Last Updated on March 23, 2024 by Saira Farman
Over the past year, workers have spent more time in their home offices than at their work buildings. As things start to reopen and return to normal, businesses are incentivizing workers to get back to the office. However, if there’s one thing the past year at home has illustrated, it’s that the traditional office environment is more than a bit depressing.
So, how can you improve interior office designs for the new normal? Here are some of the best office design trends for 2021 into 2022.
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Open Concept Continues to Reign
The age of the cubicle, one of the absolute worst office design trends in history, is dead. Modern offices focus on open layouts and flexible arrangements. Rather than confining workers to small cubicles, recent trends in office design move towards “pod” setups.
These pods allow workers or teams to set up shop in their own corners of the office. Since mobility is a desired feature of the pod setup, office furniture in a modern company should have flexible purposes and be easy to relocate.
Make Work Feel Homier
Since employees have spent the last year or so working from their homes, the prospect of returning to a barren office can seem depressing. When was the last time you enjoyed sitting in cheap office chairs? Or a cheap leather couch surrounded by builder-grade flooring and fluorescent lights? Chances are, the answer to that question is “Never.”
If you’re wondering how to decorate an office that people will want to return to, you need to take your cues from living room designers. Think of the comfortable seating, low-sitting tables, plants, and intimate lighting you see in well-made living rooms. Focus on creating an intimate, cozy setting. This can be done even in an open-concept office. All you need to do is be intentional in your furniture arrangement. For further assistance figuring out how to match a homey environment with an open-concept workspace, contact the experts at Austin Office Space.
Bringing the Outside In
Working in a building with few windows or any view of the outside can have disastrous effects on employee morale. So, as part of modern office design, many businesses try to bring the outside in. This can take the form of living office plants or a greater emphasis on natural lighting.
However, another way to bring the outside to your employees is through the clever use of natural color schemes. Greens, browns, dark oranges, and wood tones can accomplish the same effect while also having a calming effect on employees.
Light Up the Room With Lighter Colors
Darker, more dramatic colors have a moment in interior design for the home due to their ability to create a smaller, more intimate feeling. However, for offices, darker colors can feel constricting and smothering. So, many office interior designs incorporate lighter colors for an open, airy feel.
Plus, light, neutral colors like mid-toned greys and whites can allow brand-relevant colors to pop, especially if your brand uses attention-grabbing shades like orange or red to excite and entice customers.
Textured Elements to Bring Comfort and Interest
One of the main reasons why interior office designs of the past looked and felt so depressing is their homogeneity. The spaces didn’t look customized, lived-in, or have any real visual interest. You had the same wall paint, the same carpet or plank flooring, and the same non-treated windows all throughout.
Part of this was due to the previous big office design trend of minimalism. Now, however, people crave more visual and textural interest in their workspaces. You can do this by layering patterns of rugs or testing out interesting prints.
Clear Signage Remains Important
If there’s one thing the pandemic rendered clear, it’s the importance of clear signage on company policies. Any ambiguity in terms of what’s expected of workers or consumers leaves the door open for all manner of arguments. Businesses need clear, concise signage to reflect not only their COVID policies but their general rules as well.
Constant, consistent reminders make your employees more likely to internalize the messages and follow the policies. This can avoid repeated policy reminder emails, reducing office frustration levels.
Connectivity Is Key
Most businesses these days are pursuing a hybrid model with some of their workers in-office and the rest going remote. As such, improving the connectivity of the office is crucial. So, modern office interior designs focus on reducing barriers to office connectivity. This can include sleek, hidden wiring. Alternatively, it can mean furnishing employees with dedicated work technology to keep them from being chained to their desks.
It also means reducing the number of hard walls to interfere with wireless connections. Or running cloud server solutions to make work more accessible and more portable. The ability to move your work with you is the future. Don’t miss out on it.
Improving Acoustics
The last important office design trend that we should discuss is improved acoustics. More businesses than ever are holding teleconferences and video conferences. As such, open-concept offices can grow noisy and muddled in a hurry. So, modern businesses need to invest in flooring and windows that reduce noise and echo.
After all, if only the IT department holds a meeting, the rest of the office does not need to hear their itinerary. Plus, there’s no more annoying sound than a climate control unit whirring in the background while you’re trying to pay attention to the meeting.
Looking for More Office Interior Designs?
There are many cues that modern office interior designs can take from the past year of working from home. Workers value comfort, safety, consistency, and freedom. If you’re willing to make your office feel more like home, you’ll have more motivated, productive workers who want to return to the office.
A Quick Overview
- In 2023, offices have transformed from traditional cubicle farms to modern, functional, and stylish spaces that inspire creativity, collaboration, and productivity. Office interior designs are now more focused on the needs and preferences of the workforce, with an emphasis on comfort, flexibility, and sustainability.
- Minimalism is a popular design trend in 2023, with offices adopting a clean and clutter-free look. Simple color schemes, sleek furniture, and minimal decor create a minimalist office environment that fosters clarity, focus, and calmness.
- Biophilic design is a concept that seeks to connect people with nature through the use of natural elements like plants, water, and natural lighting. In 2023, the biophilic design will be a popular trend in office interiors, with designers using plant walls, greenery, and natural materials to create a calm, soothing, and productive environment.
- Flexibility and adaptability Offices are increasingly adopting flexible and adaptable designs that can accommodate different work styles, tasks, and preferences. Open-plan spaces, breakout areas, movable walls, and adjustable furniture are just a few examples of how offices are becoming more versatile and accommodating.
- Technology integration Technology has revolutionized the way we work, and offices are adapting by integrating technology into their design. In 2023, offices will be equipped with state-of-the-art tools and equipment, such as virtual reality rooms, smart boards, and wireless charging stations, to facilitate communication, collaboration, and productivity.
- Sustainable design Sustainability is a key consideration in office interior designs, with offices seeking to reduce their carbon footprint and promote eco-friendliness. In 2023, sustainable materials like recycled wood, LED lighting, and energy-efficient systems will be commonly used in office designs.
Did you find this article about modern office design useful? Would you like to read more about this or other interior design needs? If so, then check out the Lifestyle section of our blog. We update each day with more helpful and informative content like this!
Read More: Here Are the Top Interior Design Trends to Look Out for in 2022
Apart from that, if you are interested to know about Implementing Social Distance in Your Office Space then visit our Business category.
