When it comes to furnishing an office space, many people sacrifice design in favor of function. Creating an elegant and aesthetically pleasing work environment can actually promote employee productivity, so you should be paying careful attention to the design of your furniture when updating your office space.

Here are two unique furnishings made from old filing cabinets that will allow you to make your offices both fashionable and functional.

1. Filing Cabinet Desk

A couple of old filing cabinets, some paint, and a wooden slab can easily be turned into a unique desk that is sure to motive any employee.

All you need to create this unique piece of office furniture are two old filing cabinets that are the same height, spray paint in a color that matches your office decor, a wood slab in the length of your choosing, and a few hours of your time. Start by spray painting the exterior of the filing cabinets. You may need to apply several coats to achieve even coverage.

While the spray paint is drying, use a stain to add some color to your wood slab. Once the spray paint has dried, check to see if the height of the filing cabinets will comfortably accommodate a seated employee once the desktop has been added. If you need to add a few inches, you can invest in some pre-fabricated furniture legs from your local home improvement store.

Measure the wood slab, and place the filing cabinets the same distance apart in your office. Add the wood slab to create a desktop, and you have a unique piece of furniture that will allow for file storage and add style to your work environment.

2. Filing Cabinet Display Case

Creating a place to display individual and company awards can help employees see that their efforts are appreciated. Rather than spending thousands of dollars on an expensive display case, you can create a unique piece of furniture using an old filing cabinet.

Start by removing the drawers from the filing cabinet and measuring the interior dimensions. Invest in some pieces of wood that match these interior dimensions (one piece of wood for each drawer that has been removed) and attach the wood pieces to drawer tracks to create shelves.

Add a fresh coat of paint to the entire cabinet, and add some interior lighting or wallpaper along the back of the cabinet's interior to add interest. Place your awards on the shelves, and enjoy your unique piece of office furniture.

Finding ways to use an old filing cabinet to create new pieces of office furniture can help you create a more whimsical and decorative work environment for your employees.