Newsletter: The beauty of spring & daylight saving

Wintertime is all about dreaming, imagination, and creativity!

During the last few long winter months, countless days spent in lockdown have encouraged many hours of introspection and design. September signals the start of spring and much brighter days so, we welcome Spring with open arms and flick the switch to daylight saving.

Ed Markey said, “The beauty of daylight saving time is that it just makes everyone feel sunnier!”

With an extra hour in our day, the increased light triggers the release of the ‘happy hormone,’ serotonin, a brain chemical that helps us feel happier. We also feel like making choices and taking inspired action and we get excited about the chance to be outdoors more. This excitement may trigger the brain to secrete endorphins, which are pain-relieving chemicals that cause the feeling of contentment.

Not many people know that ‘Daylight Saving’ was first devised by George Hudson, an amateur NZ entomologist who loved bugs! He worked at the Wellington Post Office but wanted more time to collect his precious insects after work in the evenings. He suggested a shift to increase the time each day so he could enjoy his hobby, but his idea was ignored at the time. Daylight Saving was finally introduced in New Zealand, 32 years after Hudson first suggested it!

George is not an odd man out.
As human beings, we are highly responsive to multi-sensorial experiences of nature – which are, in fact, very important to human functioning, health, and well-being. Our R&D team is doing their best to offer more furniture items with ‘green’ features so that designers have the ability to create more green spaces in their workplace designs. Depending on the size and scale of your office design, there are many ways to bring the outdoors in. Other than our living walls, the acoustic Reindeer Moss, and the Greenwall that attaches to the Hush booths, our new ROAM multimedia station with planters on top are a great tool and make an easy addition to your green spaces. Whichever way you go, introducing plants into the office can vastly increase workplace happiness and productivity.

Here at Crestline, we continue to explore new ways to create healthy, inspiring, and sustainable places in which people can feel good about where they are and what they do. As a result we recently added the Hush Greenwall to our product portfolio. Our fully equipped Green Wall system allows you to cover the exterior panels on each Hush pod with plants (and bugs – if your colleagues will allow!) The system comes with a frame, integrated flower pots, and electronic irrigation. The lushness of growth on the Greenwall taps into the benefits of biophilia. It’s the beautiful, easy, and obvious way to bring nature within reach.
Read more about the Hushbooth Greenwall.

Visiting your local cafe and enjoying a coffee and your favorite menu item with a loved one is one of the easiest ways to boost all 4 of your happy hormones! The enjoyment you get from eating something delicious or sipping your favourite coffee and supporting local business can trigger the release of dopamine along with endorphins.
NZ has an abundance of tempting eateries to choose from but we thought we would share the interior pictures of these two cafes that are situated further abroad. They both feature the ARC seating range from Spain by Inclass design.

Raisin’ Bakery in Australia by Braham Architects, Interiors by: Agent Interiors, Photography by: Emma Bryant.
Odyssea Beach Cafe, Australia by Sandler Seating.

And because Inclass furniture is trending right here and now, we thought we would share with you the new workspace of DLA Piper NZ!
Their architect and design company – Jasmax, specified many settings of our Dunas seating and Stix tables from our Inclass range of furniture. With a stunning new workspace in the Commercial Bay, DLA Piper are leading the new legal establishment. This global law firm provides counsel to a vast range of private and public companies, ranging from New Zealand’s most significant organisations through to the world’s most renowned global brands.
View their stunning new workspace here.

If you are still working from home, and your home no longer feels like ‘home sweet home’, maybe it’s time for you to join the co-working revolution!
We were recently involved in the fit-out of The Icehouse, a Coworking space with nearly two decades of deep connections in the New Zealand and International business community. They boast an unrivaled business network and offer their members the opportunity to join a collaborative and thriving Icehouse community.
It is no secret that coworking spaces in NZ are on the up and up and here we consider why.
Surveys and studies consistently show that coworking makes people happier than traditional office environments. Working from home sometimes creates a sense of isolation whereas Coworking spaces end this feeling of disconnection. When working at a coworking space, you surround yourself with motivated and enthusiastic professionals like yourself. You have the opportunity to socialise, enjoy all of the amenities, and work the way you live. This boosts morale and passion which results in a more cheerful workday!

Hopefully that’s enough top tips and interior fit out inspo for you to maintain that springy-spring feeling for awhile yet!

Enjoy the extra hours of sunshine each day, whether you are catching bugs after work, visiting your favourite spot for evening drinks or simply enjoying a barbecue in your own backyard.

We have more outstanding projects and new furniture products to share with you next month so keep your eyes peeled for our October newsletter!

Cheers from the team who #createinspiringandupliftingworkspaces!