Each new year sees the office interior design world shaken up, as outgoing trends shuffle off toward the horizon and new ones bounce in, eager to make a splash.
As everyone knows, the past couple of years have seen some seismic changes to the workplace, from hybrid and home working to the increased focus on wellness and sustainability.
All of these have been reflected in our skilled team’s office design: helping customers create environments that are on-trend, reflect their brand and its values, ensure every employee’s needs are met, all in one comfortable, safe and productive space.
Businesses know their workplace has more to say than ever about who they are and what they stand for, particularly when it comes to supporting staff.
Want to know how we turn a blank space into somewhere talented people want to spend their time? Let’s count down the 10 office interior design tips for 2022.
Wellbeing and human-centric design
Everything we are going to explore in this blog will be driven by what are arguably this year’s biggest workplace trends: wellbeing and wellness.
The pandemic put people’s mental health under the spotlight like never before, and exposed how the country’s workers don’t always have it easy, from the hours they have to put in, to their working conditions.
It hasn’t just focused on the lower end of the payscale, either, and has led to a huge shift in focus about what businesses and employees want from their workplace – and we know it goes beyond a pool table and beer on tap.
The work from home trend meant millions of workers weren’t spending eight hours in an uncomfortable chair, at a desk that was too high, under lighting that left them drained at the end of the day.
While many of them ended up at the kitchen table because they didn’t have separate rooms to create a dedicated office space, for many others, the home office was a revelation: a safe place that allowed them to be both productive and comfortable.
As more people return to a formal work environment, business owners and designers are thinking more about what employees need, adopting interior design trends from bringing nature indoors and setting up separate rooms or spaces where people can work alone, to creating safe, inviting spaces for formal or social gatherings.
Major interior design trends
The pandemic gave the world of work probably its biggest shake-up since the Industrial Revolution, so there’s no wonder businesses have taken wellness and human-centric design to heart.
Where people work is being transformed from a place where function ruled the roost, to spaces that are more carefully thought out. Let’s take a closer look at how that’s likely to play out in the design trends for 2022.
Sustainability and the interior designer
It’s no surprise that sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint as part of climate change efforts are also among the top interior design trends for this year.
Growing numbers of companies are using recycled or seeking out low-carbon materials to make or insulate their buildings, a trend that has extended deeply into office interior design too, in the past few years and it’s also one we’re proud to be part of.
Upcycling or recycling furniture or sourcing materials made from eco friendly bioplastics or natural materials that have a lower environmental impact has gone beyond being a mere interior design fad too: for many companies it’s the new normal.
We expect it to be one of the strongest interior design trends not just for this year, but for decades to come.
Interior design trends 2022: biophilic design
Nature has been a design inspiration for hundreds of years, but more recently it’s taken hold as a central trend of office interior design, thanks to its ability to reduce stress, improve focus and creativity, and boost wellbeing.
Reception areas are now gorgeous green havens, bookcases have plants tumbling from every shelf – but there’s more to biophilic design than decoration.
Using greenery and plants is ideal for breaking a larger work space into different sections, creating areas of privacy or even disguising hand sanitising stations.
Interior designers also used greenery and plants in more inventive ways too, including installing walls of green plants with different textures and popping in fish tanks, bringing the natural world indoors.
What is the new decor for 2022?
Bye bye home offices, hello homely offices
The pandemic forced millions of people to work from home in 2020, and while there was a bit more flexibility in the past year, businesses expect the home office trend to be shown the door this year (Covid variations notwithstanding).
That doesn’t mean interior designers haven’t taken inspiration from what was a powerful movement. There’s a renewed interest in comfort rather than just functionality as people return from remote work.
Office design trends in 2022 will echo living spaces and feature more plush carpeting, soft colours and cosy furniture items, as more businesses understand the positive effect that home-friendly decor and style has on their employees wellbeing and productivity.
Neutral shades and bold colours
Grey is one of this year’s two Pantone colours and will be part of an interior design trend that sees comforting natural, neutrals dominating the workspace.
That doesn’t mean we’re all going to be drowning in a sea of magnolia walls or institutional sludgy colours – think rich, warm neutrals: caramel and taupe tones that once again plug into that homely feel.
The colour revolution doesn’t stop there: these warm, soothing tones will be punctuated with another top trend: splashes of bright, bold colour, designed to perk up rest areas or add visual stimuli.
Funky furniture that echoes or carries your brand colours could be used to designate breakout spaces, while smart, contemporary artwork can help break up large expanses of wall.
Green and natural tones
The sustainable and biophilic design trends will go further in 2022 to see shades of green and natural tones used in a lot more spaces as business and interior design embrace the concept of wellness in the workplace.
Think natural tones blended with olive painted walls in a communal rest room that will help employees unwind, while more vibrant colours can be used elsewhere to act as visual stimuli.
