Office interior design trends to look out for in 2020

Published by Pall Mall Estates -

Workspaces are becoming increasingly complex in terms of their functions. As such, the following progressive interior design trends that are likely to emerge in the next 12 months could help eliminate some of the frustrations you and your employees might have about the modern way of working.

Sustainable materials

Given the escalating climate crisis, the need for better business sustainability has become a hot topic across a range of industries. One way that businesses can continue to remain on-brand and cultivate innovative, engaging workplaces is to incorporate sustainable fabrics into their interiors. Whether it’s organic cotton, bamboo, recycled wood or repurposed plastics, these low-emission, sustainable materials put synthetic alternatives in the shade due to their style and green credentials.

Workspaces set to continue their informal trend

There’s no point denying it or fighting it, our work-life balance is become more blurred than ever before. With our home and working lives now heavily interlinked, it makes sense for companies to embrace this cultural shift by creating more informal spaces in the offices they lease. We’re not just talking games rooms and work kitchens here, we’re thinking bigger in terms of lounges, gyms and even yoga and meditation rooms to switch off or relax before a big meeting.

Shielded pods and booths to end the ‘privacy crisis’

One of the biggest bugbears of the open-plan office is the acoustics and lack of personal privacy. It can be hard for staff to seek out a quiet corner to make an important phone call or meet a project deadline, particularly when collaborative, co-working areas are also rife. Fortunately, it looks like companies are starting to acknowledge the need for peace at the other end of the spectrum. Shielded boots and pods with high backs and acoustic walls can deliver the confidentiality that’s sometimes needed, bringing an end to the ‘privacy crisis’ once and for all.

Flexible, multipurpose spaces – including boardrooms

Many commercial interior designers believe 2020 could be the year that the conventional boardroom evolves, for the better. As more informal, collaborative meetings are increasingly held in breakout areas and even at stand-up desks, the purpose of a dedicated boardroom has diminished somewhat. Although boardrooms and meeting rooms will always have a purpose, future office designs are likely to make the boardroom part of a more flexible, multipurpose office environment that can be reconfigured with ease using simple systems like retractable walls. Thus, making every inch of floor space work harder for businesses.

Embracing an ‘al fresco’ way of working

There has long been talk about reconnecting the ‘great outdoors’ with office environments. Now, it looks like 2020 could see office environments move into the great outdoors. ‘Al fresco’ working was one of the most fascinating trends to emerge from this year’s Clerkenwell Design Week, with office designers helping to turn secure outdoor surroundings with an abundance of natural light into functional, well-equipped working areas. Of course, it’s still just as important to bring the natural environment into workspaces too. Our recent article on biophilic design underlines the health and productivity benefits of having a greener place of work.