Denver’s office landscape doesn’t look the way it did in 2019, and most facility managers we talk to have spent the last few years trying to make pre-pandemic furniture work for a fundamentally different way of working. The traditional 8×8 cubicle farm is gone. So is the all-open-plan bench layout that replaced it in the mid-2010s. What’s replacing both is a hybrid-first design – fewer assigned seats, more shared collaboration zones, more privacy on demand – and most Denver offices are getting there by reconfiguring what they already own rather than buying entirely new furniture.
At MORE, Inc., we’ve been installing, moving, and reconfiguring office furniture for Denver-area employers since 1990. This post breaks down what hybrid workspace reconfiguration actually looks like in 2026, why so many Front Range companies are doing it now, how to plan a successful project, and where the most common (and most expensive) mistakes happen.
What “Workspace Reconfiguration” Actually Means
Reconfiguration is the process of taking the furniture and panels you already own and redeploying them into a new floorplan. It sits between two more familiar options:
- Buying all-new furniture (highest cost, longest lead times, most disruption)
- Doing nothing and tolerating the existing layout (zero cost, but real cost in employee productivity, recruiting, and lease decisions)
- Reconfiguration sits in the middle: reusing 60–90% of existing inventory while strategically supplementing with new pieces – typically at one-third to one-half the cost of a full refurnishing project
Most modular workstation systems were designed to be reconfigurable from the start. Panels, work surfaces, and storage components mix and match across line types and even brand families with the right transition hardware. The catch is that doing it well requires careful inventory, a real space plan, and an installation crew that’s done it many times before.
Why Denver Offices Are Reconfiguring Right Now
A handful of structural shifts are driving Front Range reconfiguration projects in 2026:
Hybrid Attendance Has Settled In
Two- to three-day in-office attendance has become the most common pattern for Denver employers. That changes the math on individual workstations: companies don’t need one assigned desk per employee when most days only 40–60% of staff are in. Many offices are converting fixed workstations to neighborhood-style or unassigned seating, shrinking individual footprints in exchange for more collaboration space.
Lease Decisions Are Forcing Layout Changes
A lot of Denver-area companies signed leases pre-pandemic for square footage they no longer need. As those leases come up, employers are either downsizing (which requires consolidating furniture) or trading larger Class B space for smaller Class A space (which requires reconfiguring for a different floorplate).
Sustainability and Budget Pressure
Reusing existing furniture instead of disposing and replacing it carries a meaningful sustainability story – and avoids the supply-chain timelines and shipping costs of all-new furniture. Many Denver employers want a refresh, not a rip-and-replace.
Return-to-Office Recruiting Pressure
Companies asking employees to come in more often need to make the office worth coming to. Aging benching, fluorescent-lit cubes, and zero focus rooms are no longer competitive. Reconfiguration is the fastest path to a more inviting space.
5 Common Hybrid Reconfiguration Projects We See in Denver
1. Converting Assigned Workstations to Unassigned (“Hot Desking”)
Existing 6×6 or 8×8 workstations are reorganized into neighborhood pods. Pedestals are removed in favor of shared day lockers; assigned monitors are replaced with universal docking. Headcount per workstation goes from 1:1 down to roughly 1.4–1.8 employees per seat.
2. Adding Huddle Rooms and Phone Booths
Hybrid employees take video calls all day. Open floors without privacy create noise and frustrate visiting staff. Adding pre-fabricated phone booths or rebuilding underused offices into 2–4 person huddle rooms is one of the highest-ROI changes we install.
3. Expanding Collaboration Zones
Lounges, project tables, standing collaboration areas, and writable surfaces are replacing some of the workstation density. We often relocate existing benching to create the room.
4. Consolidating Departments After Downsizing
When a company moves from a full floor to a half floor (or two floors to one), the existing furniture has to be inventoried, sized to the new space, and partly disposed of. We routinely manage these transitions including the donation, resale, or recycling of excess inventory.
5. Retrofitting for Height-Adjustable Desks
Many of the panel systems installed in the early 2010s can be retrofitted with sit/stand work surfaces without replacing the panels themselves. This is one of the most popular upgrades we install – it modernizes the space dramatically with relatively low spend.
Reconfiguration vs. New Furniture vs. Full Relocation: Choosing the Right Path
A quick decision matrix:
- Reconfiguration is the right call when 60%+ of your existing furniture is in serviceable condition, your brand is the same, and the floorplate isn’t changing dramatically.
- New furniture is justified when furniture is more than 15–20 years old, the brand identity is changing, or systems are no longer supported by manufacturers (parts unavailable).
- Full relocation is the right call when you are changing buildings. Reconfiguration is typically combined with the move.
