A coworking space or startup office lives or dies on first impressions in a way a traditional corporate office doesn't — new members, investors, and clients walk through constantly, and generic motivational-poster decor reads as an afterthought. A bold, graphic piece that fits a narrow wall, needs no glass to maintain, and can carry either your brand's personality or your own art collection solves a specific set of problems this environment creates.
Why This Environment Suits the Format Especially Well
Three things make coworking and startup offices a genuinely strong fit, more so than a conventional corporate office. First, the audience is self-selecting — people choosing a coworking space or a startup job already skew toward wanting personality and design-forward spaces over neutral corporate decor, so a bolder piece reads as intentional rather than unprofessional. Second, these spaces get heavy daily traffic and frequent cleaning, and the glassless, matte surface handles that better than a framed print behind glass. Third, many coworking operators and startups lease rather than own their space, so mounting hardware that goes up and comes down without permanent wall damage matters more here than in a permanent corporate HQ.
The Three Formats and Real Pricing
Single
85×20cm, €140
Diptych
171×20cm, €230
Triptych
256×20cm, €310
Measure the clear wall segment before choosing a format: roughly 50cm minimum for a single, 100cm for a diptych, 150cm for a triptych, with margin either side. A common mistake in office fit-outs is treating wall art as an afterthought during the final decorating pass, when the wall dimensions were already fixed by earlier design decisions — measuring early avoids discovering too late that a favourite piece won't fit the available wall.
Matching Subject to Company Culture
Iridescent Fish (original artist collaboration)
Suits a playful, design-conscious brand
Caravaggio's Medusa (classical reproduction)
Suits a founder who wants gravitas over playfulness
Blueprint Bust (limited edition, monochrome)
Suits a minimalist, design-studio aesthetic
A shared coworking space serving many different companies usually does better with subject matter that doesn't carry a strong specific viewpoint — classical reproductions or abstract/pattern-based contemporary pieces work across a broader range of member companies than something with a very specific cultural reference. A single startup's own dedicated office has more room to pick something that reflects the founders' particular taste, since there's no need to appeal to unrelated tenants sharing the space.
Custom Options: Logos, Brand Colours, and Team Photos
Beyond the standard catalogue, a custom photo-to-deck option lets you turn your own image into a piece — a brand mark, a team photo, an image tied to your company's identity or founding story — in the same single, diptych, or triptych formats. The same crop logic applies as with any custom order: a tightly-composed logo or portrait suits a single deck, while a wider composition or a multi-panel brand statement benefits from the extra width of a diptych or triptych.
Practical Installation for a Leased Office
Most coworking operators and startups lease their space rather than own it, which changes what's sensible to install. Each piece ships with mounting hardware and mounts the same simple way regardless of format, but if your lease restricts drilling into walls (a common clause in shared coworking buildings), see our no-drill display guide for alternatives that avoid wall anchors entirely. Where drilling is permitted, solid walls take a standard screw and wall plug; plasterboard/drywall needs a stud or a cavity fixing rated for the actual weight, not a light-picture-frame fixing. For a multi-deck set, keep the 5cm gap between panels consistent and all panels level — misalignment is more visible across a wider span in a space people walk past daily.
Durability in a High-Traffic Shared Space
Coworking spaces and open-plan startup offices see more daily foot traffic, more furniture rearranging, and more incidental contact than a private home. The maple construction and glassless matte surface handle that better than a framed print behind glass — no glass to crack if a piece gets bumped moving furniture, and the surface wipes clean without special products. It isn't independently rated to a specific commercial durability standard, so positioning a piece away from the busiest walkway or a spot where chairs regularly bump the wall is still worth doing regardless of the material.
Budgeting for a Fit-Out or Ongoing Growth
For a first fit-out, a reasonable starting point is one or two pieces in the highest-visibility areas — the reception/entry wall that sets the first impression, and the main open-plan area where members or employees spend the most time. As a coworking space or startup grows into additional floors or rooms, pieces can be added incrementally room by room rather than needing to furnish everything in one pass; there's no bulk program to speak of, but ordering incrementally as the space grows works fine through standard checkout.
Comparing This to What Offices Usually Default To
| Skateboard wall art | Framed motivational print | Large canvas | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glass/glare risk | None (glassless) | Yes, behind glass | None |
| Durability to bumps | Hardwood maple | Fragile glass/frame | Can dent/tear |
| Fits narrow walls | Yes (20cm wide) | Rarely | Rarely |
| Distinctive vs generic | High | Low (common in offices) | Depends on image |
| Custom branding option | Yes | Sometimes | Yes |
The generic motivational print is the default precisely because it's inoffensive and cheap, not because it's memorable — and "inoffensive but forgettable" is rarely the goal for a company trying to project a distinct identity to new hires, clients, or investors walking through the space.
What It Signals to Clients and Investors
Walking a client or investor through the office is often the only physical impression they get of a company beyond a pitch deck or a video call, and generic decor communicates nothing about who you are. A distinctive piece — especially one that ties to the company's own story through a custom order, or reflects a deliberate aesthetic choice through the standard catalogue — gives visitors something concrete to remark on, in the same way a considered office layout or a well-chosen coffee setup does. It's a small detail, but small details are often what people actually remember from a single office visit.
