Office secrets desk idea - a new concept in personal storage

The new 'Office Secrets' range is an entirely new concept in personal storage. Using familiar sliding top technology to provide hidden drawers allows the possibility of 'losing' the traditional pedestal. Ideal for contemporary interiors where minimalism is the order of the day.

Office Secret desking combines minimalist design with a form to adapt perfectly to managerial and operative environments. The sliding, lockable top reveals a furtive storage compartment with close to hand access of electrical sockets and space to store personal objects under lock and key. Office Secret is an extensive and complete system for todays office. The restrained appearance is optimised by four extruded aluminium legs that are adjustable in height up to 10cm. Access to technology is immediate thanks to the desktop power conduits integrated into the workstations, and a wide range of panels help staff concentration and order shared environments.

Office secrets desk idea - a new concept in personal storage

The new 'Office Secrets' range is an entirely new concept in personal storage. Using familiar sliding top technology to provide hidden drawers allows the possibility of 'losing' the traditional pedestal. Ideal for contemporary interiors where minimalism is the order of the day.

Office Secret desking combines minimalist design with a form to adapt perfectly to managerial and operative environments. The sliding, lockable top reveals a furtive storage compartment with close to hand access of electrical sockets and space to store personal objects under lock and key. Office Secret is an extensive and complete system for todays office. The restrained appearance is optimised by four extruded aluminium legs that are adjustable in height up to 10cm. Access to technology is immediate thanks to the desktop power conduits integrated into the workstations, and a wide range of panels help staff concentration and order shared environments.

New Panda friendly veneer finish for executive furniture

Environmentally friendly Bamboo veneers launched by one of our most popular manufacturers of receptions, boardroom tables, and executive desks make a lot of sense.

We have recently introduced two Bamboo veneer finishes to provide an environmentally attractive alternative to timber veneer. Bamboo is not a tree but a species of fast-growing grass: you can harvest up to a third of the bamboo stems in a plantation without affecting the size of the forest, and regular harvesting actually stimulates growth. Bamboo also generates up to 35% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees, and is the fastest-growing canopy for the regreening of degraded areas.

These factors, allied to its delicate and distinctive appearance, make bamboo an environmentally, and visually attractive choice. Its great durability ensures it is also very practical.

We are offering bamboo as a finish option on all our Sven veneered office furniture, in two shades: Natural and Caramel. The caramel colour is achieved by pressure steaming - no chemicals or colouring are used.

The bamboo used to create our veneers is Moso bamboo, commonly called giant bamboo (or more precisely, ‘Phyllostachys Pubescens'). This grows naturally in vast primeval forests and also in managed plantations. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth. The Moso bamboo species needs 5 years to grow to adult height and to be hard enough to be processed. Within a few months new shoots will have already grown to a height of 12 to 15 metres. Giant bamboo can grow at 30-50cm per day during the growing season, and reach a final height of up to 30 metres, with a stem diameter of up to 35cm or more. A sixty foot tree cut for timber takes 60 years to replace. A sixty foot bamboo cut for market takes 59 days to replace.

In addition to generating much more oxygen than equivalent tree cover, bamboo is also an excellent carbon store. A study by Jules Janssen of the Technical University Eindhoven in the Netherlands, in 2000 states that bamboo, planted in large groves, can store four times the carbon dioxide of a stand of trees of similar size.

Harvesting Moso bamboo does not cause problems for pandas (which eat bamboo shoots). Both the giant and small pandas live in the central mountain ranges of central China. Pandas go to places where the lower species of bamboo are easily accessible. The high Moso bamboo has no leaf growth on the first 5 metres of the stem and is therefore not a source of food for the panda.

Everyone's happy!

New Panda friendly veneer finish for executive furniture

Environmentally friendly Bamboo veneers launched by one of our most popular manufacturers of receptions, boardroom tables, and executive desks make a lot of sense.

We have recently introduced two Bamboo veneer finishes to provide an environmentally attractive alternative to timber veneer. Bamboo is not a tree but a species of fast-growing grass: you can harvest up to a third of the bamboo stems in a plantation without affecting the size of the forest, and regular harvesting actually stimulates growth. Bamboo also generates up to 35% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees, and is the fastest-growing canopy for the regreening of degraded areas.

These factors, allied to its delicate and distinctive appearance, make bamboo an environmentally, and visually attractive choice. Its great durability ensures it is also very practical.

We are offering bamboo as a finish option on all our Sven veneered office furniture, in two shades: Natural and Caramel. The caramel colour is achieved by pressure steaming - no chemicals or colouring are used.

