5 OFFICE DÉCOR TRENDS OF 2021

2021 will see office furniture trends pioneering. 2021 will be a year of creativity, wellness and innovation. Our lifestyles, including our work lives were dramatically changed during 2020, and trends are catching up to reflect that. This article will cover the 5 trends we expect to be dominating the modern-day office this year.

Biophilic Design
Biophilic design is a subset of the wellbeing trend. It is important to bring in natural materials like wood, leather, greenery or cotton linen to your workspace, it brings a sense of peace and relaxation when you have to sit in front of your laptop for hours. Being around nature does us a lot of good, and when it comes to working in an office space, even the smallest nature-inspired details have been proven to help relieve stress, calm the mind, and provide a range of other mental benefits. If you’re lucky enough to have a lot of light in your office, there’s a ton of plants with air cleansing benefits. Even if you don’t, there’s low light, low maintenance plants like snake plants or prayer plants that are basically invincible and still provide the air cleansing benefits! It also makes the space more lively and homely.

Shared Office Spaces
In 2021, many people will be working a combination of at home and in the office. This is the evolution of shared office workplaces. Due to this shift, we see the traditional role of the office space evolve. Workers have largely embraced their home offices and have grown comfortable completing solo work in their own space. This makes shared office spaces great for getting out of the house and in a more professional setting if needed. While the digital world has enabled us to engage and to stay in touch, it can never replicate the physical interaction upon which we build relationships and create bonds with work colleagues. Many shared office spaces have board room or office space rentals by the hourly basis to accommodate meetings that aren’t suitable for video conferencing.

Office Chill Out Zone
This past year has been filled with almost exclusive remote working. However, while we can create any kind of inspirational work space we want to in our own homes, it is employers who are relied upon to inspire us in the outside world. The traditional workplaces are being given a fun makeover to build a conducive work environment for the employees. These are the places where the staff can chill out and recharge from time to time which can serve as an effective boost in employee motivation. They don’t have to be located in iconic buildings – a tranquil setting, games area, exercise room, or amazing design office mural can all help to stimulate creativity. However, I personally would not be able to handle a nap space, you wouldn’t see for my whole shift!

Resimercial Design
Your employees have wildly different expectations for office features and amenities today than they did even a few years ago. The main goal behind resimercial design and resimercial furnishing is to make the workspace a comfortable place to spend time, something that employees can feel the same sense of calm they get from being at home. From an employer standpoint, making the office comfortable with residential inspired furnishings has the added benefit of incentivizing employees to spend more time at peace and still be fully engaged while at work. Bringing in comfort and character are the driving forces in resimercial design but they’re also highly subjective. To provide everyone on your staff with spaces that accommodate their work style, strive to develop a wide variety of different décor palletes. From open spaces that facilitate collaboration and communication to quiet, secluded spaces where employees can plug-in and dive deep into their work. Design your new office with a special focus on features like ambient lighting, comfy sofas and non-sterile statement pieces. Even the smallest changes will help to make your office feel less stiff and structured.

Ergonomic Furniture
The concept of Ergonomics has been disrupted almost everything we know about the workplace. Companies all over the world are redefining workstations to make them healthier and beneficial long term for their employees. Research has suggested that an office worker in 20 years time will have a hunched back, protruding stomach and sore eyes which a model named Emma was used to show the result of a sedentary lifestyle and an uncomfortable, unpractical working environment. By placing a focus on health-promoting ergonomic workspaces where employees’ posture is a central concern, companies are improving the well-being of their staff. Sit-stand desks are desks that can be used while sitting or adjusted to a height more appropriate for standing up. This allows you to adjust your position throughout the day, an action that is better for your back and overall well-being. Headaches, sore wrists, and back and neck pain cause discomfort both at home and at work. The result of reduced pain from sitting correctly and moving dynamically is increased happiness, both at work and during leisure time.

In conclusion, companies are welcoming new office design developments and technologies to boost workplace safety, productivity, and overall well-being. As we continue to combat a global pandemic and its aftermath, we can look toward a brighter future filled with disruptive office design innovations that help employees better meet health and work-life balance requirements.