5 Office Design Trends We’re Excited to See in 2018
In the past few years, more businesses are challenging the notion of the work environment. As the lines continue to blur between home and personal life, mainly due to technology, workspaces are becoming more fluid. Let’s take a look at the top office trends for 2018.
Minimalist and open plan offices are two of the most popular trends of recent times. And they’ll continue into the new year. Business owners are dropping the ‘image’ and pulling their spaces back to just the necessities. This is a good move, making room for what employees actually need.
Now is a time where technological developments are faster than they’ve ever been. Offices in 2018 need to be flexible and evolving, just like the business that’s in it is. The space needs to work for your team, which often involves exploring the needs (and wants) of your people, instead of ignoring it – for the standard corporate office.
The office trends 2018 you’ll want to know about
Here are five trends you’ll start to see emerge in 2018.
1. Unconventional work areas
This trend has gained popularity especially in offices filled with millennials. Young people prefer open spaces, collaboration, and environments that don’t ‘feel’ like work. Think bean bags, multi-person desks, hangout areas, plants, yoga mats, and lots of colour. These type of environments energise and fuel your employees.
2. Home-style spaces
As businesses are ditching the cubicles, they’re making room for a more relaxed design. This is furthering blurring the lines between work and home, as offices are becoming more comfortable and homelike. Beer fridges, showers, bars, food trucks, and restaurants are starting to pop up in offices.
3. Green dividers, not walls
Instead of boring white walls in between workspaces, modern offices are using greenery to add natural barriers. Walls are being torn down in favour of collaborative working environments. Movable room dividers are being decorated with hanging plants and added into open-plan offices. It adds privacy, reduces noise, and boosts creativity.
4. Textures + colours
As the minimalist trend continues, offices are adding life into spaces with colours and textures – heightening the sensory elements of a room. Different colours evoke specific emotions, so use this to motivate and inspire your team. Choose bright colours for things like chair fabrics, accent walls or floor coverings. A little bit of colour or texture goes a long way.
5. Virtual realities
While it might be hard to imagine, you’ll start to see augmented and virtual reality makes their way into offices in 2018. It’s going to be an effective resource for employees that want to how models in product development, update an old pitch deck or host immersive meetings across the world. VR and AR can help close deals with a ‘face to face’ call or a test drive of a product or service. For recruiters, they can use it to take potential talent on a virtual tour of the office.
In 2018, what will your office look like?
