Workspaces That Support Flow: Designing for Studios & Small Businesses

For small businesses and studios, the workspace is more than a backdrop; it’s the engine of daily operations. Interiors determine how teams move around, how clients experience the brand, and how smoothly work gets done.

As a Perth interior designer that has worked in commercial projects, I’ve seen how effective workspace design can reduce stress, improve focus, and support growth. These aren’t abstract benefits, they come from practical decisions about layout, lighting, and materials that either enable or obstruct flow.

Here are key considerations for designing workspaces that genuinely support small businesses and studios.

1. Understand the Workflow First

Every business has a rhythm: where products are made, how customers and clients are greeted, how teams collaborate. Outlining that workflow is step one before making decisions on finishes or furniture.

• Where do people enter and exit?

• Which zones need adjacency?

• Where do bottle-necks happen?

For example, a photography studio may need a seamless flow and movement from shooting to editing to viewing by the client. A small café will need simple flow between the counter, kitchen, and tables. By aligning the interior layout with these flows, the space feels logical, reducing unnecessary steps and supporting productivity.

In one of my Perth projects, I worked with a small business that was setting up a combined workshop and office in a unit that was still under construction. The challenge wasn’t fixing an existing problem but helping the owners understand how to lay out the space effectively before it was built. Using the floor plan, I created a SketchUp model to test circulation and zoning, showing how production and administrative areas could be clearly defined. This gave the team confidence in how the space would function once complete, ensuring smoother circulation and reducing the risk of costly adjustments later.

2. Prioritise Zoning & Circulation

Once workflow is clear, zoning turns those patterns into functional spaces. Clear separation of front-of-house and back-of-house, or client areas and staff areas, creates efficiency and flow .

Zoning can be created through layout, but also through implied design cues:

• Changes in flooring material.

• Variations in ceiling height or lighting tone.

• Furniture placement that guides without obstructing.

Within small businesses and studios, circulation routes are often tight. That just makes it all the more important to design intuitive routes that logically make sense. Clients must be able to know where they are going without signs announcing it to them. Employees should be able to move smoothly and safely without interruptions.

Within hospitality spaces, zoning does also shape the customer path. At Baan Baan, a Thai restaurant in Northbridge, I developed and hand-painted a series of murals that became central to this strategy. A large banana tree mural anchored the dining space. Then smaller plant motifs softened corners and guide the eye around the restaurant, while the far back dining corner had an intensive banana leaf wall inviting you in to explore deeper into the restaurant. I also designed two unique fighting fish murals, taken from the owner's family memories in Thailand, which were directly connected to the restaurant's branding and story. Together, these murals created a unique identity for each space, so that the area was vibrant but not chaotic.

3. Balance Atmosphere with Function

A workspace isn’t just functional, it's a representation of the brand. The atmosphere impacts the way that customers perceive the business.

• Clinics and wellness studios may need soft, muted colour palettes that promote calm and trust.

• Cafes, restaurants, and creative studios often thrive with more texture, contrast, and warmth.

• Professional services might call for refined, structured finishes that communicate reliability.

The trick is balancing branding, atmosphere, and durability. Materials need to withstand the rigours of everyday use while also reflecting the brand story. A workspace that feels aligned with the business instantly communicates professionalism and identity.

I returned to Baan Baan after finishing the mural project to style the plants and greenery throughout the restaurant. The owner wanted the space to reflect her home in Thailand: lush, vibrant, and welcoming. The challenge was low-light conditions and existing murals that had already carried strong visual weight. I carefully selected and styled greenery to enhance the murals without overwhelming them, placing plants on shelving units, ceiling-mounted displays around the centre archways, and layered planters in the bar zone to create a seamless, lived-in atmosphere.

The result was a dining environment that felt authentic to the owner’s story while still being safe and functional for staff and customers. The greenery added the vibrancy the owner wanted and achieved the homely feeling she was longing for. The plants were chosen specifically to survive indoors and in lower light conditions. This project shows that atmosphere is never just visual, it’s the design decisions that hold up in real, everyday use.

4. Design Lighting to Support Tasks & Mood

Light is among the most powerful design tools in workspace design. Staff need good, even task lighting to focus. Clients are more likely to respond better to softer, layered lighting that encourages relaxation.

A beauty studio needs precise lighting for treatments, while still allowing clients to be relaxed and comfortable. A coffee shop can employ bright task lighting for baristas, balanced by warm pendants that make tables feel inviting for customers.

This can be seen at Baan Baan. The lighting scheme was about layering atmosphere. Warm pendants highlighted the murals and greenery, creating intimacy in the dining space, while the bar area was kept brighter to encourage movement and energy. In both cases, lighting shaped not just visibility, but the overall experience of the space.

5. Plan Storage & Flexibility

Small businesses often underestimate storage, but it directly affects flow. Cluttered counters or messy back-of-house areas quickly destroy the customer experience. Integrated smart storage clears work surfaces and leaves work trouble-free.

Flexibility matters too. As businesses grow, layouts may need to adapt. Modular furniture, multi-use rooms, and flexible joinery all enable the working area to evolve without huge rework.

In the workshop/office project, storage was one of the main considerations. The business already had shelving and storage units, but they weren’t positioned in a way that supported circulation or workflow. As part of the SketchUp planning, I reconfigured how these pieces were used and integrated them into the new layout, ensuring tools and materials were close to where they were needed without interrupting movement. By addressing storage at the design stage, the space felt more intentional and efficient from the outset.

The Value of Commercial Design

These examples illustrate how small changes in layout, zoning, lighting, or mood can impact the daily experience of a business. In Perth, where I have worked with small businesses, many operate from small units or spaces and so the efficiency of interiors becomes even more critical.

At Baan Baan, murals and greenery weren't surface-level aesthetic; they became part of the brand story, making it feel authentic and giving a memorable dining experience. In the workshop/office project, redesigning workflow and storage allowed the same footprint to feel organised, productive, and supportive to staff. Both projects argue the same point: commercial design isn't surface-level style, but creating interiors that improve operations, reduce stress, and represent the business clearly to clients and customers.

As an interior designer that has worked in commercial spaces, it is my responsibility to translate workflow, brand, safety, and functionality into interiors that support both staff and customers. With every square meter maximised, the business feels more professional, cohesive, and ready for growth.

Every square metre counts in small business interiors. If you’re ready to create a workspace that improves flow, supports your team, and elevates your brand, book a consultation with Koto Designs today.