The bamboo used to create our veneers is Moso bamboo, commonly called giant bamboo (or more precisely, ‘Phyllostachys Pubescens'). This grows naturally in vast primeval forests and also in managed plantations. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth. The Moso bamboo species needs 5 years to grow to adult height and to be hard enough to be processed. Within a few months new shoots will have already grown to a height of 12 to 15 metres. Giant bamboo can grow at 30-50cm per day during the growing season, and reach a final height of up to 30 metres, with a stem diameter of up to 35cm or more. A sixty foot tree cut for timber takes 60 years to replace. A sixty foot bamboo cut for market takes 59 days to replace.

In addition to generating much more oxygen than equivalent tree cover, bamboo is also an excellent carbon store. A study by Jules Janssen of the Technical University Eindhoven in the Netherlands, in 2000 states that bamboo, planted in large groves, can store four times the carbon dioxide of a stand of trees of similar size.

Harvesting Moso bamboo does not cause problems for pandas (which eat bamboo shoots). Both the giant and small pandas live in the central mountain ranges of central China. Pandas go to places where the lower species of bamboo are easily accessible. The high Moso bamboo has no leaf growth on the first 5 metres of the stem and is therefore not a source of food for the panda.

Everyone's happy!

Launch of new 'Setu' chair by Herman Miller at Neocon 2009

Designed For Where You Want To Sit. Herman Miller Introduces Setu™ Chairs: The Next Generation of Multipurpose Seating


Herman Miller, the international leader in ergonomic seating design, announces the next generation of multipurpose chair for all the places we work and live now. With Setu chairs, designed by Studio 7.5 of Berlin, Herman Miller applies its award-winning seating expertise to a major chair category that has seen little innovation in years.

"The Setu family of chairs provides new standards of comfort, performance, and value," says Jack Schreur, Herman Miller’s director for seating products. “It’s made from an innovative combination of materials to provide remarkable levels of strength, flexibility and simplicity.

Setu will be introduced at NeoCon 2009 in Chicago, June 15-17. The initial offering will include the Setu 5-star, 4-star, butterfly, butterfly stool, and lounge and ottoman. Future models are planned that will further extend the Setu family’s range of application.

Multipurpose chairs are used where people sit for shorter periods and frequently move, such as conference rooms, touchdown workstations, and collaborative spaces. However, these so-called “temporary spaces” are now less temporary. For many of us, all the places we sit are temporary as we move throughout the day, spending an hour or two at a time in different places.

The problem is existing multipurpose chairs aren’t designed to handle longer-term sitting and more active use. This was recognised by Studio 7.5, who also designed Herman Miller’s award-winning Mirra work chair in 2003. During their global travels in support of that chair’s international launch, they sat in many different multipurpose chairs along the way. The 7.5 team found the one-piece seat and back typical of multipurpose chairs is not very comfortable; instead comfort is compromised for affordability. Coming home, they recognised a need for a new kind of multipurpose chair—one combining work-chair principles of motion and comfort with good looks, and a compelling price.

Herman Miller and Studio 7.5 created Setu to answer those needs, with key inventions that greatly improve on comfort and support: the Kinematic Spine™ and the Lyris™ seat suspension material.

Throughout Setu’s development, Studio 7.5 were guided by their quest for simplicity. “We want everything as simple as possible, but no simpler,” noted the designers, paraphrasing Einstein.Simplicity is especially important in multipurpose seating, where chairs may be used in many places, and many different people may use the same chair during the day.

Setu is elegant and organic, yet is simple and easy to use. To achieve that, it contains embedded design intelligence, with form and function working in harmony.

Setu is Motion: The Kinematic Spine

The first thing you’ll notice once you sit in Setu? Nothing, but instant comfort. There’s nothing to tilt, nothing to tweak, nothing to think about. It’s mathematics in place of mechanisms. From the moment you sit down, you and the chair move as one. It is elegant form and performance working together in harmony.

Setu’s Kinematic Spine is the primary reason. It has tilt-like kinematics in one continuous seat and back, rather than in a separate seat pan, back rest, and tilt. Because of living hinges in the spine, there is no tilt mechanism on the chair, and the only adjustment is seat height.

The spine works together with Setu’s Lyris seating suspension material. This unique suspension has no rigid frame structure on the top and bottom edges of the chair, but is only suspended between the two Kinematic Spines. It conforms to your contours as you move, whilst providing aeration and minimising heat build-up.

Setu is Simple: One adjustment

Because there is only one adjustment (height), Setu is simple to use. This makes it ideal for places where many different people use the same chair. Everyone gets the full ergonomic benefit without adjustment.

