Fancy Office Furniture

I love my job because, it enables me to contribute to something bigger than myself.

I work as an office furniture installation manager, which means, various customers will hire my crew and I to put together desks, file cabinets and many other varieties of office equipment. I have had the pleasure of installing some beautiful natural wood pieces, and some high-tech file cabinets called, "High density storage" units.

Now, I know what you’re thinking, "why is this important?" and "how does this make an impact on the world?" well, I have had the opportunity to furnish many different types of offices, from law offices to cyber security companies, each with the plan of creating an environment that will facilitate either a hard, professional setting, or a fast-paced open atmosphere that cultivates creativity in its inhabitants.

It’s amazing to witness the change in the customers, as they watch as we transform an empty boring building into a living, breathing, workspace. watching as their eyes light up when we complete a long run of cubicles, lined up in straight rows. or when we set the last file cabinet in place in someone's corner office with the cityscape arrayed beyond the windows. Or when we put the last touches on a space saving storage cabinet, and the customers get to start filling it with all the paperwork, or boxes that have been thus far sitting on the cold floor.

Amidst the joys of creation and completion of these spaces, our goal is not for the layout or the furniture to be hailed as a priceless set piece, rather, counterintuitively, our aim, is for the desks, and walls, to be forgotten. they are the background, setting a scene for the customers to work in. At law offices, the colors must portray a stoic confidence, with rigid straight lines, and dark semi-toned colors. The desks are squared, with deep beveled edges and dark mahogany finishes designed to show their clients that they can trust the lawyers there.

then you have web design companies who never have clients meet in person, whose whole layout is one of function. With cubicles laid out to maximize the available space, and supervisors’ stations with raised walls to allow for a measure of privacy. While maintain an open atmosphere, where each cubicle has low walls such that the workers can see their co-workers across from them or next to them, fostering idea exchange and openness. And then, small areas like lounges with distractions are furnished to provide a much-needed respite from the confinement within the cubicle space, with large couches, and tables, allowing for the workers to take much needed breaths away from the depths of the cubicle sea. With whole floors dedicated to employee recreation, food and drinks provided freely to the people, and entertainment systems and arcades for moral boosts. All amidst bright yet slightly faded colors, that are easy on the eyes. Serving to bring an enriched atmosphere to the employees.

I understand this is an odd vocation to be excited about, and one that many people probably never really think about beyond their own private home office, but then, they wouldn't hire me to furnish their house office. Its also an obscure job, that I’m sure many people didn’t even know existed. But the look on the customers faces when they can move in, and the excitement in their eyes when they begin to brainstorm what things they can do with their time, now that they don’t need to worry about what they are sitting on, or what desk they are behind. If I have done my job right, I will never hear from the customer ever again. In a small way it’s sad, but in an even greater way, I know that what I have created and built, will be used by wonderful and creative people who could affect change to the world in ways that I can only imagine. From the lawyers who help big companies merge and grow, to the government buildings where official’s carryout the day-to-day of city or state infrastructure management. From Judges chambers to sheriff’s stations, and architecture firms, to military installations, all made to be used and forgotten.

I love my job because, it allows me to contribute to something bigger than myself.