A Material Study With Suzanne Tick

Suzanne Tick, creative director of Luum Textiles. Photo: Martin Crook

As we anticipate our return to the workplace, there has been an emphasis on how interiors will change and the office furniture that we will select. Companies both large and small are thinking about everything from keeping surfaces clean to staggering their hours.

Suzanne Tick, creative director of Luum Textiles, is looking to fabrics to not only enhance business spaces, but to increase our sense of well-being after a tumultuous year. She recently shared her thoughts about the power of color, organic materials, and what is next for offices in 2021.

We are analyzing work spaces like never before because of the pandemic. Many people will still be working at home part-time, but Tick believes that getting more imaginative with layouts and furnishings will be key to keeping employees comfortable. “I think the office is going to be used in a different way, so the flexibility to move furniture and configure spaces will be important. I am a big proponent of furniture on wheels.”

Indeed, task chairs and smaller cabinets on casters will be prevalent, and pieces will be streamlined. Gone are the days of the bulky sofas or the massive conference tables taking up every corner of a room. The furniture itself will weigh less, and the overall look will be lighter, too.  “If there’s going to be any kind of heavy furniture at all, we’ll see high-back lounges. They surround you, so they offer more privacy,” Tick explained.

Whether we’ll have more or less square footage in our offices is also still up for debate, but Tick noted that one area in particular will still be a central spot. “The library is critical for a lot of the architecture and design firms. That will stay, and it may actually take up more space.”

Inspiration and direction for 2021 color trends. Image Courtesy of Tick Studio

Now that people in all types of industries have been able to work at home, they are hesitant to go back to a cubicle and the 9-to-5 grind. “People are going to decide what’s important for them. They’ve had the ability to work in a very different way. So, thinking about how to work and where to work is raising one’s consciousness,” Tick said.

Comparing color directions from 2020 and 2021. Image Courtesy of Tick Studio

Expect to see more outdoor spaces to give staff that necessary dose of nature during the day. Workers can get much needed fresh air and sunlight, while still completing a range of tasks. Corporations have been embracing rooftops, patios, and decks for some time because they are ideal for social gatherings and collaboration. “I think the use of outdoor space is going to be quite interesting. A portion of the budget has been going to these outdoor areas, and this was pre-pandemic. Even in Chicago, where it’s freezing in the winter,” Tick noted.

Tick maintains that indoor-outdoor spaces have led to a desire for goods that come from nature but are still durable, ideal in high-traffic environments where cleanliness is a priority. “I think on the material study of things, there are going to be more natural materials, more woods. I think it’s going to be equal parts renewable resources and performance.”

At Luum Textiles, wool is a favorite medium. “For our natural materials, we’ve been focusing a lot on the wools, and some wool blends because they have that warmth,” Tick added.

Top Coat from Luum Textiles is a 100% silicone performance faux leather. It is ideal in corporate, healthcare, education, and hospitality settings. Image Courtesy of Luum

Tick and her team are excited about the launch of two biodegradable fabrics this year. The first, Grid State, is slated for a February introduction. “What’s interesting about these upcoming biodegradables is the way they take the dye because they are porous. They have lovely matte finishes with saturated color.”

Whether it is a ribbed fabric or a heavily grained wood, things that beckon touch have always  been appealing. Tick said texture is essential today because we are looking at our devices for extended periods of time, with minimal breaks for rest. “We are working on these flat screens all the time, which does not give our eyes the flexibility to expand and contract. Texture is even more important now, because the Zoom calls are relentless, and learning on the computer is so hard.”

Luum’s product development process focuses on integration and coordination with existing materials, ensuring that everything from upholstery to drapery works together. Image Courtesy of Tick Studio

Residential and commercial settings will boast covered surfaces or velvety cushioning to bring in lushness—an antidote to sterile plastics or cool metals. “I think that in the corporate offices we’ll have more tactility in the form of wrapped wall panels, textured wallcoverings, and softer materials to sit on,” Tick said.

Color and textiles go hand in hand, and Tick noted that hues will serve to uplift us no matter what our jobs are. “It’s like a blank page, so you start with neutrals and then you add tints to that. So, the colors are going to be coming into play in the form of tint and then strong accents to liven up the space a bit.”

A look at Luum’s existing offering through the lens of 2021 color direction. Shown here, Heather Tech and Digi Tweed. Image Courtesy of Tick Studio

This year’s palettes take their inspiration from global masterpieces. “We looked at the major art shows around the world and what the artists were doing. Some of the colors are reflective of that, like the orange-red on top of a rich, Navy blue. We’re seeing a lot of the blues, from greener-based tints to royal and dusty shades.”

After the chaotic energy of 2020, Tick explained that there would be a shift from the intense hues of recent seasons. “The colors are going to be fused and toned down.  I think these feel beautiful and calm. These are not like the sporty colors we had before, the acidy greens and the really bright neons. We’re actually seeing a lot of the muted pastels, which would be tints of color. These are nice, because they are very soothing.”

Suzanne Tick shows Heather Felt, Fleece, and Homage fabrics. Image Courtesy of Tick Studio

Tick said that all of our material and color choices will reflect our longing for the comforts of home and the natural world. Just as the lines between work and life continue to blur, so too, will designated interiors change. “We’ve been living at home, and we want to know how that will translate into our office spaces. It really is all one unified field now, and the closer we can be to nature, I think the happier we are going to be.”