Friday 30 October 2015

Weekly Round Up 30th October


It's that time of year again when we will don our cloaks and witches hats, grab our brooms and bulk buy huge tubs of sweets! Yes it’s Halloween and things are getting spooky at Nomique...



Pumpkin Showcase

This week at Nomique we've been getting over excited about Halloween and everything it involves. There have been fangs and fake blood in the office as well as pumpkins in the showroom.

And we thought you might like to see just how great these two fantastically carved pumpkins look on our Nomique chairs!









Take a look at our favourite shots below and see if you can guess what seating they've been shot with...


To give you a clue there's definitely Milo, Lux, Rocco and Elements featured in the above photographs. I hope you can tell which is which. If not feel free to comment below or give us a call on 01952 585828 to discuss any of our products.

You will also find some more clues by looking on our website and checking out our product pages.



Inspiring Workspaces

Well perhaps Pumpkins aren't your preferred objects for jazzing up your workspaces. Maybe you'd like something similar to the new Google office's in Sydney. We found this article on The Daily Mail online website and now we all want an office just like that.

With privacy pods, pool tables, piles of lego and a rock climbing wall who doesn't now want to move to Sydney and work for Google!

We'd really like to hear from you about the inspiring workspaces that you spend your time in and also about the ones you want to be in one day. So please comment below with your ideas, aspirations and any links to workspaces that we really need to see.




Creative and comfortable Workstations

You might not be working in a Google like office yet, with rooms deticated to gaming. However you are definitely sat in front of a screen whilst reading this, whether that be a desktop, laptop, tablet or phone.

Technology surrounds us in the workplace these days and it's really important that everyone should learn how to set up their personal workstation to achieve better posture and wellbeing in the workplace.

We thought we'd give you our top tips for "Ergonomics in the workplace" so have a read and see if your workstation is set up as good as it could be.



Most importantly don't forget to take lots of breaks and move away from your workstation. Bupa have some great reasons and tips for more movement, productivity and better wellbeing in the workplace, why not have a look at what they are suggesting here.

You could also check out our recent blog all about the imporatnce of taking that well earned break.

Need more ideas for making your workstation more creative to help motivate you through the day? Why not check out these 50 inspirational workstations for something a little bit different.







As promised our next team intro, read on to be in the know about our Nomique team.


In The Know Profile:

Name: Peter Cole

Age: 53
Job Title: Operations Director

My job at Nomique involves... 
Production, purchasing, operations, quality and H&S

I have been working at Nomique for...
18 months

Before Nomique... 
Systematic Products

When I was growing up, I wanted to be...
A P.E. Teacher

My favourite place in the world...
England





I can laugh about...
Most things.

A random fact about me...
My right leg is 15mm shorter than my left leg.


If you want to know more about Peter's role here at Nomique then feel free to ask questions in the comments below. Also please follow us on our social media pages to keep up to date with all things Nomique.                  
                                       
Facebook          Twitter          LinkedIn










For more information please visit our website http://nomique.com/
Or give us a ring to chat about what our designs could add to your workspace.
Tel: 01952 585828
No time to chat but want to get in contact then send us an email to sales@nomique.com

Friday 23 October 2015

Weekly Round Up 23rd October

This week we're back with another blog and everyone can't seem to stop talking about Back to the Future. 




Future misconceptions 

On Wednesday 21st October 2015 the well known 1989 film "Back to the 2015 Future" caught up with itself and caused lots of discussion of how far we've come since then, as well as what we're still yet to achieve to keep up with the film's original expectations of 2015.

Social media couldn't stop "buzzing" about it, with everything from limited edition "Pepsi Perfect", to grooms arriving at weddings in DeLorean cars (with the addition of time travel of course). Have a look for yourself on the Telegraph Website as they've followed the countdown closely, with everything documented in one place.

We might not have the perfect hover board, flying car or self drying jacket but we do have so much more technology at our finger tips than we ever thought possible 30 years ago; as the actors Michael J. Fox & Christopher Lloyd discuss in the new Toyota advert, "We've got 3D movies," Lloyd says as the two actors sit in a diner. "We've got fingerprint technology," Fox answers.



Back to the Future got one thing right about 2015 though and that's how we're integrating technology into everything. Every new technological invention is an every day object made better by adding some tech.

For example turning a pair of Nike trainers into something that makes people's lives easier and therefore better. However we don't seem to have self tying shoes yet like in the film but Nike did tweet Michael J. Fox on Tuesday saying "see you tomorrow", leaving everyone speculating the future of self-tying Nikes. We're still holding our breaths though.



The Future of Furniture

Furniture is getting more high tech too, with tablets, TVs, PCs and power sockets all getting embedded into anywhere and everywhere. We might not be arriving at work in a flying car yet but there's nothing stopping you from using a chair that tells you how to sit properly and sending emails and charging your phone on the move.

