. This collaboration not only enriched the design process but also allowed for different style expression placements to beautifully complement Nova’s branding, especially in the entrance and social areas.
Holland & Barrett's project brought a different flavour. Our design team significantly reduced the workload of their own team and architect, enabling them to focus on infusing the brand's identity into the office space with more legacy items and artwork. Emma's takeaway? The paramount importance of having comprehensive background information. Knowing about intended space uses, like a multifunctional meeting room, or aesthetic elements like a plant wall, can dramatically enhance the design fit. It was a learning curve, highlighting the need for constant client engagement throughout the design process.
NORNORM excels in crafting versatile office spaces that effortlessly adapt to unique brand identities. Emma's key advice:
Start Neutral: Utilise NORNORM’s classic designs as a canvas for your brand.
Personalise with Accessories: Integrate brand colours and themes through curtains, rugs, lamps, or cushions. One of the simplest ways is to paint your walls with signature brand colours.
Be Bold with Branding: Don’t shy away from distinct elements like plant walls or custom furniture to showcase your brand’s ethos, as exemplified by Holland & Barrett.
Reflecting on Learnings and Looking Ahead:
Our experiences with Nova Consulting Group and Holland & Barrett have crystallised three pivotal lessons:
Detailed Briefs are Crucial: Comprehensive information from the outset ensures designs that are both beautiful and functional.
Early and Continuous Engagement: Collaborate with us from the start to fully realise your vision.
Continuously Evolve: However well things go, challenges do arise, as seen with Nova Consulting Group, particularly around specific functional requirements of their meeting room tables. This experience has been a catalyst for NORNORM, driving us to really look into the gaps in our product range to cater to unique needs - now we will be able to offer that in the future.
Emma's journey with Nova Consulting Group and Holland & Barrett is a testament to NORNORM’s dedication to excellence in office design. Her experiences underscore our commitment to innovative, client-focused solutions, adapting to the ever-changing landscape of office aesthetics and functionality.
How could NORNORM’s principles of adaptable design, detailed planning, and client collaboration transform your office environment? Whether it's finding the perfect balance of functionality and style, or infusing your brand's unique ethos into every corner, our team is ready to embark on this creative journey with you.
Design Dynamics: Key Learnings from NORNORM's Design Projects
Meet Emma Bornholm, a Spatial Design Expert at NORNORM, where creativity meets functionality in the world of office design. In 2023, our design team, led by talents like Emma, celebrated the remarkable milestone of completing over 2,200 office designs and flexible workspace changes. As we reflect back on some of our greatest projects, Emma delves into her experience of working with two distinct clients. It's a story of challenges, innovation, and the seamless blending of client identity into spatial design.
Project Overview
Nova Consulting Group
Embarking on a project with Nova Consulting Group, we encountered the exciting challenge of a new build. Initially armed with only pre-furnished floor plans, the task was to envision a space that was yet to take its final form. Emma's strategy? To present the space in the three NORNORM style expressions: Nordic Dark, Nordic Light, and Nordic Black & White. The turning point came with the architect's lookbook, allowing for a dynamic division of styles across different workspace zones. This collaboration not only enriched the design process but also allowed for different style expression placements to beautifully complement Nova’s branding, especially in the entrance and social areas.
Holland & Barrett's project brought a different flavour. Our design team significantly reduced the workload of their own team and architect, enabling them to focus on infusing the brand's identity into the office space with more legacy items and artwork. Emma's takeaway? The paramount importance of having comprehensive background information. Knowing about intended space uses, like a multifunctional meeting room, or aesthetic elements like a plant wall, can dramatically enhance the design fit. It was a learning curve, highlighting the need for constant client engagement throughout the design process.
NORNORM excels in crafting versatile office spaces that effortlessly adapt to unique brand identities. Emma's key advice:
Start Neutral: Utilise NORNORM’s classic designs as a canvas for your brand.
Personalise with Accessories: Integrate brand colours and themes through curtains, rugs, lamps, or cushions. One of the simplest ways is to paint your walls with signature brand colours.
Be Bold with Branding: Don’t shy away from distinct elements like plant walls or custom furniture to showcase your brand’s ethos, as exemplified by Holland & Barrett.