Setu is Adaptable: Wide application

Where Setu is, it belongs. The clean, light-scaled aesthetic complements a wide range of environments. It is designed to fit most shapes and sizes. But, equally important, Setu is designed to fit all spaces and places. Adaptable like no other chair in its category, Setu appeals to functional needs as well as design aesthetics.

Because the spine provides the chair’s motion within the seat and back, multiple different bases can be applied for a wide range of future applications. With its light aesthetic, Setu is equally stylish and comfortable in office, home, healthcare, education, and hospitality environments, anywhere in the world.

Launch of new 'Setu' chair by Herman Miller at Neocon 2009

Designed For Where You Want To Sit. Herman Miller Introduces Setu™ Chairs: The Next Generation of Multipurpose Seating


Herman Miller, the international leader in ergonomic seating design, announces the next generation of multipurpose chair for all the places we work and live now. With Setu chairs, designed by Studio 7.5 of Berlin, Herman Miller applies its award-winning seating expertise to a major chair category that has seen little innovation in years.

"The Setu family of chairs provides new standards of comfort, performance, and value," says Jack Schreur, Herman Miller’s director for seating products. “It’s made from an innovative combination of materials to provide remarkable levels of strength, flexibility and simplicity.

Setu will be introduced at NeoCon 2009 in Chicago, June 15-17. The initial offering will include the Setu 5-star, 4-star, butterfly, butterfly stool, and lounge and ottoman. Future models are planned that will further extend the Setu family’s range of application.

Multipurpose chairs are used where people sit for shorter periods and frequently move, such as conference rooms, touchdown workstations, and collaborative spaces. However, these so-called “temporary spaces” are now less temporary. For many of us, all the places we sit are temporary as we move throughout the day, spending an hour or two at a time in different places.

The problem is existing multipurpose chairs aren’t designed to handle longer-term sitting and more active use. This was recognised by Studio 7.5, who also designed Herman Miller’s award-winning Mirra work chair in 2003. During their global travels in support of that chair’s international launch, they sat in many different multipurpose chairs along the way. The 7.5 team found the one-piece seat and back typical of multipurpose chairs is not very comfortable; instead comfort is compromised for affordability. Coming home, they recognised a need for a new kind of multipurpose chair—one combining work-chair principles of motion and comfort with good looks, and a compelling price.

Herman Miller and Studio 7.5 created Setu to answer those needs, with key inventions that greatly improve on comfort and support: the Kinematic Spine™ and the Lyris™ seat suspension material.

Throughout Setu’s development, Studio 7.5 were guided by their quest for simplicity. “We want everything as simple as possible, but no simpler,” noted the designers, paraphrasing Einstein.Simplicity is especially important in multipurpose seating, where chairs may be used in many places, and many different people may use the same chair during the day.

Setu is elegant and organic, yet is simple and easy to use. To achieve that, it contains embedded design intelligence, with form and function working in harmony.

Setu is Motion: The Kinematic Spine

The first thing you’ll notice once you sit in Setu? Nothing, but instant comfort. There’s nothing to tilt, nothing to tweak, nothing to think about. It’s mathematics in place of mechanisms. From the moment you sit down, you and the chair move as one. It is elegant form and performance working together in harmony.

Setu’s Kinematic Spine is the primary reason. It has tilt-like kinematics in one continuous seat and back, rather than in a separate seat pan, back rest, and tilt. Because of living hinges in the spine, there is no tilt mechanism on the chair, and the only adjustment is seat height.

The spine works together with Setu’s Lyris seating suspension material. This unique suspension has no rigid frame structure on the top and bottom edges of the chair, but is only suspended between the two Kinematic Spines. It conforms to your contours as you move, whilst providing aeration and minimising heat build-up.

Setu is Simple: One adjustment

Because there is only one adjustment (height), Setu is simple to use. This makes it ideal for places where many different people use the same chair. Everyone gets the full ergonomic benefit without adjustment.

Setu is Adaptable: Wide application

Where Setu is, it belongs. The clean, light-scaled aesthetic complements a wide range of environments. It is designed to fit most shapes and sizes. But, equally important, Setu is designed to fit all spaces and places. Adaptable like no other chair in its category, Setu appeals to functional needs as well as design aesthetics.

Because the spine provides the chair’s motion within the seat and back, multiple different bases can be applied for a wide range of future applications. With its light aesthetic, Setu is equally stylish and comfortable in office, home, healthcare, education, and hospitality environments, anywhere in the world.