Our favourite bit of tech at the moment is the aircharge wireless charging solution. The idea behind this clever tech is that the user can use it wherever they are, no need for cables or trying to find power sockets. This can be used in cafés, offices and at home.

So if you'd like to add the aircharge or any other technology to your seating, why not give us a call on 01952 585828 and see how we can integrate it for you into any of our soft seating and modular seating ranges.




Buzzzzz...

Talking about "creating a buzz", our customers have been doing just that because of how great our Lux range looks in Camira Fabrics' Velvetesse. We posted up this image on our social media pages and got quite a lot of attention. Even Camira Fabrics on Facebook said that they "look forward to seeing the result".


Then we started posting photo after photo because it really does look great in Velvetesse.


Camira's Velvetesse Embellish is really hard wearing so works well for a long lasting upholstered seat. With a change of colour it looks completely different too. Hopefully you've also noticed the fantastic button detail as well.

Everyone can't get enough of our Lux high back chair and I predict a lot more going through the factory soon.We think all our Lux products look great in Velveteese so keep looking around and see if you can spot any more of these fantastic chairs in beautiful fabrics. If you do we would love to see the results so please share your finds with us on our Twitter page.


Then if you'd like one or maybe one hundred, have a look at our website for more ideas and info about our Lux range or give us a call on 01952 585828

Also there are plenty more colours to choose from in the Velvetesse range and we are looking forward to seeing them all... so click here for some more ideas of what to do with your Lux chairs.





As promised our next team intro, read on to be in the know about our Nomique team.


In The Know Profile:


Name: David Houston

Age: Too Old
Zodiac Sign: Big Fish
Job Title: No Idea


My job at Nomique involves... 
No idea. Oops, dealer support and sell sell sell!

I have been working at Nomique for...
3 years

Before Nomique... 
Office furniture industry for 31 years!!
6 years with my own business and 20 odd years as a Director with Samuel Bruce.
Before that memory loss...





When I was growing up, I wanted to be...
Pro Golfer but couldn't hit a ball straight.
Pro Footballer but couldn't drink enough.
Spaceman but realised I already was.

My favourite place in the world...
HOME... Oh and Nashville.

I can laugh about...
My hairline and my waistline.

A random fact about me...
Guitar player and massive country music fan... and an awesome chef.


As an extra see if you can guess which one is David in this old photo. Write your guesses in the comments below.

If you want to know more about David's role here at Nomique then feel free to ask questions in the comments below. Also please follow us on our social media pages to keep up to date with all things Nomique.                  
         



                             
Facebook          Twitter          LinkedIn










For more information please visit our website http://nomique.com/
Or give us a ring to chat about what our designs could add to your workspace.
Tel: 01952 585828
No time to chat but want to get in contact then send us an email to sales@nomique.com

Friday 16 October 2015

Weekly Round Up 16th October

It's starting to feel like winter and all we all want to do is be curled up in fluffy blankets, cradling a mug of hot chocolate, in front of a roaring fire and watching reruns of The Great British Bake Off. Whereas we're actually still heading into the office, the only difference from summer being that now we turn up wrapped from head to toe in all our clothes. With the windows shut and the heating switched up high it's that time of year again when we can't escape the dreaded colds and flu flying around, so we end up home anyway but this time with lemsip and a banging headache. That's why this week we've got tips to help you stay healthy in the office this winter.


At Home
Firstly we've got some great tips from the NHS to help you stay fit and healthy through all those cold months until Spring.

Did you know that the more you exercise the less likely you are to get a cold. Regular exercise helps to boost the immune system .

Did you also know that you're 80% more likely to get a cold during winter!


The cold weather also makes us want to eat all the time to keep our bodies warm. Try to remember to still eat healthily though, by including lots of fruit, veg and milk in your diet. It's important to make sure you're getting all the right vitamins to fight off those nasty colds.


At the Office
It's not just what we do for ourselves that keeps those colds at bay, it's also our office environment that can help or hinder our immune systems. We've found some office tips that work for the employers and the employees out there.


Firstly go out and buy a plant for your desk.
We recommend cacti because they need so little care and look great all year round.

Not only will you have something to gaze at when you're looking for inspiration but you'll also be decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the room and fighting of bacteria without even lifting a finger!

If you still aren't convinced then have a look at this article, which gives even more reasons to have plants in the workplace.


It's also really important to sit comfortably and we know all about sitting right!

Therefore we suggest the Axia Smart Chair to make sure you are feeling at your best. Have a look here to find out more about it.

Not only is it important to sit right but it's also important to move too, the Axia Smart System will help you remember to get up and get active every 30 minutes.

Have a look at the stats in the article at the end of this section to see what a bit of movement could do for you.

Lastly it's really important to think about all the places where bacteria collects.

For example did you know that in a 2008 study it showed the average keyboard to be dirtier than a toilet seat!

Another study has also shown that 90% of mugs in the workplace are coated in germs.

So get scrubbing to keep that harmful bacteria away.


