The 3rd quarter brings us seven more cross-industry trends that are changing the design landscape of consumer-facing environments from restaurant to workplace design.

 

Colorful Workspaces with Untraditional Seating

As the popularity of co-working spaces continues, employers are taking cues and transforming their offices into bright, colorful, open spaces. Untraditional seating styles are another popular trend in workplace design. Unique furniture and arrangements add variety and create a fresh, energetic vibe.

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Meaningful Perspective

Today, people look to brands for more than a merchandise transaction.  Brands that may not have had a retail space in their original business plan are now opening storefronts to give their customers new perspectives and unique experiences. In a saturated retail market, it’s more important than ever to provide something new to customers. In the future, we can expect to see brands going the extra mile to express their voice and gain customer loyalty.

Examples:

 

Clicks to Bricks

In years past, we’ve seen many traditional retailers take their business online. Today, many of these retailers are opening “showrooms” and seeing the benefit (and need) of physical spaces.  Although most tasks are done at the click of a button, consumers still crave an experience that lets them hold/touch/try-on products before purchasing them. This trend confirms that the online shopping experience doesn’t always provide the consumer with everything that they want or need.

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Motel Chic

The classic motor lodge concept is making a comeback as dated roadside motels are being refreshed and reopened. This is not only being done to revamp consumers’ perception of motels but to provide Millennials and Gen Zs full of wanderlust with the unique and nostalgic experiences they are looking for when traveling. Functional and cheap is out, and trendy welcoming interiors are in. From cozy nautical cottages to retro roadside rooms the styles of these renovated motels vary across the country.

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Natural Elements Promoting Peaceful Dining

In an era where life never seems to stop, people are still looking for experiences that allow a few moments of respite. Several restaurants are playing to this desire by including materials such as stone, wood, and natural hues in a rigid/geometric way to their designs. These organic elements create a relaxing environment that promotes a peaceful dining experience, focused on enjoying the art of food and taking a break from the hustle of everyday life.

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It’s All About The Insta

Alternatively, Instagram sits at the center of trends in food, beverage, and restaurant design.  An individual uploading every part of a restaurant experience on social media is common and many people enjoy this type of content.  As mentioned in rd+d, there is a “phenomenon of people wanting to be self-published, and spaces need to deal with it.” Restaurants play to this by creating picturesque spaces and breathtaking dishes that are meant to be photographed and shared. These “Instagrammable moments” can be obvious, but are often kept subtle so the visitor feels as though they’ve discovered this detail.

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Connected Stay

Today people are endlessly connected through a multitude of digital devices, and in the future, it will only get more advanced. Moving forward, hotels must make it easy for guests to be connected and concepts like Internet-Of-Things can do this. In the future, we can expect that guests will be able to unlock and change the climate and lighting of their rooms from smartphones. Amazon is ahead of the game and has made a special version of Alexa for hotels with Echo speakers in rooms.

Examples:

  • Connected Room, Hilton (Multiple Locations)