Another reception sofa for any environment

Yet another stunning new design from David Fox on behalf of Connection. Simple, elegant, refined, the Zeus collection offers flexibility and modularity whatever its environment. Linear and timeless in its aesthetic, detailed upholstery harmonises with a delicate elliptical steel base. Complementary elliptical tables allow the collection to be used in working or lounging situations. We think the range will work fantastically in any contemporary reception, and we look forward to specifying it for the right project in any of the hundreds of colours we upholster it in.

Another reception sofa for any environment

Yet another stunning new design from David Fox on behalf of Connection. Simple, elegant, refined, the Zeus collection offers flexibility and modularity whatever its environment. Linear and timeless in its aesthetic, detailed upholstery harmonises with a delicate elliptical steel base. Complementary elliptical tables allow the collection to be used in working or lounging situations. We think the range will work fantastically in any contemporary reception, and we look forward to specifying it for the right project in any of the hundreds of colours we upholster it in.

New Gloss chair for reception area and breakout areas...

When a manufacturer like Connection tells us that they have a new chair - and it's going to be exciting - we know we'll like it! The new 'Gloss' chair is ergonomic in its shape and form, and offers maximum support and comfort. A shiny recyclable ABS plastic cocoons contoured soft upholstery, perched elegantly on chromed steel frames. Perfect for corporate breakout, hotel and restaurant dining. Designed by the popular furniture designer David Fox.

New Gloss chair for reception area and breakout areas...

When a manufacturer like Connection tells us that they have a new chair - and it's going to be exciting - we know we'll like it! The new 'Gloss' chair is ergonomic in its shape and form, and offers maximum support and comfort. A shiny recyclable ABS plastic cocoons contoured soft upholstery, perched elegantly on chromed steel frames. Perfect for corporate breakout, hotel and restaurant dining. Designed by the popular furniture designer David Fox.

Expensive reception desks - they don't have to be!

We have taken on a task. To find reception desks that look stunning (after all, that's what most companies want) and supplying them at amazing prices (again it's what everyone wants!). To do this we are constantly searching for new and exciting products from across the whole of Europe and beyond. And we've just found another cracker...







The 'Recept Contemporary' unit is UK made, and we're offering it at the spectacular price of just £2,000 + VAT - including free delivery!

We can do any shape you need - and in a huge choice of colours too. We just really liked this one, as it looks very 'Apple Mac' in terms of it's design. Not that is has anything to do with the 'Apple' brand of course - but you get the idea. Here are some of the others we do: http://www.verveworkspace.co.uk/receptionfurniture/detail.php?mid=50

Expensive reception desks - they don't have to be!

We have taken on a task. To find reception desks that look stunning (after all, that's what most companies want) and supplying them at amazing prices (again it's what everyone wants!). To do this we are constantly searching for new and exciting products from across the whole of Europe and beyond. And we've just found another cracker...







The 'Recept Contemporary' unit is UK made, and we're offering it at the spectacular price of just £2,000 + VAT - including free delivery!

We can do any shape you need - and in a huge choice of colours too. We just really liked this one, as it looks very 'Apple Mac' in terms of it's design. Not that is has anything to do with the 'Apple' brand of course - but you get the idea. Here are some of the others we do: http://www.verveworkspace.co.uk/receptionfurniture/detail.php?mid=50

A new tub chair - we like it!

Tub chairs are used so often nowadays, and every seating manufacturer offers at least one version - it's refreshing to see a new 'slant' on the chair.

Offecct have launched a brilliant chair which includes a table / laptop shelf which can also be used as an arm. All the user does is rotate in their chair to suit their purpose.

You can either sit forward facing and use the side arm as just an arm, or for a cup of coffee beside you. Alternatively you sit with your legs under the 'arm' and you have a sturdy laptop shelf, or worktable.

We can see these being of particular use in recruitment offices - where staff have to fill in forms. Or it could be for soft meeting areas, where a comfortable chair that doubles as a desk is needed in a small area. They could also be used as library furniture as they are a handy space for leaning a book or newspaper whilst sitting relaxing.

We really like this chair. A lot. If you like it too - let us know, and we can supply it for great prices and in a huge choice of colours too!

A new tub chair - we like it!

Tub chairs are used so often nowadays, and every seating manufacturer offers at least one version - it's refreshing to see a new 'slant' on the chair.

Offecct have launched a brilliant chair which includes a table / laptop shelf which can also be used as an arm. All the user does is rotate in their chair to suit their purpose.

You can either sit forward facing and use the side arm as just an arm, or for a cup of coffee beside you. Alternatively you sit with your legs under the 'arm' and you have a sturdy laptop shelf, or worktable.

