Commercial Interiors have gone Resimercial

For the past 5 years Resimercial has been the terms used in commercial interiors to explain the new homey look of office design. From small one room offices to large corporate offices, a place that feels and looks more like home is where people want to spend their time. With the work from home trend the last few years, it has become even more relevant that workplaces are now more than just a spot with a desk to work from. People want options for work styles and meeting styles. All around the table for a meeting, has turned into gathering in a room of comfortable seating with AV to share information and brainstorm. These new trends are working toward both attracting new employees and retaining the ones they have. Can all this comfort be productive? Companies are saying yes. Businesses that are meeting the needs of their employees with the flexibility to work in different modes throughout the building and at home are seeing higher production and happier employees. If you find Suzie in the work lounge in the afternoon with her laptop, instead of at a desk, is that still productive? Does her manager approve? These are the questions being asked. It’s only been a short time, but surveys are showing higher satisfaction rates with employees and higher productivity.

Going Resimercial in your office isn’t a quick solution of running to the local furniture store and picking out some new soft seating. There are codes to be followed when designing a room for clearance by doors and walkways. Commercial furniture has higher weight capacity and longer warranties, due to the construction of the product and required testing it must go thru to meet BIFMA standards. The fabrics are made to last longer and repel stains. There are also electrical options on commercial furniture to make it easy for your staff to plug in. These are just a few of the benefits of working with an interior design company that knows commercial furniture, the codes and can help you with the best decisions. It is also important to remember lead times are often 8-10 weeks for commercial furniture. If you are considering building a new building or remodeling an office, the best time to get an interior designer involved for furniture is early, when you hire an architect/builder or start thinking of a remodel. This will help make sure that the plan is laid out for electrical and AV with furniture from the start.

Carol Killian