CENTURY OFFICE’S REVIEW OF 100% DESIGN
Beautiful colours, innovation and functionality are the three ways of describing this year’s 100% Design show at Olympia.
At this year’s show the entrance immediately drew you in with its striking colour. You were then met with the 100% Forward installation, curated by Barbara Chandler. One of the stand-out features here was Foldability; the variation of pattern and colour that they managed to create using origami and geometry was incredible.
After exploring more of the show we found that sit/stand desks were still at the forefront, but that quirky ergonomic features from companies like Bulo were being used to make the office space more exciting and functional. Bringing the outdoors inside by using plants was another recurring theme and is something we would like to continue seeing in 2019. It’s a similar story with the swinging tepees and hammocks which were new at the show. Could you think of a better way to relax or brainstorm ideas in the office?
New booth/cubicle designs invited visitors in so that they could see how any space could be turned into a meeting room. You can even get one built specifically for an outdoor space — so you never have to miss the sunshine while you’re at work again!
However, despite the array of office related stands, the show still felt as though it was more geared towards residential, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn from it. After all, the trend of Resimercial Design clearly shows how incorporating residential-inspired features can have a positive impact on a working environment. This information can then be used to enhance the personality of a brand but at the same time ensure that the office furniture is functional and ergonomic. After all, making an office exciting is hard as you need to take a number of people’s wants and needs into consideration; it’s all about finding a balance between cool and functional.
A great example of this was Dimplex’s stand where they displayed a selection of electric fireplaces; the dancing flames may not have been real, but they still added a sense of warmth to the stall and gave off a cosy and relaxing feel.
Here at Century Office we believe in all these ideas and try to incorporate and consider them as much as we can. This is especially true for our best-selling sit/stand desk, Autonomy Pro, as it offers clients the chance to specify exactly how they want their desks to look, while giving them a workspace that can be set at heights according to the user’s preference.
Century Officeare a leading UK office and contract furniture supplier, with over 40 years’ experience in the industry. They provide workplace solutions and offer a tailored approach for architects, interior designers & facility managers for small offices to large corporations as well as educational facilities.
Please visit the Century Officewebsite at www.century-office.co.uk or telephone 08000 929301 for more information. Century Officeoffers a complete service from survey and design through to supply and installation.