The office break room is designed to provide employees with a space to rest and socialize. It needs to consider not only comfort and practicality but also to maintain consistency with the overall office design style. This article will take you through the design details of the break room, from its size and layout to the key equipment configurations, so that there is a buffer zone in the busy office space where employees can adjust their pace.
B-STUDIO's tea room design not only emphasizes overall comfort but also creates more possibilities for the tea area, expanding your imagination of your company's tea room.
Table of contents
Why does a company need a tea room design? What other uses does a tea room serve?
The importance of a tea room extends beyond just meeting employees' dietary needs; it's also a place where employees can relieve work stress. With professional design, it can become a multi-functional space. Below are two main uses of a tea room:
- Places to relax and change your mood:
Colleagues need a place to rest and recharge during breaks, and the tea room provides employees with a place to change their mood. Appropriate relaxation can actually improve work efficiency.
- Spaces that promote communication among employees:
The break room is also an important space for colleagues to interact. Unlike the formality of the meeting room, when the brain is in a relatively relaxed and informal chat state, the cognitive framework will be opened up, making it easier to come up with unexpected ideas and business inspiration. There is also space for colleagues from different departments to communicate, increasing team cohesion.
- Improving employee well-being:
The break room is also a medium for reflecting employee welfare. By providing a comfortable rest space, energy-replenishing drinks, and a variety of snacks, companies can demonstrate their attention to employees and the work environment, and enhance employees' sense of well-being in the office.
Can a tea room also be a multi-functional space?
As office spaces evolve towards multi-functional designs, open-plan break rooms (or employee lounges) are no longer just places to relax; they can be transformed into multifunctional spaces. With flexible furniture and audio-visual equipment, these spaces can seamlessly transition into venues for internal lectures, cross-team workshops, or cozy meals. Activities that previously required renting space can now be conducted within the office, and various impromptu events can be held there, increasing team cohesion.
How should the dimensions of a tea room be planned?
The size of the tea room can be planned according to the number of employees. Different sizes of enterprises have different needs for the use of the tea room. When designing, in addition to considering whether to place basic equipment such as water dispensers, refrigerators, and coffee machines, it is also possible to assess whether a seating area or communication space is needed.
Offices with fewer than 15 employees: primarily featuring functional tea and water rooms.
A small office can be planned with a simple tea area, equipped with a water dispenser, microwave and small refrigerator, and a linear tea cabinet or a few shelves to store cups, tea bags and snacks, which can meet daily needs. If space is limited but you want to add a seating area, you can use a bar design to take into account both rest and dining functions.
Office for 15-30 people: Open-plan break room
As the number of employees increases, it is recommended to plan an open-plan tea room. In addition to basic equipment, a coffee machine and snack cabinet can be added to enhance the function of the tea and snack preparation area. Seating areas for 4 to 6 people can also be added to allow employees to chat or have informal discussions during breaks.
Offices for 30 or more people: Combining communication with multifunctional spaces
Medium and large enterprises can regard the tea room as part of the shared space. In addition to basic catering equipment, multiple sets of seats, bar counters, bar stools or sofa areas can be set up. Projectors and sound equipment can also be added so that the tea space can be combined with a simple meeting room or a departmental dining area.
Tea room planning and layout: 3 key configuration points for the tea room
The layout and planning of the tea room will affect the efficiency of space utilization and the employee experience. Therefore, in addition to considering the placement of equipment, the seating area, tea and snack preparation area and personnel flow should also be planned in the same way to avoid congestion during peak hours, improve the convenience of use, and create a comfortable and interactive rest environment.
I. Tea Room Area Division: Seating Area
The tea room can usually be divided into two main areas: a seating area and a tea and snack preparation area.
The seating area can be furnished with small round tables or large long tables as needed to facilitate discussions and exchanges among colleagues, or sofas or single chairs can be added to provide a space for colleagues to rest.
If space is limited, a bar counter can be used to increase the number of seats, which can not only meet the needs of colleagues who want to rest alone, but also provide a place for colleagues who need to communicate.
II. Tea Room Area Division: Tea and Snack Preparation Area
The tea and refreshment preparation area is mainly equipped with a countertop and tea cabinet, and can be equipped with refrigerators, water dispensers, coffee machines and other equipment as needed. It is not only for colleagues to use, but can also be used to prepare tea and refreshments for customers when they visit.