Coordinating Across Multiple Office Locations
Startups with more than one office location sometimes want a recognisable thread across sites without requiring identical decor everywhere. Repeating one element — the same custom logo piece in each entryway, or consistently drawing from the same artist's collection across locations — gives multiple offices a coherent identity while still allowing each space's other decor to reflect its own layout and size. This matters more for companies actively building a consistent brand presence across locations than for a single-office startup furnishing one space.
Ordering for a Fit-Out Project
There's no confirmed trade account, bulk-discount, or business-account program — orders go through the standard checkout at standard pricing regardless of how many pieces are ordered together or separately. For a fit-out with a fixed opening date, it's worth reaching out directly before ordering to confirm timelines, since production and fulfillment run through partners in the US and Europe and lead times vary by what's ordered.
Setting Honest Expectations
Two things worth being direct about. First, this is decorative art for the space, not a business asset — it doesn't appreciate, and there's no case for including it as anything but a straightforward office expense. Second, no specific fade-resistance or commercial durability figure is quoted, since the inks haven't been independently tested to a stated standard; the practical advice is the same as anywhere else — keep pieces out of sustained direct sunlight from office windows, and they hold up well under normal office conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does skateboard wall art suit a coworking or startup office better than a typical corporate office?
The audience in these spaces skews toward wanting personality and design-forward decor rather than neutral corporate defaults, so a bolder piece reads as intentional. The high daily traffic and frequent lease-based tenancy also make the glassless durability and no-drill mounting options more relevant than in a permanent, owned corporate HQ.
What size works best for a reception or entry wall?
Depends on the wall's actual width — measure first. A narrow entry corridor usually suits a single deck (85cm); a wider reception wall can support a diptych or triptych as a genuine statement piece.
Can we use our company logo or brand colours instead of the standard catalogue?
Yes, through the custom photo-to-deck option, in the same three formats. A tightly-composed logo suits a single deck; a wider brand statement or team photo may need a diptych or triptych to read properly.
Is it durable enough for a busy shared coworking space?
The maple construction and glassless surface handle daily foot traffic and incidental contact better than a framed print behind glass. It isn't rated to a specific commercial durability standard, so it's still worth positioning away from the busiest walkways.
Can we mount it without drilling if our lease doesn't allow it?
Yes — see our no-drill display guide for mounting options that avoid wall anchors, relevant for coworking leases that restrict wall modifications.
Does deckarts offer a business or bulk-order account?
No confirmed program exists — orders go through standard checkout at standard pricing regardless of quantity. For a fit-out with a fixed timeline, reach out directly before ordering to confirm lead times.
Should we pick classical art or something more contemporary for a shared coworking space?
For a space serving many different member companies, subject matter without a strong specific viewpoint (classical reproductions, abstract/pattern pieces) tends to appeal more broadly than something with a narrow cultural reference. A single company's own dedicated office has more freedom to pick something specific to its own taste.
How many pieces should we budget for in a first office fit-out?
One or two pieces in the highest-visibility areas — typically the entry/reception wall and the main open-plan area — is a reasonable starting point. Additional pieces can be added incrementally as the space or team grows.
Is this a good option for a founder or team photo wall?
Yes, through the custom photo option — a founding-team photo or a milestone image works in the same single/diptych/triptych formats as any other custom piece.
What's the cost compared to a standard framed office print?
€140 for a single deck, €230 for a diptych, €310 for a triptych, regardless of subject. Direct comparison to a specific framed print depends on that piece's own size and framing costs, which vary too widely to generalize.
Should this be treated as a business investment for accounting purposes?
It's a straightforward decorative/office expense, not an appreciating asset — there's no resale market to factor into any valuation. How it's categorized for tax purposes is a question for your own accountant.
Can we mix formats across different rooms in the same office?
Yes — a single deck in a narrow hallway, a diptych in a meeting room, and a triptych in the main open-plan area all draw from the same catalogue and can be ordered independently as the space is furnished.
Does the piece need special care in an office environment (dust, cleaning products)?
A dry or slightly damp cloth handles normal office dust. Avoid harsh solvents, and keep pieces out of direct sunlight from office windows where possible, the same advice as for any printed artwork.
Article summary
- Coworking spaces and startup offices suit the format especially well: a self-selecting design-forward audience, high daily traffic favouring glassless durability, and frequent lease-based tenancies favouring no-drill options.
- Three formats at real prices — single (€140), diptych (€230), triptych (€310) — sized 85/171/256cm; measure the wall before choosing.
- Shared coworking spaces serving multiple companies do better with broadly-appealing subject matter; a single startup's own office has more room for specific taste.
- A custom photo/logo option exists for brand-specific pieces in the same formats.
- No confirmed bulk/business account program exists — standard checkout and pricing apply regardless of order size.
- It's a decorative/office expense, not a business investment — no fade-resistance or durability rating is quoted.
About the Author
Stanislav Arnautov is the founder of deckarts, a graphic designer and print specialist originally from Ukraine, now based in Berlin, where he personally designs and prepares every deck. Follow on Instagram or visit stasarnautov.com.
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