It’s the beginning of a whole new decade, and with that comes the inevitable advancement of the design world. More specifically, design trends within the office interior design industry are expected to change drastically, in order to keep up with our quickly altering work-related habits. We’re always up to date with the latest interior design trends, so we’ve compiled a list of the most intriguing ones for you to look over.
Enhanced Work-Life Integration
The new decade is expected to invite office design trends that focus on the increased intertwining of our working lives with our home lives.
Many companies are smoothly aiding the combination of a work-life balance within the workplace itself by transforming their office spaces. The inclusion of facilities such as meditation rooms, gyms, cafes and other social spaces are encouraging employees to feel more at home within their workplace.
Office interior design trends for 2020 have a domestic living feel. Break rooms are expected to become more representative to the kitchens and dining rooms you might find in one’s home, while comfortable furniture and seating arrangements evoke a sense of informality within the workplace.
Keeping Nature in Mind
While adding elements influenced by nature was a constant trend throughout the last decade, the idea isn’t going anywhere for the next decade. In fact, it’s being intensified. Due to our growing concerns for the environment, most businesses are making visible efforts to portray their environmentally conscious ideals. In many ways, this starts within the office workspace.
Texture is a key element to this trend. The dull, plastic partitions of the past are fast being replaced with organic, textural materials that bring the outdoors inside. This makes the whole environment feel less sterile and adds character to any workspace. The whole trend itself aims to induce a sense of harmony between the indoor and outdoor worlds, bringing elements of the outdoors into the office wherever possible.
Natural lighting is utilised wherever it can be, which refreshes employee’s minds and stimulates them to do their best work. Plants are becoming more and more popular within office workspaces, promoting a sensation of ‘wellness’ amongst employees. But plants aren’t just limited to being placed on the floor this year.
Paying for physical location spaces isn’t cheap, so businesses are finding alternative ways to showcase their love for plants. Hanging greenery is another trend, where vivid plants are suspended from ceilings above workspaces, while wall gardens are also a thriving update to the industry. One trend even suggests that more businesses will encourage their employees to work outdoors.
Adaptability & Dynamics
Flexibility plays a crucial role in the new office design trends of 2020.
Office furniture with moving and adaptable parts is a whole new trend for the decade. Adding modular elements to office furniture means it can be easily adapted to suit new tasks or people. Standing desks have already become increasingly popular, as the idea that sitting down at a desk all day isn’t healthy gained momentum recently. The idea of modular furniture allows offices to provide functional, adaptable equipment for their teams.
This becomes particularly handy when considering the growing efforts to be inclusive of mental and physical difficulties within the workplace. Modular elements can be switched and moved around in order to make furniture more accessible for a wheelchair user, for example. Dynamic work rooms with moving partitions can also provide private spaces for those who need a little time on their own to focus. This trend has amazing capabilities for the future of office workspaces, allowing people to adjust their environment in a way that suits them best.
The idea of dynamic working isn’t solely limited to the physical workplace, either. Companies are adapting to their employee’s needs by implementing whole new ways of operating their businesses. Flexible working has been steadily gaining credence throughout the past decade, rewarding employees with more freedom. Agile working is also having its moment in the world of workplace fame. It’s expected that even more companies will make the switch to agile working in the next couple of years, so this trend is going nowhere.
Bold, Unexpected Colours
We all know that employees perform best when stimulated by their surroundings, and colour plays a key role in this. Vibrant colours for the office are still in, and they’re expected to stick around for a long time due to the positive effects they have on employee productivity. However, 2020 is a whole new decade for us to play around with.
Colour begins to break boundaries within the office, making the workplace fun and adding an element of excitement to workspaces. Unexpected colours are becoming more on-trend, as designers are free to push the limits with regards to the modern workspace; much like businesses are trying to prompt their employees to do.
Using a singular colour related to the company’s brand is also in. While we know the benefits of incorporating elements of your branding into the office workspace, the trend has shifted slightly. Now, selecting one shade and using this in a monochromatic manner throughout working areas is becoming popular. The colour can be used in varying shades and tones, giving a strong and structured feel to any workspace.
Encouraging a Community Feel
The evolution of the workplace is still focused on the trend of encouraging a community vibe amongst employees. Company culture has always been an important factor in employee morale, staff retention and work engagement levels.
Communal areas are expected to become an even bigger trend this year, with social environments weaved in. Employees aren’t just expected to communicate with one another in a work-related context; businesses want to enhance the feeling that they are a family, and that they’re all working together to reach the same goal.
- Work-Life Shifts
The lines between home and work are becoming increasingly blurred, as comfort, social spaces and leisure facilities are integrated into the workspace.
- Nature Infused Environments
Environmentally conscious textures and greenery is in, more so than ever. Some companies are even moving workspaces outdoors.
- Dynamic, Modular Spaces
Adaptability becomes key. Functional, modular furniture is designed to suit any user or task, providing huge capabilities, particularly for disabled employees.
- A New Twist on Colour
Monochromatic brand colours are in, alongside pops of unexpected hues.
- Communal Focus
As always, the focus on a community spirit is enhanced for 2020. Social spaces, communal working areas and company culture all play a key role.