Workspace Design Tips and 36 Inspiring Examples | The Portfolio of Unique Creative | 4 Website Template Resources For Businesses

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• Workspace Design Tips and 36 Inspiring Examples
• 4 Website Template Resources For Businesses
• Identity & Branding: Sabienzia
• The Portfolio of Emine
• The Portfolio of Unique Creative

Workspace Design Tips and 36 Inspiring Examples Posted: 04 Jul 2011 04:40 AM PDT Workspaces are the incubators where creativity and inspiration are translated into productivity. I came to this conclusion (cited above) after renovating my home-office and noticing how my productivity skyrocketed to a level I never knew existed. It was only after I got myself a more comfortable chair, a bigger desk and a nice desktop lamp that I started to understand how I willingly undermined my workflow with my previous setup. Designers, developers, writers, and anyone who spends a considerable amount of time in front of their computers should pay attention to effective workspace design. For some, effective could mean a really comfortable chair and a minimalistic setup, for others, whose jobs may be more creative-driven, a heavily personalized scene is required to max out their potential. In this article we're bringing you a huge collection of some of the most inspiring, productive, and impressive workspace designs we've ever seen. But not only that, in between the pictures we've scattered some workspace design tips that will help you become better inspired and more productive. Enjoy! Workspace #1   1. Keep Your Desk Clean & Tidy A cluttered desk is the deadliest of all sins in workspace organization and a great way to clog up your inspiration. Get rid of unnecessary items so you can focus more on the task at hand. Getting distracting objects out of your eye-sight and placing the monitor as your primary attention target will help you procrastinate less and do more.     Workspace #2 Workspace #3 Workspace #4 Workspace #5   2. Room Lightning This is perhaps the most prominent aspect in all of the wonderful workspaces featured in this article. If you've been blessed with a room that gets enough sunlight, proper design will help you take advantage of it without the glaring effects. If you're working from your basement though, a nicely designed desktop lamp is necessary to reduce eye-strain. Editor's Tip: Florescent will kill your creativity!     Workspace #6 Workspace #7   3. Choose a Decent Chair & Adjust it (Mind Your Posture) The chair you're sitting on is the most used item in your workspace, even more than your computer! You can (and probably should) go frugal with any other item in your workspace, but spending a few extra bucks on a comfortable, durable chair will be your best long term investment. Be kind to your back. Editor's Tip: Adjust your chair so you're not constantly slouching with your shoulders forward.   Workspace #8 Workspace #9 Workspace #10   4. Mouse-Pad & Ergonomic Keyboard: Don't Hurt Your Wrists! People who spend long hours working in front of their computers may develop CTS: "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome", which comes with a long list of painful symptoms and is caused by pressure overload on your median nerve (the nerve passing between your wrist and hand). Make sure you're using an ergonomic keyboard, and that you have a mouse-pad with wrist-support. Your wrists should always be straight (never bent!) while typing/using your mouse.     Workspace #11 Workspace #12 Workspace #13   5. Keep Necessary Items Within Reach One of our previous tips commands eliminating all unnecessary clutter, but another surefire way to interrupt your thought process and workflow is spending time and effort looking for something to write on or write with. Always have a pen, a notepad, and necessary work-related items within arm-reach.     Workspace #14 Workspace #15 Workspace #16 Workspace #17   6. Go Cordless, or At Least Tangle-less. Take a look at the workspaces in this article, notice any cords in most of them? And no wonder: good luck going back to your design or copywriting project after spending 10 minutes untangling five different cords so you could finally move your mouse cursor. If you can't afford a cordless keyboard or mouse, take care of the cords' visibility and placement.     Workspace #18 Workspace #19 Workspace #20 Workspace #21 Workspace #22 Workspace #23 Workspace #24   7. Your Desktop Matters, too! Your digital desktop, that is. Keep it as icon-free as possible and get yourself an inspiring desktop wallpaper every once in a while. The "less clutter = more productivity" rule applies here as well. Editor's Tip: Minimalism can be great, just make sure you don't remove day-to-day essentials     Workspace #25 Workspace #26 Workspace #27   8. Your Workspace is Yours, Make it Your Own Your workspace should feel comfortable and look attractive to you; after all, you'll spend much of your time here. Well-adjusted room temperature, humidity and fresh air flow are a good start. From there, it's up to you to create the ideal working conditions that make you comfortable: what kind of lightning do you prefer, dimmed or strong? What color should it be? Should the wall behind your screen be bright or dark? Clean or filled with artwork and photographs of your loved ones?     Workspace #28 Workspace #29 Workspace #30 Workspace #31 Workspace #32 Workspace #33 Workspace #34   9. Music & Noise We've included music and noise together because sometimes music can become a distraction. If, however, there's a specific genre that helps you stay focused, build a long enough playlist so you don't have to deal with it while working. Eliminate other noise disturbances and maintain a peaceful working environment.     Workspace #35 Workspace #36

