A new year brings new designs, ideas, features, and amenities, to commercial spaces such as offices, retail, hospitality, & more. To keep your workplace innovative, this blog post will explore our predictions for the top commercial design trends in 2025 that are expected to shape the future of workplaces.
This year, employers, commercial property owners, builders, designers, and architects must consider unique building features as well as amenities to attract top-level talent and tenants. More than ever, creating spaces that foster creativity and productivity while breaking away from traditional design will be paramount.
“Accenture” New York, NY, HOK. Photo by Eric Laignel.
Think of this as less of a radical departure from the working conditions and styles of last year but more of an expansion and focus on specific aspects, such as wellness, collaboration, and unique spaces. The office trends for this year emphasize the development of flexible, inclusive, and motivating environments that prioritize the wellbeing and productivity of employees.
Photo render courtesy of Arktura.
Don’t just tolerate where you work; love it! The focus has shifted to creating personalized and emotional connections to workspaces. Incorporate unique aesthetics that bring the “wow factor” into the office. Bold color palettes, innovative artwork, and distinctive design elements can transform a generic workplace into a dynamic space.
With many employees working remotely or in hybrid setups, creating inviting and inspiring environments is more critical than ever.
“Gatestone” Montreal, CA, Sensyst. Photo by Mutual Friends Inc.
Introducing small touches like eye-catching art, personalized or branded decor, even biophilic elements that connect employees to nature can create a strong emotional bond between a person and a space. When employees feel that their workspace reflects their identity and company culture, it enhances their overall engagement and productivity.
“5301 Legacy” Plano, TX, HKS. Photo by HKS.
2025 is expected to continue last year’s trend of employee-focused wellness. In last year’s edition, we touched on holistic wellness and the importance of workspaces that emphasize the wellbeing of all building occupants, from employees to customers. These “healthy spaces” are only becoming more popular.
Employees, both prospective and current, are seeking spaces that will cater to their wellbeing and mental space. That could mean quiet spaces throughout the office to accommodate different work types. While some employees thrive off open offices and collaboration, some may prefer to be somewhere they can concentrate while working in peace. Spaces need to be multi-purpose to serve a team’s various use cases.
“ACT Wellness Center” Iowa City, Iowa, Solum Lang Architects. Photo by Fisheye LLC.
This also extends from the space to what is used to outfit your workspace. From wellness centric spaces like meditation areas to fitness spaces, giving workers a place to unwind can lead to happier employees. Expect a rise in sustainable and reclaimed materials to become a selling point. Employees want to see their values reflected in their workspace, including sustainability.
“VRBO” Austin, TX, Rios Clementi Hale Studios. Photo by Hunter Kerhart.
Multi-purpose office spaces, modular or multi-purpose spaces are another great way to appeal to multiple types of workers. These flexible workspaces allow a single space to be easily modified for various working conditions.
The era of fixed office designs is over. By 2025, versatile work environments will lead the way in workplace design trends. Organizations are progressively embracing dynamic layouts that can be effortlessly adjusted to fit varying team sizes, working styles, or tasks.
Photo render courtesy of Arktura.
This could be a large conference room that can be used for large seminar-like meetings, which could be easily converted into breakout spaces for small or larger team meetings. This allows a single space to be used for multiple uses, providing even more value to employers and property owners.
“Veeva” Barcelona, Spain, Brereton Architects.
In 2025, we can expect bold, saturated colors to take center stage. These colors can be creatively applied to walls, ceilings, accent pieces, furnishings, and more. From brand colors to eye-catching tones, expect to see bolder shades in your workday.
Experts predict a rise in daring, rich tones such as chocolate browns, crimson reds, and earthy greens. This marks a significant departure from the pastels and bright colors that have dominated in recent years. Notably, Pantone has chosen Mocha Mousse, a warm, rich brown hue, as its Color of the Year.
Photo render courtesy of Arktura.
In addition to this colorful shift, expect a decor shift, moving away from minimalist design trends. Color experts also anticipate increased use of bold, striking patterns, ranging from geometric to abstract, overtaking the standard paint job.
“Translate Bio” Waltham, WA, Olson + Lewis Architects. Photo by Shelly Harrison.
It wouldn’t be a proper 2025 trend prediction without newly created words to describe the trends to come. This is where “Resimercial Design,” comes to us as a portmanteau of residential and commercial. This type of design brings modern residential amenities to your everyday office space.
This concept has emerged as a response to the increasing demand for both functional and inviting spaces. This is twice as true for trying to lure those working remotely or those used to working from home who are closer to these amenities.
“PTC Headquarters” Boston, MA, MPA. Photo by Warren Patterson.
Resimercial design emphasizes versatility, allowing for fluidity between work and living spaces. Designers are adopting open floor plans, natural light, and mixed-use elements to create environments that cater to both personal and professional needs. The integration of social spaces and hubs like non-traditional meeting spaces or multi-purpose areas can also be folded into this trend.
Photo render courtesy of Arktura.
Building upon our predictions from last year is the increasing integration of technology in commercial spaces. Advances in technology within the enterprise sector are happening rapidly, making it challenging to distinguish between innovations that can truly revolutionize your business and those that may create additional headaches and steep learning curves. However, several advancements can benefit any space.
For retail spaces, digital signage, augmented reality displays, and smart kiosks can create immersive atmospheres that attract and retain customers’ attention. For other spaces, advanced tech, like occupancy sensors improve operational efficiency.
Arktura recently launched a series of Silhouettes designs for Overcast Innovation‘s modular commercial ceiling system, the Cloud. Automated lighting, HVAC, and security systems reduce energy consumption and streamline management processes. Smart sensors for energy-efficient lighting and temperature control help companies become more sustainable.
This helps save energy costs and curate more personalized work environments. This responsiveness to real-time data enhances the ability to adapt spaces for changing needs, ensuring they remain relevant and practical.
“Confidential Client”, Jersey City, NJ, Gensler. Photo by Connie Zhou.
As we look ahead to 2025, it’s clear that the evolving landscape of commercial design is driven by a desire for spaces that prioritize wellbeing, foster collaboration, and reflect individual identities. The trends we’ve explored emphasize the importance of creating environments that accommodate diverse working styles and inspire employee creativity and engagement.
With a focus on personalization, sustainability, and dynamic layouts, the future of commercial office design promises to transform traditional workplaces into vibrant, functional spaces that enhance productivity and wellbeing.
Let the design experts at Arktura help you fulfill your design vision. We are here to assist in outfitting your next commercial project with innovative, design-forward systems that are as versatile for the trends of today as they are for tomorrow.
Contact your local rep to learn more!
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