In real-world projects, most Denver companies do some of each: 70–85% reused, 15–30% new pieces strategically supplementing.
Planning a Workspace Reconfiguration: Step by Step
Step 1: Inventory What You Have
We document every panel, work surface, pedestal, file, task chair, and monitor arm. Manufacturer, line, color, condition. This is the single most-skipped step in DIY reconfigurations and the #1 cause of cost overruns.
Step 2: Establish a Block Plan
A block plan defines the major neighborhoods and traffic patterns. This is the right moment to involve HR and department heads – not after furniture is moved. We work with your space planner or interior designer, or bring one in if you don’t have one.
Step 3: Develop a Detailed Floorplan
Each workstation, room, and shared zone is drawn to scale with the actual furniture you own. Electrical and IT cabling is mapped against the floorplan.
Step 4: Sequence and Phase the Work
In an occupied office, work usually happens after hours or in phases by department. A good installer can keep more than half the office productive while the other half is being reconfigured.
Step 5: Address Surplus Furniture
Reconfiguration almost always produces surplus pieces. Your installer should give you options: storage for future use, donation to a Denver-area nonprofit, resale through a furniture broker, or recycling. Don’t let surplus pieces sit in a corner for two years.
Modular Workstation Systems We Work With Most Often
In the Denver market we frequently handle reconfiguration, panel-up, and stack-out work on:
- Haworth (Compose, Premise, Places)
- Steelcase (Answer, Avenir, Kick)
- Herman Miller (AO2, AO3, Canvas)
- Knoll (Reff, Morrison, AutoStrada)
- Kimball (Cetra, Xsite, Footprint)
- Allsteel (Concensys, Stride, Terrace)
A small but real share of mid-2000s installs in Denver involve discontinued or legacy lines whose parts are no longer available from the manufacturer. We maintain relationships with secondary-market sources to keep these layouts viable longer than most facility managers expect.
Common Pitfalls That Blow Up Reconfiguration Projects
- Skipping the inventory step and assuming “they’re all the same panels” – they’re almost never all the same panels
- Underestimating IT/cabling work; new locations need new drops and power whips
- No protection plan for elevators, corridors, and finishes during the move
- Ignoring building rules – most Denver Class A buildings require certificates of insurance, after-hours coordination, and union floor labor
- Forgetting ergonomics – sit/stand retrofits without proper monitor arms cause new complaints, not fewer
- No plan for surplus pieces
- Not communicating timelines to employees – the office is a workplace, and surprise change creates resistance even for genuinely better layouts
The MORE, Inc. Approach to Hybrid Reconfiguration
We’ve been a Denver Better Business Bureau Gold Star Member since 2002 and have been installing, moving, and reconfiguring office furniture across the Front Range since 1990. From our 27,000-square-foot facility off I-70, our team of 50+ full-time professionals brings 500+ years of combined experience to every project. Every reconfiguration project includes a dedicated project manager, a written scope of work with phased timelines, careful inventory of your existing furniture, daily floor protection, after-hours work as needed, and a clear plan for any surplus inventory.
We work with facility managers, interior designers, dealers, and end-user clients directly. Most of our reconfiguration projects are completed with minimal disruption to daily business operations – because that’s the entire point of bringing in a specialty installer instead of running a project internally.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a typical reconfiguration take?
A single department or 20–40 workstations usually takes one to two weekends. Full-floor reconfigurations of 100+ stations are typically completed in phases over two to six weeks, with most of the office remaining productive throughout.
Can you work after hours and weekends?
Yes. Most occupied-office reconfigurations happen after hours, on weekends, or on a phased basis. Our crews are experienced working night shifts under building security and elevator restrictions.
Do you handle IT and cabling work?
We coordinate with your IT vendor and electrician, and we handle the physical relocation of monitors, docking stations, peripherals, and patch cables. Building-side power and data drops are typically done by licensed electricians, which we coordinate with as part of the project.
What if I have surplus furniture I want to sell or donate?
We help you choose between resale through a furniture broker, donation to a Denver-area nonprofit (often with documentation for tax purposes), short-term warehousing for future re-use, or environmentally responsible recycling.
Do you offer storage between phases?
Yes. MORE maintains warehousing for short- and medium-term storage of furniture inventory while phased projects are underway.
Get a Reconfiguration Quote
If you’re looking at a lease decision, a return-to-office plan, or a refresh that you’d rather not turn into a full furniture replacement, reconfiguration is worth a real conversation. Most of our quotes start with a 30-minute site walk so we can see the inventory, the floorplate, and your goals.
Call MORE, Inc. at 303-371-4049 or request a quote online. We serve the Denver metro and the entire Front Range – BBB Gold Star Member since 2002, in business since 1990.