4 Website Template Resources For Businesses Posted: 04 Jul 2011 04:35 AM PDT The Internet has been a necessary tool for businesses to remain competitive for years now but not everyone is a web developer. You need to think about your web image and an online marketing agency is useful but first you need to get started. The first step is getting online and you need a site. If you're not much of a designer there are many web sites that offer templates so you don't have to pay someone tons of money to get up and running. Now some say that you shouldn't do this because template sites have their limitations but if you're just blogging or can't afford the cost or time that it takes to get up and going then here are a list of a few sites that offer quality templates as a viable option.   1. Marketing Agencies: There are many costs of doing business and tools that one needs to employ. Seeking the advice of an online marketing agency will give you a rounded approach but you have to get there first. OSSkins.com is a site that has templates for open-source platforms like WordPress or Joomla. This means that you can update them as your site evolves. It's designed to meet most needs and at an affordable price. You can get more complex templates but for those who can't afford it, there's a free section that's also quite nice. 2. Cost Affordable Templates: This is a more costly option but, in this case, at Rockettheme.com you get what you pay for. You are required to get a subscription but their services go beyond simple templates. They offer comprehensive packages to their customers that's a worry free and user-friendly option for companies or individuals that aren't as savvy as a developer. These templates are built to meet most any need and the instillation is very simple. But of course you'll have tutorials and help on how to navigate your site and the various features that are provided as a part of the service. 3. High End Templates: Themelayout.com is a good website with an interface that's very user-friendly. You pay, on average, around six to 1200 dollars. It all depends on your level of need and what you're looking to accomplish with your site. The results are fantastic and will look professional but it is quite expensive. They do have cheaper options but if you chooser this then the content is no longer exclusive. It's up to you how much you want to spend. It never hurts to go above and beyond. Remember to never cut corners! Sure you are saving money, but in the end you look unprofessional. 4. Free Templates: The aptly titled, freewebsitetemplates.com, is a good resource for those who don't require a whole lot. This option isn't original but what it lacks in uniqueness, it makes up for in user-friendly and ease of access. Each option is predesigned and all you have to do is add your personal content. After that, you're ready to hit the ground running. All the templates are coded in CSS so you don't need to place any link on your site when using the templates. Users have a high level of freedom and you can customize the template any way you like and it's absolutely free of charge. Depending on what you're using it for, if it's just personal, this is the best option. There are free alternatives on the Internet for anyone who wants a site. Hosting, advertising, and content creation is expensive and cutting corners is desirable in the face of so many costs but sometimes it's worth it to pay more for a better product. Some people feel that you should bypass using templates altogether and stick with custom sites so you know that your content doesn't run the risk of being repeated somewhere else. Still, millions of companies use these and offer quality results. You want to stand out from the group but, ultimately, which option you choose is up to you.

Identity & Branding: Sabienzia Posted: 04 Jul 2011 04:20 AM PDT Sabienzia is a dynamic and international enterprise that combines a team with more than 20 years of expertise in the area of teleworking, unified communication and virtualization. And they needed a logo that represents them in an appropiate way. (This project was published by Rene Bieder)

The Portfolio of Emine Posted: 04 Jul 2011 04:17 AM PDT In 'The Portfolio of…' I give you, the photographer/ designer, a chance to share your work with the world. Today it's time to show you the work of Emine.

The Portfolio of Unique Creative Posted: 04 Jul 2011 04:12 AM PDT In 'The Portfolio of…' I give you, the photographer/ designer, a chance to share your work with the world. Today it's time to show you the work of Unique Creative.