NeoCon 2017 Design Trends

The most important event of the year for the commercial design industry took place in June. Furniture designers from across the county convened at NeoCon to showcase their new designs. We kept a close watch on the new products being displayed and have put together a list of trends, many of which were displayed in the showrooms of two of our favorite manufacturers, Allsteel and National Office Furniture.

Office furniture is now being designed with an emphasis on maintaining an active lifestyle at work. Sit/stand or adjustable height desks (like Alloy from National Office Furniture) which are still trending were seen throughout the convention and are also on display in our own showroom.

Many products with built in features designed to increase productivity were also featured. Work surfaces or partitions that also function as whiteboards were seen. Built in charging stations were popular not only on desks, but also in collaborative furniture and seating like Kozmic from National. Notice the USB power grommets throughout the configuration. The universal ease of USB is making it the choice for these types of outlets and is becoming a fixture in smart furniture design.

Privacy was also important in the design of many new products. Although it is crucial to allow employees to freely interact with each other, the need for privacy continues to emerge. Products that create secluded spaces within the office were shown. These private spaces are perfect for brainstorming, private phone calls, small group collaborations or temporary work spaces. Being multi-functional is of utmost importance. Many seating options were shown with wing backs that created cocoon-like spaces. House-like pods were also in vogue. Although walls are coming down in favor of open office plans and collaborative ways of working, quiet spaces are still a necessity.

Bold colors, funky prints and textures were prominent at the convention. The “Millennial Pink” trend was very noticeable with plentiful shades of pinks, mauves, fuchsias, and deep berry tones. Though green was said to be one of the most popular colors seen, both Allsteel and National used bold shades of orange.

Mid-Century Modern and Danish designs continue to inspire and were present throughout the show. Allsteel even partnered with Normann Copenhagen and are releasing a line of chairs and tables with “accessible Danish design”.

We are so excited about all the great new products and trends that were introduced at this year’s NeoCon, many of which are already on display in our showroom!