2022 was the year companies started reopening their offices and getting back to on-premise work however, the work culture and norms have gone through a significant change over the last two years. This led to many new office design trends that have made their way to workplaces worldwide while those who continue to work-from-home were also seen revamping their home spaces as the Covid-19 lockdowns lifted.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Kunal Sharma, CEO and Founder of Flipspaces, shared, “Now that we are back to seeing a mix of a lot of the workforce recommence onsite work along with the newer hybrid model, commercial interior designs have had to adapt, with companies spending time and money designing their offices in a way which exude aesthetics and utility. Right from the usage of open floor plans with collaboration spaces and a drastic move towards ergonomic furniture and movable furniture articles.”
He highlighted, “These trends help in overall employee productivity and the rate of engagement. The use of tech-integrated commercial space designs have also made way to the forefront of being a part of design briefs which also include the usage of biophilic and resimercial designs being the norm with regards to the overall work space design. The idea is to create a workspace which facilitates seamless collaboration between colleagues and improves the overall company culture and productivity.”
Adding to the list of key designs of corporate space, home and interior decor, Mehzabin K, Head of Design at Spiro Spero, revealed the designs that were a learning experience in 2022 and will continue to trend in the New Year 2023 –
1. Beige Magnet: While the design world saw a gradual shift back to colour, an increasing movement was the very observation of the lack of it. The move from colours, culture, location and nature inspired, to pastels and eventually to neutral tones of Beige, creams and whites was easy to miss, and so evident once you did. Its link to westernisation and false aesthetic standard setting needs to change and the first step was the awareness of it.
2. Nature calls: Since the past two years a large part of the world was cooped up inside their homes, people paid more attention to their comfort and requirements, what makes them feel more alive, and, well, the first step was to bring more live elements inside the home. Plants have taken over the décor category faster than any other object has. People have adapted and brought in more nature inspired elements and have let go of their caretaking standards being set to succulents.
3. Outdoor living: As a result of nature calling, those lucky enough to have an outdoor space, even as small as a balcony, are spending and paying more attention to it. Not only are plants more in focus, but so is outdoor furniture. The old mentality of plastic being the only durable option has taken a backseat and the exploration and buying of beautiful materials like bamboo, stone and outdoor resistant eco fabrics is increasing.