Love Where You Work: 10 Of The Absolute Coolest Offices Around The World

Dragging yourself to an office every day can be the worst part of the day. The lights are too bright, the air is dry, and everything just feels canned. Piped music and off center temperature control leave you wishing you were in the comfort of your own home all day long. If you worked in one of the twenty offices listed here, you might have a slight change of heart about going to work every day.

1. Square

Square is the startup app that lets businesses charge credit cards remotely. Jack Dorsey, the CEO, is a stickler for clean designs, and has worked with a designer to create fun cubbies for his employees. The cubbies are big enough for a meeting but cozy enough for individual work. The seats are lined with felt and the walls are padded, reducing outside noise.

2. Microsoft

The conference rooms over at Microsoft contain themes, such as a hunting lodge or an ocean scene. The reception area is large and contains fun square felt chairs for visitors. There is even a slide in the room! Guests can slide down to their destination then rest next to a giant plant wall. Microsoft knows how to spoil employees.

3. Parliament

This office is built to look like a log cabin, complete with a bear skin rug on the floor. Wood lines the walls and tables. Logs are used to decorate everywhere, and the feel of the office is more like home. Parliament understands that relaxation leads to a higher quality of work for everyone involved.

4. Grupo Gallegos

This office rests in an old movie theater overlooking the Pacific Ocean. As if that wasn't cool enough, 360 umbrellas hang from the ceiling to represent Hollywood glamor. There's also an awesome basketball court. Relieve the stress of the work environment with a twenty minute hoop session, and your productivity increases on its own.

5. Quid

Quid did not have a lot of money to decorate, so they budgeted 25,000 dollars. It worked. They created a cozy office with paint splatters on the wall that represent the creativity of each of their workers. They also purchased furniture from flea markets, which creates the feeling of a home away from home.

6. Google

There is a life size mural of NYC taxis in the Google East Coast office. There's also a soundproof room filled with guitars and drums. Series of code decorate the walls here, where most of the workers are coders themselves. It is heaven for nerds everywhere, who can gain great release by using the sound proof room to keep the creativity flowing.

7. Quirky

This office is another creative, low budget design. The receptionist's desk is furnished from old high school lockers, the experts from Vaughan Metal Polishing Ltd. say it was a great move to channel the look they were going for in their building. The design table is the centerpiece of the room and a soft purple glow comes from the ceiling lights. The stress level is lowered thanks to the quirky designs and the softer lighting. Workers benefit greatly through this design.

8. AirBnB

This office space is decorated to represent its listings. There are Hong Kong apartments, stuffed gazelles and PanAm signs throughout. Most of the conference rooms are designed to give employees a feel for where the clients are staying. This helps employees keep their minds open and provide only the best destinations for any paying customer.

9. Twitter

Not to be outdone by Google, Twitter added a deck and rooftop garden to its West Coast office. Employees celebrate summer with a grill on this deck. Employees are welcome to help with the gardening, which can be very therapeutic. Twitter has figured out that happy employees equal productive employees.

10. Urban Outfitters

This office was once the home of a run down Navy yard. The founder of the company bought four run down buildings and turned them into his headquarters. The result was an up cycle project which reflected the industrial feel of the product. Workers pass by old shipyard equipment as they proceed to their work stations.