III. Tea Room Circulation Design
The design of the tea room starts with the tea cabinet. The equipment configuration of the tea cabinet needs to allow users to establish a smooth flow. For example, the refrigerator, heating equipment, and seating area should be on the same flow. Tea cups should be stored on the same flow, and the coffee machine or water dispenser should be on the same flow. The preparation of heated meals and tea should be slightly separated. If there are many employees in the office, it can even be divided into two areas.
In addition, sufficient passage space should be reserved to avoid obstructing traffic flow when cabinet doors, refrigerator doors, or microwave oven doors are opened. If the company has a large number of employees, an open-plan break room or a distributed equipment configuration can be used to reduce crowds during peak hours and improve overall efficiency.
Tea cabinet design style
Besides the layout of the tea room, different styles of tea cabinets each have their own advantages. How can they be matched to maintain the consistency of the office?
Open shelving style
Open shelving design can increase display space, make the overall pantry more spacious, and make the configuration of various items clear at a glance, making it convenient for employees to quickly access daily necessities. If the company has a snack cabinet, coffee bar or tea bag display area, open shelving can clearly display a variety of items, which not only improves the convenience of use, but also creates a rich and attractive spatial atmosphere.
Enclosed cabinet
The advantage of closed shelving design is that it can hide various items inside the cabinet and has a good dust prevention effect. Even if a large number of supplies, cleaning products, tea bags, coffee capsules or snacks are stored in the tea room, the appearance of the environment will not be affected by the quantity of items or their not being neatly arranged.
Hybrid design
The hybrid design combines the advantages of open and closed layouts. Visually, the overall environment is spacious and simple, and the arrangement of items is clearer, reducing the time colleagues spend searching for things. At the same time, it also has storage space for small items that are not easy to organize, such as drawers or cabinets for tea bags and snacks, making the countertop look tidier.
What equipment is needed in a tea room?
The function of a break room is to provide a space for colleagues to eat and drink. Common equipment includes a water dispenser, microwave, refrigerator, and sink, allowing colleagues to store and heat meals, and perform simple washing. Additional beverage and food heating equipment can be added to prepare refreshments for visiting clients. Furthermore, additional equipment can be installed to transform the break room into a multi-functional space.
- Beverage equipment: water dispensers, coffee machines, ice makers, sparkling water machines
- Food heating equipment: microwave oven, mini oven, electric rice cooker, insulated box
- Refrigeration equipment: refrigerators, beverage cabinets
- Cleaning equipment: countertop, sink, dishwasher, garbage bin
- Additional equipment: TV, projector, audio equipment
Office tea room design case study
Tea Room Design Case 1
The design concept takes colleagues as the lifeblood of the workplace, allowing for active communication and interaction between people in the office, and making it the core of the office atmosphere and culture. Therefore, the tea room is set in the middle of the office, becoming an essential passageway in the office, and also providing a buffer zone between office areas. It not only provides colleagues with rest and tea, but also serves as a venue for corporate education and lectures.
The design features white and wood tones as the main colors, accented with nature and greenery, creating a tranquil space for colleagues to calm their minds.
Tea Room Design Case 2
In an office space based on gray tones, adding vibrant colors to the break room can visually stimulate a change of mood and allow colleagues to escape their original work environment during breaks.
Tea Room Design Case 3
This design is inspired by a garden, hoping that colleagues can relax their minds and bodies through green plants and natural light in the enclosed office environment, and relax their minds and stimulate creativity in a natural-looking space, so as to enhance their focus and creativity.
B-STUDIO designs a relaxing oasis in your office space.
The design of the tea room is not only a practical consideration, but also a reflection of the company's attention to its employees. From the spatial configuration and traffic flow to the design of the tea cabinet, everything will affect the employee's user experience.
B-STUDIO has many years of experience designing office spaces and tea rooms. It can plan and design exclusive tea room configurations according to different corporate office models, creating a comfortable space for employees to communicate and take short breaks.
If you are planning to build your ideal tea room,B-STUDIOWe can share diverse case studies with you and provide professional design advice to help you create a unique communication and relaxation environment in your office space.
Further reading:
[Latest 2026] 7 Selected Office Design Cases: Bringing Efficiency and Aesthetics Back to the Space
What is workplace strategy? The key to improving work efficiency through office space planning.
