Creating a place where people actually want to work

There's a particular feeling you get in some spaces where you just want to stay. You weren't planning to work long, but the space draws you in. You're more productive. Time passes differently. You actually feel good.

Then there are spaces where you can't wait to leave. The Wi-Fi is fine, the desk is adequate, but something about the environment drains you. You're there because you have to be, not because you want to be.

The difference has everything to do with how the space is designed and how it makes you feel.

What We're Actually Looking For When We Look for "Workspace"

We think we're looking for practical things: reliable Wi-Fi, a comfortable desk, a place to plug in.

But what we're actually looking for is a place where we can do good work and feel okay while we're doing it. We're looking for an environment that supports focus but doesn't isolate us. We want good coffee and pleasant surroundings. We want to feel like someone cares whether we're comfortable.

Most coworking spaces provide the first list. Very few provide the second.

The Difference Plants Make

This might sound overstated, but working surrounded by thriving plants changes your experience. Scientifically, natural elements reduce stress and increase focus. But beyond the science, there's something psychological about being in a space full of greenery.

It feels different. It feels calmer. You're not in a sterile box; you're in something living and growing. That changes your mood. It makes the space feel nurturing rather than utilitarian.

And if the space is visibly cared for—with 70+ plants that are all thriving—you feel that care. It's like the space is saying: we invest in making this beautiful because we believe it matters.

Why the Coffee Quality Actually Matters

You spend significant hours in a coworking space. Presumably, you'll have coffee multiple times whilst you're there.

If the coffee is mediocre, it's a small but consistent disappointment. Every time you have a coffee, you're reminded: this place is about efficiency, not quality.

If the coffee is genuinely excellent—made with care by someone who knows what they're doing—it becomes part of your experience of the space. That first cup in the morning sets a good tone. The midday coffee gives you a genuine break and a moment of care.

And when someone remembers how you like it and brings it to your desk, that's not just nice. That's the difference between feeling like a customer and feeling like a person who matters.

The Role of Attentiveness

One person working in a coworking space described it this way: "They took my order and brought it over to my desk. They also gave me a large jug of water, which they refilled constantly throughout the day."

That's attentiveness. Not overbearing, just noticing and anticipating. You don't run out of water because someone is paying attention. You don't have to chase someone down for your coffee because it's brought to you.

That level of attentiveness changes how you feel in the space. You feel looked after. And when you feel looked after, you actually work better.

Creating Spaces for Different Types of Work

Good coworking spaces understand that people need different types of space for different types of work. Sometimes you need deep focus. Sometimes you want to be around other people but doing your own thing. Sometimes you want to collaborate.

A space designed with this in mind feels much more functional than one that's just "desks in a room."

You might have a quiet area for focused work. You might have more open areas where casual collaboration can happen. You might have a lounge area where people can take a mental break.

And when those different zones are designed with personality and care—with plants, with good lighting, with thought—you want to work in them.

The Unexpected Value of Quirky Character

Here's something that might seem counterintuitive: a space full of quirky character and personality is actually more conducive to good work than a generic, minimalist corporate space.

The quirky character makes the space less sterile. It makes it feel less like a processing facility. It makes you want to be there.

And when a space has visible personality, it often means someone cares about it. That care extends to everything—the plants are thriving, the coffee is excellent, the maintenance is good.

What it Feels Like to Be Known

One significant detail that comes up often: in a good coworking space, people remember you. They know your name. They remember how you take your coffee.

That simple acknowledgement—of you as a person, not as a desk number—changes the experience entirely. You're not anonymous. You're seen.

For people who work remotely or who work alone a lot, that acknowledgement matters. It creates connection. It makes the space feel less lonely.

The Efficiency That Comes from Care

Interestingly, spaces that prioritise care and attentiveness are also genuinely efficient. Things work well. Wi-Fi is reliable. Equipment is maintained. Coffee appears without you having to ask.

It's not that efficiency and care are in tension. It's that when someone cares about your experience, they also care about making sure everything works properly.

When You Compare It to Everything Else

People who've worked in coworking spaces across multiple countries often say the same thing: they've not found anywhere else like the space that actually cares about them.

One person said: "Having worked for a few different startups, I've been to several coworking spaces across the UK, including the well known big names, and the Curious Lounge exceeds all of them by a long shot."

When people compare a space to all the alternatives they've experienced, and they still prefer this one by a significant margin, that tells you something. That tells you the space is fundamentally different.

The Community That Emerges

When you have a space where people genuinely feel welcomed and cared for, something interesting happens. The other people in the space are also welcoming and warm. A community forms naturally.

You're not in competition with the other people there. You're not deliberately avoiding eye contact. You're genuinely friendly with each other. People look out for each other.

That community changes the experience of working there. You're not alone. You're part of something.

What This Means for Choosing Your Workspace

If you're choosing a coworking space, think about what you actually want your experience to be like. Not just functionally, but emotionally and psychologically.

Do you want to feel cared for or just accommodated? Do you want to be in beautiful surroundings or adequately functional ones? Do you want to feel part of a community or anonymous?

Then choose a space that delivers that. The space you choose shapes how you feel about your work. It shapes your productivity. It shapes your wellbeing.

The right space doesn't just provide a desk. It actually makes you want to be there.