Textiles and artwork are also set to incorporate green, mixing up the design possibilities to maximise the colour’s calming effect.
Blue is the new black
It might surprise you to know that blue, rather than green, is the world’s favourite colour and when it comes to workplaces, it is favoured by just about every interior designer plying their trade.
Why? Because blue is a calming, yet productive colour. It promotes tranquility and restfulness, tapping neatly into the growing awareness of wellness at work, but it doesn’t overstimulate or induce anxiety.
Interior designers also know it’s got a broad palette of shades that easily complement others, making it ideal as a background colour or an accent – that’s why it’s among our top interior design trends.
What furniture is in style for 2022?
The interior design possibilities provided by furniture are limitless. Increasing numbers of companies have discovered they can marry form and function – and have a little fun too.
Whether you’re looking for a cool, contemporary decor, want to showcase your environmental credentials with upcycled pieces, or want to brighten up a whole room with pops of colour – this year will see it all.
Natural materials
The use of green and organic materials in the interior industry, driven by the cultural shift surrounding climate change and the public’s increased exposure to information about its environmental impact, is definitely here to stay.
The influence of home offices will be seen as more businesses buy furniture items that are comfortable (remember those long hours spent at the kitchen table?) but also respectful to nature.
Jute textured rugs are set to be a big new trend for 2022, alongside the use of reclaimed woods, antique pieces or recycled furniture, as interior designers look to create a blend of old and new when tying a whole scheme together.
Curved lines in interior design trends
Alongside the trend for comforting neutrals, workspace decor is also set to move away from angular, sharp furniture and patterns and adopt more curved, wavy forms, creating a softer, more homely atmosphere.
Driven by the nature-based design trends, we expect to see sinuous lines or shapes on walls, perhaps to separate one space or room from another, alongside curved chairs and tables created from reclaimed woods.
Combine this with the increased use of reclaimed wood and other natural products and you’ve got some interesting design possibilities that will make your workspace stand out for the right reasons.
The 1970s are back baby!
It’s a rare interior designer that doesn’t look to the past for inspo and one of the biggest design trends for 2022 will be the renewed interest in the 1970s.
Those bold splashes of colour we mentioned earlier? They will be dashes of green, turquoise, sunshine yellow and warm orange – all courtesy of the decade that brought us Bowie, with velvets and plush cushions introducing different textures into the workplace.
Expect the Seventies influence to extend to artworks too, with wall hangings and paintings adding to the vintage vibe.
Mixed-use spaces and sound
Not every business owner has room to spare and maximising the space available to them is going to be one of the key interior design trends this year.
Agile, multi-function areas with furniture that can be smartly stored away will help save space, and expect to see more pods pop up.
They are separate areas or booths that can help people who are still making the leap from the home office, or who just want a quieter room to work.
Many businesses are also taking advantage of one of the newest interior design trends: the growing range of decor, including furnishings, wallcoverings and lighting, that help reduce sound.
Bustling offices, while energetic and busy, can also be disruptive places to work, and uncomfortable for neurodivergent people.
Noise-reducing decor can help accommodate people who need a quieter place to get on with their job – not to mention helping you get on with the neighbours if your building’s in a residential area.
What metal finish will be in style for 2022?
It’s not just recycled wood that’s going to be big this year. Expect to see lots of upcycled metals too, either in furnishings, or in art.
The trick to mixing metals in workplace interior design is to coordinate pieces with the rest of the decor, so they stand out for all the right reasons.
Statement lighting
Natural light is going to be one of the major design trends in 2022, but not every business and building can throw open the windows and let the sunshine in.
Luckily, this year is also going to be big for statement lighting, whether it’s contemporary fixtures against a canvas of warm neutrals, and fittings in sleek copper or brushed steel, to softer, rounder forms in more spaces, embracing the curved lines and home office trends.
Sustainability will play a big role in workplace lighting too, with energy saving and carbon footprints at the top of every business owner and interior designer’s mind.
Interior design trends 2022 – conclusion
To sum up, design trends in 2022 will see wellness and human-centric design really come to the fore and hopefully have a positive effect, from noise-reducing materials to a more homely feel to the workspace, heavily influenced by the remote work trend.
Natural touches will be everywhere, from wall colourings to rugs, greenery will bring the outside in, while used and antique pieces will help soften lines and take the edge off interiors.
Bright bursts of colour in a room will add fizz to a background of warmer neutrals, the best bits of the 1970s will provide all sorts of design inspiration, and sustainability will be baked in from the brickwork upward.
If you’re planning to overhaul your workspace or are looking to make your mark on new premises, call us. Our expert team will take you from fit out to the first day of operations, offering expert design advice and top-quality craftsmanship at every step.
Contact us on (01245) 675572 email us at info@ofstrand.co.uk or via our contact form.
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