We can see these being of particular use in recruitment offices - where staff have to fill in forms. Or it could be for soft meeting areas, where a comfortable chair that doubles as a desk is needed in a small area. They could also be used as library furniture as they are a handy space for leaning a book or newspaper whilst sitting relaxing.

We really like this chair. A lot. If you like it too - let us know, and we can supply it for great prices and in a huge choice of colours too!

Design Prima 2009

This year we visited Design Prima - the annual trade show for the office furniture industry. This year - being a recession I guess - the attendance seemed a little thin on the ground. There were a few of the old favourites - Vitra, Pledge, Orangebox etc - but this year there seemed to be a lot more unknown European designers.

Sadly, there wasn't a huge amount of new and interesting products on show. There was a couple of seating manufacturers that thought the show would be a good time to 'rebrand' as something new and more 'designerish' - as if they think that's why business is quiet. It was a shame really, as the seating they had on display was boring and predictable. But that's just my opinion.

Overall the show was positive - with many feeling that the worst was over. Some dealers were saying business was picking up and things were improving.

The comments from within the industry have been that the 2009 show wasn't as good as previous years, and that perhaps the venue is too small and limiting? We'll see what 2010 holds in store....

Design Prima 2009

This year we visited Design Prima - the annual trade show for the office furniture industry. This year - being a recession I guess - the attendance seemed a little thin on the ground. There were a few of the old favourites - Vitra, Pledge, Orangebox etc - but this year there seemed to be a lot more unknown European designers.

Sadly, there wasn't a huge amount of new and interesting products on show. There was a couple of seating manufacturers that thought the show would be a good time to 'rebrand' as something new and more 'designerish' - as if they think that's why business is quiet. It was a shame really, as the seating they had on display was boring and predictable. But that's just my opinion.

Overall the show was positive - with many feeling that the worst was over. Some dealers were saying business was picking up and things were improving.

The comments from within the industry have been that the 2009 show wasn't as good as previous years, and that perhaps the venue is too small and limiting? We'll see what 2010 holds in store....

Live chat

Verve Workspace are pleased to be trialling a new service on our website which should help our exisitng and prospective customers have more information on our products.

It's quite straight forward really - when on the site, if you need more information a visitor just clicks on the button shown above -a member of our own staff comes online via an instant messenger box -and helps in person.

If staff are offline, then the button prompts the visitor to leave a message instead.

We'll see how it goes, but it should make buying office furniture that bit easier and more personable.

Live chat

Verve Workspace are pleased to be trialling a new service on our website which should help our exisitng and prospective customers have more information on our products.

It's quite straight forward really - when on the site, if you need more information a visitor just clicks on the button shown above -a member of our own staff comes online via an instant messenger box -and helps in person.

If staff are offline, then the button prompts the visitor to leave a message instead.

We'll see how it goes, but it should make buying office furniture that bit easier and more personable.

Monitor arms....

Well, we feel very pleased with ourselves at the moment - and this should please a few of our customers too. We have managed to secure a supply of monitor arms which attach to your desk.



These clamp to the desk surface and free some valuable space. They look stunning, and allow the user to move the screen around when not in use. The average office desk could always use a bit of extra space. These should help too!


And the best bit of news.... they are lots cheaper than they used to be. Once these monitor arms were at least £300 each - but we can supply from less than £60 + VAT! Quite an improvement, and just one of the ways we are working hard to make sure our customers get more for their money!

We will have more special products at amazing prices - so watch this space!

Monitor arms....

Well, we feel very pleased with ourselves at the moment - and this should please a few of our customers too. We have managed to secure a supply of monitor arms which attach to your desk.



These clamp to the desk surface and free some valuable space. They look stunning, and allow the user to move the screen around when not in use. The average office desk could always use a bit of extra space. These should help too!


And the best bit of news.... they are lots cheaper than they used to be. Once these monitor arms were at least £300 each - but we can supply from less than £60 + VAT! Quite an improvement, and just one of the ways we are working hard to make sure our customers get more for their money!

We will have more special products at amazing prices - so watch this space!

New to Blogging

This is the first blog for our website. We will bring details on new office furniture products, current projects and lots more too. It may not be exactly bedtime reading, but we hope our customers will find the articles interesting. If you want to know more about any of the articles - please do let me know.

New to Blogging

This is the first blog for our website. We will bring details on new office furniture products, current projects and lots more too. It may not be exactly bedtime reading, but we hope our customers will find the articles interesting. If you want to know more about any of the articles - please do let me know.