Tips for Designing Interior Signage in Commercial Spaces

Today, commercial spaces are more than mere workplaces: we’ve come a long way since the drab days of ‘office grey’! Employers know that to keep talented employees, you need to create a work environment with a little something special, a touch of magic. Designing a ‘home away from home’ which motivates people and fosters a cohesive, collaborative feel is key to a productive space. However, it requires careful thought, foresight, and, most importantly, signage. From designing an immersive experience to creating an environment that is comfortable and easy to navigate, interior office signage is your new best friend! 

Internal Office Signage

Internal office signage is your most powerful tool when it comes to creating and expressing your company culture. Every sign is an opportunity to brand your space and clearly display who you are and what you’re about. It’s not a project to be undertaken lightly though, as everything from wayfinding and identification signs to directories, nameplates and promotional signs needs to be taken into account. Planning an internal project also requires high levels of cooperation with the building owners, designers, architects and signage professionals. They all have something to contribute to the way you go about designing your environment. 

It may all feel a little overwhelming, but we’ve got your back! Here are some of our top do’s and don’ts for the best signage design, so that you can create the stunning space your company deserves. 

Do’s and Don’ts When Designing Interior Signage 

Don’t Improvise

Although signage may sound like a fun and creative add-on to a branding or rebranding project, it most definitely is not. It’s central to designing a cohesive and functional space. As such, it’s best to integrate your interior signage into the planning phase as early as possible. This way, you can make sure to cover all critical elements and keep the whole project cohesive.

Do Your Homework

When preparing for a branding or rebranding project, it’s essential to realise that interior signage is crucial. Early on in the project, therefore, make sure that you:

• Know your space and understand its flow from an employee’s or customer’s perspective

• Know where the decision points are so you can help people make informed choices (staircases, lifts, entrances, exits and crossroads, for example)

• Know the regulations you must comply with

Don’t Overload or Overdesign your Signs

A classic mistake in signage design is to cram as much information as possible into the space you have, but that’s a terrible idea. Signs packed with information are challenging to read and interpret. Further, they are unlikely to draw the eye or be aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, overdesigning your signs, creating avant-garde stylistic abstractions or filling them with beautiful colours and illustrations only confuses the messaging. 

Do Design with Content in Mind and Prioritise Function Over Form

Progressive disclosure is a fundamental principle when it comes to interior signage projects. Only display the information needed at this precise point, and spend time crafting your information design. How will you communicate the necessary destinations, directional cues or other messages understandably and aesthetically? Make sure you’re expressing your uniqueness and creativity within functional norms. 

Don’t Follow Trends or Re-Design your Internal Signage on a Whim

Interior signage projects can become expensive, so you don’t want to have to swap your signs out every time something changes within your company. On the other hand, details like decorative elements, promotional paraphernalia or temporary displays are easier, and cheaper, to cycle through as you need. 

Do Design a Timeless Interior Environment

The goal is to create an interior environment that is cohesive and consistent with your company branding, as well as fully integrated with the built environment. However, it mustn’t be dependent on fleeting rebrands. Your signs should interpret and project your brand without being rigidly linked to your branding’s temporary aesthetics. They should go deeper than this, representing the timeless values that define you, and differentiate you from the competition. Think of elements like fonts, colour schemes and the materials you use, and what they say about your identity, values, and USP. 

Do Work with Experts

Don’t leave your interior signage project to chance! Experts in signage and branding can help you navigate the myriad choices you need to make, from the materials you use to your information design. Here at Mesh Direct, we have decades of experience helping people expand their brand and create unique environments, so please do reach out to us if you have any questions!

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