It would be great if you could completely upend your office furniture décor every few years and replace it with the trendiest all-new design sets. Ideally all of your furniture would match and incorporate the latest Madison Avenue styles.

But budgets get in the way of that dream, and even if you had all the money in the world, logistics prevent you from interfering so dramatically with the team’s productivity and existing workflow.

The reality of the modern workplace requires you to occasionally mix and match office furniture. That doesn’tmean you have to end up with clashing colors and mismatched styles.

Use these tips to fuse old and new with class and style!

Match Vs. Clash

Matchy-matchy is so ‘80s! Before you start shopping, get the antiquated idea out of your head that everything must match perfectly. As long as it doesn’t clash, it doesn’t need to match. Much like plaids and florals co-exist on the fashion runway, so can your existing pieces and new additions. Try these combinations:

• Pair leather with chrome for a sophisticated vibe.
• Choose plaids and stripes in the same color family.
• You can never go wrong with black. It matches everything and is always of-the-moment!

What new furniture do you need?

Decide what office essentials you need. You may have already heard your team asking a thousand times “when are we getting a new conference table?” Feedback from staff, along with surveying the entire office, can help you choose key pieces to invest in.

**Bonus** Check out these tips on how to prepare for office furniture shopping before you step foot in the store!

What furniture is functional and in good shape?

Determine what furniture is useful and in decent shape. These are the pieces you can build around! Your oak desks may be in solid condition but the chairs are outdated and uncomfortable. Don’t drive yourself crazy trying to find an exact match. Mesh, leather or fabric adjustable chairs are very versatile.

What office items are obsolete, beat up or just plain ugly?

That yard-sale table in the kitchen needs to go, along with furniture with noticeable dents or pieces that glaringly mess with your office vibe. The mega sized filing cabinet shoved in a corner and filled with a hodge podge of stuff no one knows what to do with? Adios! If something isn’t serving a purpose or it’s a major eye sore, you need to get rid of it.

Replacements, Add-Ins and More!

Try these ideas, whether you’re replacing an item or adding new pieces to an existing ensemble:

• Replace a large kitchen table in the break room with a few café tables and chairs.
• Don’t be afraid to mix new and existing couches and comfy chairs in different textures or tones. A coffee or sofa table in a rich stain pairs nicely with a dark leather couch.
• An old-school plaid chair can share a space with lounger chairs and sitting stools. Mix in  high back chairs to offer your team a choice of seating that suits their individual needs.
• Ergonomic desk chairs make a huge impact on health, comfort and productivity! Try different styles and materials all in black for a cohesive look.
• Choose stackable chairs in fun colors to scatter around any room in the office when additional seating is needed.

**MINI MAKEOVER TIPS**

• If your new furniture works with everything except the wall colors, a new paint job pulls it all together! Likewise, if the carpet needs replaced, now’s the time to install a color that blends with old and new pieces.
• Different décor in separate spaces is fine as long as the look isn’t jarring. To combat this, choose a common thread for the conference room, kitchen, and common area to create unity. For example, include flowers in every room or choose one coordinating color as an accent.
• Simply moving photos, paintings and other office décor to another wall or room instantly gives the space a new look!

You can thoughtfully add new coordinating pieces to your work space while you purge the office of furniture items past their prime and keep pieces that serve a purpose—without starting from scratch or breaking your budget! The experts at Nolt’s office Furniture are skilled at helping you choose new pieces that complement existing furniture. Stop by our showroom today for a free consult!