Contemporary office furniture and design trends are a work of art. The days when employees would work within dull-colored, lifeless walls and tiny cubicles packed tight under harsh fluorescent lights are a thing of the past.
Instead, modern workplaces now welcome open, collaborative spaces lit by natural sunlight and splashes of color that garner creativity and boost morale. This helps keep employees happy and comfortable, allowing them to work to their full potential, and increasing overall productivity at the workplace.
In this article, we will talk about the top contemporary office furniture and design trends to help you remodel your workplace into something more efficient for your workers.
Why is Keeping Up with Design Trends Important?
If you expect your employees to produce good quality work, you must first cater to their interests and ensure that the office allows them to do just that. There is a reason why workplaces all over the world adopt office furniture and design trends. These help design offices that encourage professional and personal growth, giving employees a reason to love their workplace.
Even though you might think that incorporating design trends is not a huge deal, keep in mind that your team will benefit largely from these. Over time, these designs have managed to cater to the needs of employees as they change and develop. Most contemporary office furniture pieces help make work life easier while boosting productivity.
Providing a good environment for employees benefits employers in the long run. The more interactive a workplace is, the more team members will want to contribute and be a part of it. They will work wholeheartedly and be as invested in the results as you are.
Difference between Traditional and Contemporary Office Designs
Traditional offices usually have strictly assigned work areas with partitioned walls everywhere so that employees cannot interact with each other. The colors of the walls are gloomy, and the office furniture is plain and boring. Moreover, the décor is outdated, and there are no lounge spaces for employees to catch their breath. Workers almost feel like they are stuck in an institute that garners zero creativity.
On the other hand, modern offices allow co-working spaces and use color psychology to ensure that employees are happy and comfortable. Many eco-friendly and natural elements make office life easier, along with ergonomic furniture pieces that maintain the well-being of employees. The décor is modern and colorful, and there are lounge and recreational spaces to allow employees to recharge. Overall, the offices have a homey feel, with lots of natural light keeping workers attentive and sharp.
Contemporary Office Furniture and Design Trends to Look Out For
Do you think that trends are always changing and you have a hard time keeping up with them? Here are eight design trends that you can incorporate in your workplace to yield results.
Refine Private Cubicles
For decades, private cubicles have been a part of the traditional workplace. Cubicles are known to help employees concentrate on their projects without being disturbed by fellow employees. Today, the need for social distancing and privacy has increased significantly.
However, open offices have also started to gain increased popularity. They allow employees to communicate and learn from one another while concentrating on their work. Privacy pods are a great option for workplaces that require their employees to concentrate on their work. This will allow them to work without any distractions. Single-person pods can also be installed, along with group pods to encourage discussion.
Build Interactive Lounges
Staying home for 2 years during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has taught the world the importance of social interaction. Whether this means interacting about work or talking to co-workers personally, every worker requires this interaction from time to time. Interactive lounges can help encourage employee engagement, giving them a spot for recreational activities.
The lounges you set up should be filled with light and spread out so that no one feels suffocated or short of air. Moreover, the design needs to be such that these lounges are engaged and encourage conversation. You can also add some accessories such as a gaming table for table tennis, pool, or foosball to break the ice between employees.
We assure you that there is nothing better than allowing employees to blow off some steam and get to know each other to increase morale and productivity.
Incorporate Natural Light and Plants
Numerous studies prove that interacting with nature alerts the senses and helps keep you fresh and awake. Of course, we do not recommend that you bring an entire garden to the workplace but instead place a couple of indoor plants in every office corner. You can also renovate the workplace to incorporate living green walls. This is a wonderful way to reflect well-being and style. There is no denying that the color green is known to be calming and may have great psychological effects on stressed-out employees.
Moreover, you can also design your office space with a number of windows and glass doors to let the natural sunlight in. Natural light helps keep employees active, increasing productivity in the workplace. Now is the time to ditch your old fluorescent lights and embrace nature.
Be as Sustainable as Possible
Contemporary office furniture and design trends are not just about looks but also sustainability. Materials like wool and stone would make the office space aesthetic while ensuring that your workers enjoy a healthy work area. Hence, it is important to start choosing office furniture that is free of chemicals and does not emit any dangerous odors.
You can also use these sustainable materials on your floors and walls. For example, use bamboo to make your office floors durable and a breeze to maintain. The best part is that you will be able to enjoy sustainability as well as accent.
Allow More Functional Spaces
Gone are the days when employees would only need a single executive chair and table to work. Today, functional spaces have taken the world by storm. This means incorporating ergonomics, and maneuverable, and lightweight furniture pieces that promise comfort and functionality.
One such example of this furniture includes standing desks. Sitting for longer periods of time is not recommended by professionals. It harms posture and can lead to several illnesses, such as chronic back pain and eye strain. Standing also helps burn more calories than sitting, which means that regardless of their desk jobs, the likelihood of employees remaining healthy is high.
Throw in Monochromatic Color Schemes
Currently, design trends are all about color combinations and monochromatic color aesthetics. This means that even by using a single color, you can extend it to several shades and tones to add more depth to your office space, creating the illusion of it being bigger than it might be.
Whether you are trying to create a home office or a regular workplace for your employees, we recommend choosing a single color and playing with different shades. You can also add some neutrals to make your office exactly how you want it to look.
Add Some Cozy Vibes
Did you know that the current trends include domesticated workstations? You can add some neutral-colored couches with vibrant pillows, woven carpets, and even some aesthetic flower pots to create a wonderful ambiance for your workplace. Along with contemporary office furniture, your workers will fall in love with the place and will enjoy completing their work surrounded by creativity.
Moreover, cozy vibes at the workplace will instill a sense of comfort and frankness in your workers. They will feel at ease, even if the work is stressful, allowing them to concentrate on their work and hence, increasing productivity levels at the firm.
Don't Forget to Choose Comfort
Contemporary office furniture and design trends are great, but this does not mean that you have to forego the comfort factor. If you plan to renovate your office space, keep in mind that all your accessories need to be comfortable so that employees do not feel trapped.
Ergonomic chairs and desks are necessary to keep employees healthy and safe in the workplace. In the long run, their bodies will be in better shape, they will not experience any discomfort or pain, and you will see an overall drop in the number of sick days each employee takes.
Conclusion
Studies have shown that an office space's interior design and ergonomics can help increase focus and productivity. The truth is that workers require private and interactive spaces, depending on the kind of tasks they are focusing on.
Contemporary office furniture and design trends are taking the world by storm because employers recognize that taking care of a worker's physical and mental health has become necessary to ensure good morale and higher productivity.