Reflecting on Learnings and Looking Ahead:
Our experiences with Nova Consulting Group and Holland & Barrett have crystallised three pivotal lessons:
Detailed Briefs are Crucial: Comprehensive information from the outset ensures designs that are both beautiful and functional.
Early and Continuous Engagement: Collaborate with us from the start to fully realise your vision.
Continuously Evolve: However well things go, challenges do arise, as seen with Nova Consulting Group, particularly around specific functional requirements of their meeting room tables. This experience has been a catalyst for NORNORM, driving us to really look into the gaps in our product range to cater to unique needs - now we will be able to offer that in the future.
Emma's journey with Nova Consulting Group and Holland & Barrett is a testament to NORNORM’s dedication to excellence in office design. Her experiences underscore our commitment to innovative, client-focused solutions, adapting to the ever-changing landscape of office aesthetics and functionality.
How could NORNORM’s principles of adaptable design, detailed planning, and client collaboration transform your office environment? Whether it's finding the perfect balance of functionality and style, or infusing your brand's unique ethos into every corner, our team is ready to embark on this creative journey with you.
Design Dynamics: Key Learnings from NORNORM's Design Projects
Meet Emma Bornholm, a Spatial Design Expert at NORNORM, where creativity meets functionality in the world of office design. In 2023, our design team, led by talents like Emma, celebrated the remarkable milestone of completing over 2,200 office designs and flexible workspace changes. As we reflect back on some of our greatest projects, Emma delves into her experience of working with two distinct clients. It's a story of challenges, innovation, and the seamless blending of client identity into spatial design.
Project Overview
Nova Consulting Group
Embarking on a project with Nova Consulting Group, we encountered the exciting challenge of a new build. Initially armed with only pre-furnished floor plans, the task was to envision a space that was yet to take its final form. Emma's strategy? To present the space in the three NORNORM style expressions: Nordic Dark, Nordic Light, and Nordic Black & White. The turning point came with the architect's lookbook, allowing for a dynamic division of styles across different workspace zones. This collaboration not only enriched the design process but also allowed for different style expression placements to beautifully complement Nova’s branding, especially in the entrance and social areas.
Holland & Barrett's project brought a different flavour. Our design team significantly reduced the workload of their own team and architect, enabling them to focus on infusing the brand's identity into the office space with more legacy items and artwork. Emma's takeaway? The paramount importance of having comprehensive background information. Knowing about intended space uses, like a multifunctional meeting room, or aesthetic elements like a plant wall, can dramatically enhance the design fit. It was a learning curve, highlighting the need for constant client engagement throughout the design process.
NORNORM excels in crafting versatile office spaces that effortlessly adapt to unique brand identities. Emma's key advice:
Start Neutral: Utilise NORNORM’s classic designs as a canvas for your brand.
Personalise with Accessories: Integrate brand colours and themes through curtains, rugs, lamps, or cushions. One of the simplest ways is to paint your walls with signature brand colours.
Be Bold with Branding: Don’t shy away from distinct elements like plant walls or custom furniture to showcase your brand’s ethos, as exemplified by Holland & Barrett.
Reflecting on Learnings and Looking Ahead:
Our experiences with Nova Consulting Group and Holland & Barrett have crystallised three pivotal lessons:
Detailed Briefs are Crucial: Comprehensive information from the outset ensures designs that are both beautiful and functional.
Early and Continuous Engagement: Collaborate with us from the start to fully realise your vision.
Continuously Evolve: However well things go, challenges do arise, as seen with Nova Consulting Group, particularly around specific functional requirements of their meeting room tables. This experience has been a catalyst for NORNORM, driving us to really look into the gaps in our product range to cater to unique needs - now we will be able to offer that in the future.
Emma's journey with Nova Consulting Group and Holland & Barrett is a testament to NORNORM’s dedication to excellence in office design. Her experiences underscore our commitment to innovative, client-focused solutions, adapting to the ever-changing landscape of office aesthetics and functionality.
How could NORNORM’s principles of adaptable design, detailed planning, and client collaboration transform your office environment? Whether it's finding the perfect balance of functionality and style, or infusing your brand's unique ethos into every corner, our team is ready to embark on this creative journey with you.
%20(1).avif)
.avif)
.avif)
.avif)
