We’ve grown accustomed to comfortable and flexible environments at home, and we want the same for our workplaces. Offices are no longer static, and are now designed to foster creativity while accommodating a range of functions. By incorporating residential and hospitality detailing, staff will be comfortable and engaged.
James Pope, general manager, director of marketing and sales operations at FLOR, the premium brand of Interface, outlines some of the flooring trends we’ll see as we head back to the office. Gone are the sterile, ordered spaces of the past. “There’s a certain sense of peace and safety that being at home brings. And I think that the unstructured office environment that people have created in their homes, they’re going to bring that to work. It’s really an extension of resimercial. Office spaces aren’t going to look like office spaces anymore.”
Supporting employee health and wellness continues to be a priority, with biophilic elements taking center stage. Yet each facet is used with a subtle hand to give the overall impression of a space that was formed over time. “We’re letting nature actually serve as the focal point of the design,” Pope noted.
He points to You’re So Vein, launched at NeoCon this past October, as a prime example of referencing the environment in a sophisticated way. The carpet tiles feature metallic veining and rich hues that echo geode swirls. No two products are alike, so specifiers can create unique looks. Pope explained that it is a such a popular product because it’s not like the basic wood styles that have saturated the market for the last several years.
“It looks like you are walking on marble, or an illustrated version of marble. You’re leveraging the natural world to create a foundation for a room, versus using typical flooring that is a mixture of browns and beiges.”
While biophilia plays a key role in our offices today, Pope said care for the planet is just as important. “As we’re building these spaces, we have to consider not just the look of the floor, but how our products are being made.”
He added that designers want to hear a company’s authentic sustainability story when they make their product selections. FLOR’s new and improved CQuest™ GB backing, for example, is made from post-consumer carpet tiles, bio-based elements, and pre-consumer recycled materials. It gives FLOR’s products added value to clients that want to make a positive impact.
Color will abound in the post-pandemic workplace, from eye-catching brights to soothing neutrals. Tones will be used as accents to highlight types of tasks performed in different areas. Pope said brighter hues will be found in the collaboration zones, while muted tints will surround workers in heads-down areas.
“I think we will continue to see pops of color in the office, in particular in the more high-profile, collaboration sections. And then you’ll find more subdued hues near the workstations or in the focus rooms.”
Pope also predicted that green hues will abound in the workplace, utilized as another way to bring the essence of plant life indoors. “I think based on what I am seeing, green is going to continue to be a strong color. Once again, that works back to biophilia and bringing something natural into the office space. A great example is one of our top-selling rugs called Palm Reader, which is available in this wonderful kale color.”
Square carpet tiles are the most common, yet residential and commercial clients are interested in softer edges. “I am seeing a lot of strong curves in the marketplace, reminiscent of the Postmodern movement. There has also been an increase in customers that are using shapes and cuts on our rugs,” Pope added. Indeed, when purchasing a rug via the FLOR website, a user can simply add cut tiles, which can be used as a design element or to properly proportion an inset.
Faraway locales also serve as inspiration, Pope explained, especially since travel has been restricted for the past few years. “There are a lot of really beautiful colors and shapes coming from Morocco. It’s interesting because it bridges the gap between African and European influences. And I think people respond to the elevated, organic design.”
All of these styles are set to refresh offices with color, pattern, and texture. “Throughout the day, employees are working in a variety of spaces. So they want those interiors to be warm and full of energy. We can achieve that by beginning with the flooring,” Pope added.
