Commercial refurbishment company McKelvie-Gibbs has offered its expertise on the use of office partitions.

The way we work has changed in the last few years. We're now more connected to the rest of the world, we can talk to someone the other side of the planet in seconds, share documents and ideas instantly. This modern, information and results-obsessed society has meant a shift in the way we work, play and collaborate.

A traditional or old-fashioned office would be made up of many smaller offices and lots of corridors. This type of office feels constrained and closed in. A modern office should be open plan, allowing lots of natural light to flood in and should promote collaboration – not squirrelling people away behind doors in a small prison cell-like rooms.

Whilst having an open plan office is great for employee wellbeing and productivity, there's still a need for private space in a modern office. How could this privacy possibly be achieved in an open plan environment?

Simply incorporating office partitions into your existing office or as part of your office refurbishment allows you to achieve privacy yet maintaining an open plan feel.

With a glass office partition, you can easily create new, private working spaces whilst maintaining the open plan feel with the use of glass for its walls. Glass partitions allow the maximum amount of light in whilst offering a high level of soundproofing enabling workers to make calls and meet in private.

Partitions are amazingly versatile as they can be erected and relocated in a matter of minutes. Partitions also require no planning permission which is a massive bonus if you rent your office and helps negate red tape and building regulations.

Partitions can be taken down and brought with you if you moved offices – so it's an investment, not a cost!

What types of partitions are there?

Wood Partitions

Wooden or timber partitions offer a natural feel in any office or reception area. They are solid in construction, durable and can be painted if required to match your company branding.


The wood used in our wooden partitions comes from sustainable forests and the impact to the environment is minimal and comes in a range of woods such as oak, cherry, beech etc and are available in wood veneered finishes.

Wood partitions create a natural feel that would be perfect for care homes, hospitals or anywhere you wish to put forth a calm mood.

Aluminium Partitions

Durable and solid, metal partitions are great for that sleek, cool and modern feel. With the option to powder coat frames in any colour you choose, our aluminium partitions sit comfortably in line with your company branding.

Although made from metal, our aluminium partitions can be disassembled and moved with ease – again if you move offices, take your partition with you!

You can choose a fully glazed or part-glazed option with metal partitions and can incorporate soundproofing and acoustic deadening materials within the walls to add an extra layer of discretion.

Metal partitions offer a high level of fire retardancy of up to 60 minutes making them more than safe for inclusion into your office.

Glass Partitions

Glass is the popular choice and for good reason – it looks sleek, modern and makes the most of natural light in your office. Glass Partitions are extremely popular for those very reasons. It's not only impressive for your staff but for your clients as well. Image is everything these days and investing in a glass partition can show your clients that you're serious about what you do and the environment your staff work in.

The glass in your partition can be designed to fit any space – even if you require a curved wall partition, that's no problem at all.

Our glass partitions as before, are completely relocatable and can be taken with you in case you move offices.

The glass in your partition can be configured in any way you desire – from providing tinted glass to incorporating company branding or elements of a company logo. By law your glass partition must have at least two clearly visible graphical elements on the glass to prevent people walking into it – this is known as a manifestation and is all part of our service.

Fire rated glass partitions off up to 60 minutes of fire retardancy. Glass partitions are easily maintained and can be cleaned by your regular cleaning team every day.

All our partitions have the option to install integral blinds – blinds that sit inside the glass panes and can be opened and closed with ease – this enhances the already robust privacy of our partitions opening them up to even more uses.

Our partitions are easily connected to the mains and have lighting and atmospheric controls pre-installed meaning you can adjust the light and temperature to suit.

Benefits of choosing an office partition:

• Choosing an office partition is cheaper than building traditional walls to create new spaces. Partitions should be viewed as an investment, as they can be easily taken down and move if you move.

• Partitions require no planning permission and can be erected and installed in a matter of a few hours, with minimal disruption and fuss to your office.

• Partitions create private spaces. In today's modern, open plan world it can be hard to find somewhere to meet in private, take a call or host a conference call. Partitions can provide visual and auditory privacy using blinds, frosted glass and soundproofing materials. You can have the privacy of a traditional office without sacrificing the look and feel of your open plan office.

• They look great and show your workers and clients that you're serious about your workplace, and in turn, serious about the work you do. Meet in style in a glass partition and wow your clients with clear glass walls leading to the world outside.

• Clear walls let in more light – that's obvious really. Enjoy basking in natural light rather than artificial strip lights and just feel better. There's no contest in our book – natural light promotes wellbeing and is proven to increase productivity over artificial lighting.

Find out just how office partitions can work for you by getting in touch on 01279 757575, interiors@mkgoffice.co.uk or our contact page.