[neocon roundup]

A quick look at some of the top trends and new products at Neocon 2016!


Paint it Pastel

Following suite to Pantone's colors of the year, rose quartz and serenity, many manufacturers were showcasing muted pastels. Skyline Design teamed with Dutch designers Scholton and Baijings to create the new Glass Gradients collection, winning the best of Neocon Silver award.


Show off the Surface

The form and function of the corporate office is shifting away from monotonous, contrived and rigid - toward beautiful, authentic, and flexible. More and more we hear the term uncorporate office being used to describe this new vision of the workplace. Watson has been approaching furniture design this way from the beginning.  Some of the design-rich alternatives to conventional office finishes they are offering include exposed MDF natural edge, clear coat steel, felt, and craft surfaces.

(That's right!  I'm your Watson rep for Eastern WA, Northern ID, and Western MT!)


Incorporate Resimercial Style

Resimercial (the combination of residential and commercial) is an industry trend that brings the home to work. Resimercial designs combine the intricacies of residential design within a commercial setting. Some leaders in this trend include European inspired Davisand Area International; and new to the trend are Krug and H Contract.  Neocon introduced some excellent products that embody this trend.

Davis' Ginkgo and Sketch families have expanded even further this year to include mid back lounges, conference-style lounge pieces and arm chairs.

H Contract's latest collection, Canvas, features a modern design inspired by sleek architectural shapes along with the same attention to detail you’ve come to expect from H Contract.  Canvas is defined by the beveled profile of the solid hardwood on the arms and tables.

Krug introduced a new wood frame chair (yet to be named!) that will fit into both healthcare and corporate settings with the lines of a mid-century home piece.


Choose Your Work Modes

Just as students learn through multiple modes, people work in many modes throughout the day.  Offering options for a variety of settings can help employees be successful and stay engaged.  Offices are now incorporating work cafes, media lounges, privacy booths, and team landing tables - all while staying connected by keeping power close by! 

Krug has expanded multiple lines to accommodate these new work styles.  Zola Privacy can create private booths or work in cafes.  Combined with Artemis Media Hub, a work lounge is created.

Martin Brattrud's Assembli combines many work modes in one unique modular product.   Offering both visual and acoustical privacy as well as a comfortable hang-out space, it provides a seating system that fulfills the needs of people meeting and collaborating in groups as well as people working independently.

Watson's Bahn is a power, voice, and data delivery solution designed for organizations that value modularity and simplicity in open plan environments.


Mix and Match Materials

Prioritizing beautiful form and practical functionality; Techniq tables by Davis incorporate polished metal, Fenix soft laminate or veneer top, and a pressed felt wire trough and modesty panel.

Valet occasional tables by Davis offer a new innovative solution.  A study in geometric shapes, Valet is constructed from sleek metal bases and unique tray-like tops in veneer or melamine. Making an architectural statement, Valet tables are simple yet striking additions to any environment.

Peter Pepper's new desk, Nik structure is a powder-coat steel frame with a laminate wood grain top.  The natural finish stands out against the smooth steel.


Make a Statement

From more effective wayfinding to magnified brand identity, Takeform's Amplify takes your space to an entirely new order of magnitude. One that will create an unforgettable impression of who you are. Because Amplify helps you build a world where your brand lives and breathes – in a big way.

[neocon roundup] NeoCon15

A quick look at some of the newest products introduced this year!

Davis - Ginkgo Product Line Extension

First, there was Ginkgo, and it was good.  Now, Ginkgo armchair and Ginkgo lounge extend the product offerings of this geometric yet organic 

Enwork - Avant Height Adjustable Benching

Avant features anchored storage bases for a clean aesthetic that fully conceals the leg mechanisms.  An embedded chip allows users to control the worksurface height from their smart device. 

Krug - Zola Privacy

The popular Zola modular lounge now has even more to love!  A high or medium back gives more visual and acoustic privacy.  You can even add an acrylic panel for extra height and texture.

Dauphin - Speedo Task Chair

Flexible in color with lots of mesh fabrics to choose from and easy to assemble with just three clicks

Skyline Design - Digital Glass Portfolio

Skyline Design's Digital Glass Portfolio has teamed with many artists, the newest is Bonnie Edelman.  Her photography is an expression of color, light, and movement.  Her slow shutter speed technique creates a blurred, prismatic landscape.

Takeform - Transit Parking Garage Wayfinding

Transit adds brightness and clarity to your parking garage.  Choose from one of 24 styles, or create your own!

Martin Brattrud - Assembli Modular Work/Relax/Collaborate

Assembli is a new modular product with so many configuration options.  You can create workspaces, collaboration spaces, or just sit and relax spaces.  The low walls and comfortable banquette seating create a cozy restaurant ambiance and create privacy for groups or individuals.

Peter Pepper Products - iBooth and StackR Stool

An innovative enclosure designed for today's mobile world of interactive devices, where connection is everywhere but privacy is limited.  The Stackr chair is cantilevered to hang off the edge of the worksurface or stack out of the way.

[love] Environmental Graphics

This is something I'm loving right now!

Environmental graphics are all the rage and there are so many ways to incorporate your graphic designs and wayfinding into your projects.  Moxie by Takeform is one of the most versatile of these options!

Print any image on these aluminum composite panels.  The image is protected by a moisture, UV, chemical and scratch resistant overlay that preserves color and extends life.  Moxie panels are engineered and tested for healthcare environments  There are no natural fibers to harbor bacteria. Moxie stands up to strong hospital disinfectants and you can even remove panels for cleaning.

Think of Moxie as both artwork and a continuation of your wayfinding signage package.  

Create an unexpected linear graphic and carry your brand throughout the space.

This before and after shows how you can dress up a bland elevator lobby to not only provide healing views, but also accentuate the graphic wayfinding and create recognition of arrival.

Make identification labels and signage more visual and engaging.