Our design team had a great time attending NeoCon 2021 in Chicago. We discovered all kinds of innovative design trends and made new connections. Now, we’re happy to share our 2022 design trends. Take a look, then give us a call. Our workplace design team would love to help!
1: Micro Spaces
The infamous open office floor plan was conceived in an effort to foster creativity and collaboration among team members. But the result is that they’re usually quiet, as employees try to avoid bothering each other with startling noise.
Micro spaces—such as pods, dens, or booths—create a comfortable, quiet, and less exposed environment for hard work. They can reduce distraction and the spread of illnesses. And they counter poor work-life balance by not pressuring staff to work long hours simply because they’re visible in an open office.
2: Flexible furniture
As teams return to work, don’t think about needing X desks for Y people.
Instead, consider how your space can be used to encourage different ways of working. Selecting furniture with multiple functions and mobility will give your team more control over their work experiences. It will also increase their productivity and boost their engagement.
3: Vertical real estate
We saw a heavy emphasis toward using vertical spaces—such as separation panels—to offer both beauty and function.
In addition to health safety protections, these panels can add pops of color or texture. And they’re much easier to install and re-adjust than a physical wall.
4: Resimercial inspiration
Resimercial is a furnishing style that brings the relaxed, homey feel of residential furniture into the workplace.
In order to draw your employees back into the office, you’ll need to take inspiration from the homes they’ve long been working in. Comfortable seating, soft ambient lighting, durable upholstery, and accessories like rugs and lamps are a must.
You can also consider dressing up furniture with stitching, adding conversation nooks, or even playing with gold accents.
5: Bold colors
Is gray’s moment really over? It appears designers are leaning toward beautiful pops of color.
How organizations combine colors can set the tone for a company’s culture. They can enhance whatever vision you’re after: calm, edgy, stately, innovative, or cheerful.
You may not want to spring for a bright, bold wall color just yet, but accessories are a flexible way to bring joyful comfort into your space.
6: Retro, 70’s style influence
The 70’s design style has long been reviled as an ugly mistake. But it represented an era of play and optimism—arguably something we could use a bit of today.
After years of minimalism and Scandinavian chic, a return to 70’s inspired design can be a great way to make your space more resimercial.
Try rattan furniture, retro lighting, macrame and crochet, and earthly, warm color schemes.
7: Acoustic materials
Offices have historically been designed for functionality, with desks increasing in size to accommodate our various technology.
But hard surfaces cause sounds to echo and magnify. And acoustics matter: unwanted noise is a common complaint in modern offices.
Desks and countertops account for much of the flat surfaces in offices. Use this space to your advantage by treating the unused space underneath them with ridged or pyramid foam. Add plants to absorb sound.
However, it turns out that creativity is dependent on the right level of noise; 70 decibels is the sweet spot. Consider white noise machines so your staff don’t hear every small sound or conversation.
8: Perch areas or touch down spaces
Employees are also looking for individual or small group touch down spaces. These are typically informal and laptop-centric—a place to quickly respond to an email between projects or meetings.
Try 4’ or 5’ worksurfaces with plug-ins for access to power. A rolling pedestal can hold a few files for storage or a wardrobe can hang a coat. Lounge furniture and social spaces foster community and belonging.
9: Rounded corners
Research has found that rounded shapes make spaces more inviting. In an experiment, rounded edges beat rectilinear ones by every measure; researchers state this stems from the threat of sharp edges or knives.
You can make your office more inviting through organic shapes and smooth, soft edges. This doesn’t just mean round tables. Try a sofa with a curved design!
10: Outdoor spaces
Fresh air enhances concentration, reduces stress, improves short-term memory, and boosts creativity.
As you re-design your office, factor in flexibility for indoor/outdoor settings. These can be used for board meetings, networking events, lunchtime getaways, and more.
Durable finishings, umbrellas and canopies, wifi and outlets, and ceiling fans or heat lamps should be incorporated.
There you have it! Our 2022 design trends for office spaces. Which one or two will you try first?
We’d love to help. Give us a call today to start brainstorming how we can collaboratively bring your vision to life!
