Video: 11 minutes

A GSA pilot program in three federal offices around Washington, D.C., demonstrated how easy it is to transform workspaces with simple, low-cost interior design techniques.

Chief Architect Les Shepherd and Interior Design Program Manager Dianne Juba worked with employees in GSA’s Central Office, the Department of Labor’s Security Office, and the Housing and Urban Development Health Unit to change their workspaces. The pair offered the following tips on workspace transformation: decluttering, letting in the light, repairing and repainting, keeping a consistent design theme, and taking pride in your workspace.

At GSA’s Central Office, for instance, the design team replaced the faded mismatched art on the walls with framed historic building posters which helped enliven the environment. With a $5,000 budget for the Department of Labor’s Security Office, bulk shelving helped create a solid supply room, paintings were added to the walls, and a table was moved to increase its operational value. Room numbers were replaced with neatly covered signs behind $1 photo frames to help Housing and Urban Development Health Unit patients navigate more easily the hallways. All these were small changes that led to even greater results.

Like some popular cable TV programs that show how to redecorate with less money, Shepherd and Juba demonstrated that inefficient work areas can be easily transformed into places where employees can work better, without spending a lot of money.

Learn more about transforming your workspace>>

Download above video: mp3 (2.06MB)

Index of GSA Videos >