2019 design trends

2019 Commercial Design Trends

NeoCon 50 was all about the 2019 design trends hitting the commercial industry. Most of these trends have been filtering into office design via the hospitality industry, where a more den-like comfort zone has become a prominent aesthetic.

So let’s take a look at what’s coming and see where your office design could use a shuffle and a refresh. Fall is prime hiring season for a lot of industries. What can you do to make your business appealing to potential hires and keep your current team engaged? Thinking forward and mixing things up with some of these new trends might be just what you need.

2019 Office Design Trends

Comfort & Durability is busting out of the executive suite and inviting a more warm and welcoming atmosphere into the meeting spaces and common areas of the workspace. Plush sofas are replacing hard surface seating and the colors are going darker to promote a more elegant zen atmosphere for collaboration and conversation. The key players in this shift include:

  • Wood and leather
  • Plush upholstery
  • Updated flooring
  • Wall colors in deeper hues

Remember, if you decide to go darker, be aware of good lighting with these changes. Having the option to dim or brighten lighting as needed is important for darker wall colors and design elements to function well within workspace design.

Bringing the Outside Inside is continuing to become more prominent. Green walls in meeting spaces, reception areas and breakout spaces serve both aesthetic and air quality purposes. Other elements that fit into this trend include:

  • Natural wood surfaces like live edge conference tables and coffee bars in the breakroom
  • Wallcoverings and dramatic accents that bring in the textures and patterns found in nature
  • Water features with stones add a soothing acoustic experience for a space and can provide a white noise counterpoint by camouflaging sound in an open office design

This trend plays well with the industrial design aesthetic, toning down the hard lines and warming up the design. Plants enhance the contrast of textures in opposing materials while adding a contemporary focal point. Natural elements provide a chic upgrade at a very affordable cost.

Layering Rich Textures into the technology of the modern office is transforming workspace design into something more agile and fluid. Technology is becoming more subtle and integrated within furnishings and design. Incorporating contrasting textures allows for a lot more visual stimulation within a space. Here are some ways to achieve more texture:

  • Wood and natural materials are inspiring chairs that look modern and handcrafted
  • Partition walls can take on the appearance of wood grain
  • Wall decor made of brushed metal
  • Bold complementary colors create a strong contrast

Integrating rich layered textures not only makes a space more visually appealing, but it allows for a combination of sleek materials to coexist. So you can add to your existing office design, not discard and start over from scratch.

Unique Wallcoverings with natural organic textures and patterns are showing up in a modern interpretation as focal walls. The designs have no distinct line or clear repetition which creates a more natural look and feel within a space. Ways to incorporate more pattern include:

  • Organic modern patterns and metallic embellishments
  • Patterned acoustic wall coverings for sound masking
  • Modern bold geometric upholstery prints in block patterns with no visible pattern repeats

Multifunctional Spaces are making a broader statement within office design. The fixed work desk and position no longer apply. Some ways to integrate change into your office routine include:

  • Creating agile spaces that can adapt to the needs of the moment
  • Disbursing casual meeting spaces throughout the office
  • Repurposing underused spaces for leisure & relaxation with beautiful gardens or game rooms
  • Creating unique meeting environments for creative brainstorming
  • Coffee bar breakout areas where you can meet with a client or work away from your desk in a more relaxed setting

What lies ahead for your office is bold, colorful, multidimensional and playful. It’s exciting to see shapes previously unthinkable for offices or workspaces become a reality for the future of office design. Going to work is becoming more like home, more engaging and very interactive. We’d love to talk to you about incorporating some of these trends into your workspace.

For more inspiration visit us on FacebookPinterest, and Twitter!


erikaMEET ERIKA BARNES: Erika brings a lengthy retail management career to her furniture sales acumen. Her creative mind and excellent customer service will help you find the right solution to update your office for 2019. Connect with her by calling 888-910-3769 x131 or via email ebarnes@officefurniturenow.com.