If you'd like more detail on these points then have a look at this article.


 
Home Again...

...or not as the case may be. It turns out that almost a third of employers have reported an increase in their staff coming in to work unwell.

It's really important for businesses to put employee wellbeing above the importance of operational demands and deadlines. Not only are staff less focussed when ill, but they could also infect their colleagues causing less productivity across the whole company.

If you'd like to read more about this and the studies that prove the facts then have a look at this.







As promised our next team intro, read on to be in the know about our Nomique team.



In The Know Profile:

Name: Zohaib Ali
Age: 26
Job Title: Area Sales Manager - North 

My job at Nomique involves... 
Drinking coffee with our friendly dealers. More importantly I am there to help the dealer network, whether that be with projects, product knowledge, presentations, samples or anything they may need assitance with.

I have been working at Nomique for...
Two and a half years. 

Before Nomique... 
I worked in Business Development for a Tea Room and Patisserie (I ate lots of cake and drank lots of tea). 

When I was growing up, I wanted to be...
A lawyer




My favourite place in the world...
Ras Al Khaimah, more specifically the resort where I spent my honeymoon with my wife.

I can laugh about...
Almost anything, probably also when I should not be laughing.

A random fact about me...
I once won "The Apprentice" although it was only part of a competition at College loosely themed around the famous BBC show and not on the show itself.


If you want to know more about Zohaib's role here at Nomique then feel free to ask questions in the comments below. Also please follow us on our social media pages to keep up to date with all things Nomique.                  
                                       
Facebook          Twitter          LinkedIn










For more information please visit our website http://nomique.com/
Or give us a ring to chat about what our designs could add to your workspace.
Tel: 01952 585828
No time to chat but want to get in contact then send us an email to sales@nomique.com

Friday 9 October 2015

Weekly Round Up 9th October

This week we want to tell you all about our experience at London Design Week 2015 but mainly we'll be blogging about wood.


Wood, wood, wood and more wood...


Even though we weren't exhibiting at LDW this year we certainly made the most of the event by sending down our Product Developer and Marketing Assitant to go and pick out the top trends from this year. The main one being wood so there was lots of it!

Read on to discover our favourite woody items from the event...




Robin Day at the V&A

Robin Day has often been classified as a highly significant figure to the 20th century's furniture design industry. With a career lasting seven decades his aim was always to solve practical problems and he therefore shied away from anything created for novelty or showiness. His furniture was always soundly constructed and built to fulfil its purpose.

His philosophy was that new design should always be made because it’s better than what came before. As well as every piece should be produced with regard to the limited resources on the planet, meaning they must be reusable and long lasting.

The V&A wanted to celebrate the centenary of his birth with an exhibition about his lifelong passion for design and his relationship with wood. This exhibit has marked the huge contribution his work has made to our everyday lives. After all there aren’t many people who haven’t sat on one of his designs.

For more information on this exhibition have a look at the V&A website or for more information about the man himself have a look at the Day Foundation website.



Wood Awards at 100% Design

The main place to see lots of wood all at once was at this year’s Wood Awards exhibit at 100% Design, showing the best of British design and craftsmanship in wood. The shortlist was selected for the show, so that they could be on display before the final winners are revealed at the 44th annual Wood Awards ceremony at Carpenter’s Hall on the 10th November.

Pictured you’ll see one of our favourites but have a look at this link to see the others that have been shortlisted as well as some more information about the products and their designers.




Life Design 


The Se7e Life Design is all about creativity and we just thought it looked so different that it deserved a mention on our blog. If you’d like to know more about it have a look here.











Nomique's Wooden Relationship 



At Nomique we also care about where our wood comes from. Using wood from environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically managed forests, we offer products with a FSC® chain of custody.

If you'd like to find out more about this then have a look on our website.















As promised our next team intro, read on to be in the know about our Nomique team.



In The Know Profile:

Name: Sarah Ralphs
Age: Considerably older than I was 20 years ago!
Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius
Job Title: Area Sales Manager

My job at Nomique involves... 
Maintaining and increasing sales of the company's products by servicing the needs of our existing customers whilst expanding our customer base. 

I have been working at Nomique for...
1 year







Before Nomique...  

I worked for a fencing manufacturer as a Product Manager looking after the landscaping range for National Accounts such as B&Q, Jewson, Buildbase & Screwfix


When I was growing up, I wanted to be...
A strawberry picker!

My favourite place in the world...
My sofa on a cold winters night!

I can laugh about...
Myself!

A random fact about me...
I have 3 Blackbelts


If you want to know more about Sarah's role here at Nomique then feel free to ask questions in the comments below. Also please follow us on our social media pages to keep up to date with all things Nomique.                  
                                       
Facebook          Twitter          LinkedIn










For more information please visit our website http://nomique.com/
Or give us a ring to chat about what our designs could add to your workspace.
Tel: 01952 585828
No time to chat but want to get in contact then send us an email to sales@nomique.com