When choosing new office furniture for the workplace, many business owners walk into a showroom and tell the sales representative that they want something ‘modern’. What actually constitutes as being modern, however? Is it a desk that looks like it came straight out of a sci-fi flick, or a chair that really doesn’t look too comfortable to sit on? Use these tips to help you spot modern furniture.

• Do an online search for images of modern furniture. Whilst some really outlandish and awkward looking pieces will undoubtedly show up, so will pictures of pieces that are much more suited to your office:
• Take note of the different materials used in these sorts of pieces. It’s likely that glass, plastic and metal will be popular choices, but timber can be modern, too.
• Take note of the different shapes used for modern office furniture. The straight lines and square angles of more traditional pieces are often replaced with curves and rounded edges.
• Take note of the different colours used for modern furniture. Light and subtle palettes tend to be more popular than the rich dark colouring of more traditional pieces.
• Take note of the little tricks that are incorporated into the design of the pieces, such as hidden drawers in desks and chairs that look solid but can actually be wheeled around.

The next time you are buying office furniture for your workplace, don’t immediately discount pieces done in the modern style because you think that they’ll stick out like a sore thumb. The aim of modern furniture is to actually strike the perfect balance between form and function, and tends to favour clean lines and minimalism over anything else.