As we welcome a brand-new year, we’re here with our annual round-up of office interior design trends our experts are putting the spotlight on for 2025 and beyond. With a new year comes a fresh wave of office interior design trends that are redefining how we work, as well as timeless trends that are still here to stay. Collectively, it’s all about focusing on making offices more human-centric, versatile and inspiring.
So, let’s explore the trends we predict will dominate workspaces and other commercial spaces in 2025. Whether you’re planning a full-scale redesign or just looking to refresh part of your space, hopefully, these themes and trends will provide you with some interior inspiration.
The trends here to stay
Below are four interior design themes and trends still going strong:
Hybrid workspaces
We highlighted hybrid office design as a key trend for 2024 and the fact remains for 2025 – hybrid workspaces are in it for the long haul. The pandemic reshaped how we approach work profoundly and catalysed the shift towards more flexible ways of working that leave tradition behind in favour of:
- Better wellbeing and morale.
- Attracting and retaining new talent.
- More cost-effective office sizes.
- More dynamic and efficient use of the physical working environment.
- Improved support of remote workers.
We expect to see a continuation of offices becoming less about assigned workspaces and more about versatile, multi-purpose settings that support everything from group collaboration to solo focus and privacy.
This includes:
- Reconfigurable furniture that can be adapted according to requirements.
- Workplace technology to facilitate communication between remote and resident workers.
- More social spaces (e.g. game rooms, on-site bars, gyms) that promote relationship-building between dispersed employees.
Biophilic design
Biophilic design returns as a trend in our roundups year after year and 2025 is no different. In fact, it’s fair to say that biophilic design is more of a way of life than it is a trend now.
It’s not just about adding a few desk plants around the place and creating a feature wall with some palm leaf wallpaper. Although it is a hugely visual aspect of commercial interior design, a biophilic approach to workspace design is about way more than just the aesthetics.
Mimicking colours, textures and processes found in nature, which is what biophilia is, has been proven to have a massively positive impact on:
- Physical health and fitness at work.
- Mental wellbeing and clarity.
- Cognitive function.
- Productivity and mood.
There’s lots to be said about the benefits of biophilic design and how to incorporate it into your workspace so make sure to bookmark some of our other blog posts on the topic:
- How biophilic office design can help attract and retain staff >>
- The benefits of biophilia in modern office interior design >>
Resimercial design
Resimercial workspace design has been around for many years but we’re seeing domestic design influencing commercial design more and more as time passes.
The line between home and the office continues to blur both culturally and through the physical environment as employers strive to make the office a destination of choice.
Think soft, oversized sofas, plush rugs, scatter cushions, throw pillows, candle holders, homey lamps, picture frames, domestic kitchen design – design elements you’d expect to find in the home, incorporated to make the office feel more inviting.
Linked to this, we’re also expecting to see employees customise their workspaces more and more, adding personal touches to make the space suit them and feel more like a home-from-home.
AI-supported workspaces
Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to revolutionise almost all parts of our daily lives, including how businesses use their workspaces.
Below are some ways we’re predicting AI will become increasingly common in workplaces to streamline processes and boost efficiency:
- ‘Smart furniture’, i.e. desks with built-in wireless chargers, chairs that monitor posture, and tables that double as touchscreen interfaces will become common.
- AI will be able to manage everything from room bookings to climate control, while sensors and real-time data will ensure spaces are used efficiently.
- Virtual and augmented reality expanding out of the gaming space and into the workplace for things like training, presentations, and even collaborative projects.
Read more: Artificial Intelligence and the future of office design >>
New trend alerts
Below are three new or returning themes and trends set to lead the way in commercial design during 2025.
Colour is making a comeback
Neutrals have been a popular choice for commercial interiors in recent years – offices, hotels, bars and restaurants included. However, we’re noticing colour creeping back into commercial design schemes, including offices, more and more, from subtle splashes to experimental schemes.
When incorporating colour into your design scheme, it’s important to do so strategically. Colour is a powerful influencer of things like mood, productivity and focus, particularly for neurodivergent space users. Some offices are even using colour psychology to create work zones, e.g. calming tones for quiet settings and energetic shades for collaboration spaces.
Colour in the workspace can also serve as a strong extension of your visual brand identity – if you want it to. Some companies will use their brand colours to decorate their physical environment, especially in welcome spaces where customers and other visitors are greeted.
Read more: Colour – the great communicator in office interior design >>
Pop-up work settings
Flexible working, nomadic working and agile working are all terms and concepts we’re familiar with already. They break away from traditions of tethered desks and designated seating, adding more work settings that allow employees to move around the space freely and adopt different postures and work modes throughout the day.
Businesses and workspace designers are evolving the way flexibility is facilitated in modern offices and a trend we’re expecting to see in 2025 is ‘pop-up’ work settings. By this, we mean temporary workspaces that can be easily reconfigured using modular furniture, divider screens and tech on wheels.
So, if you need to create a meeting space or breakout area, this can be easily constructed in the existing space with existing furniture. You don’t necessarily always need to invest in permanent, purpose-built settings.
Heritage and locality
Another design trope we’re predicting will gain traction in 2025 and beyond in offices of all sizes is bringing in geographical heritage and locality. So, adding interior design elements that pay homage to where the office is through visual nods to its culture and surroundings.
- Natural materials sourced locally, e.g. wood, metal, fabric.
- Artwork from local artists.
- Historic photography of where the office is situated.
- Locally sourced produce in workcafes and office bars, e.g. coffee from a local roaster, bread from a local baker, and beer from a local brewery.
- Plants native to the surrounding area.
Paying homage to heritage could also be something as simple as retaining original parts of a building during the fit out process. This might include exposed ceiling beams, original flooring and other architectural elements.
Town hall spaces
One of the office design trends picking up the most pace in 2024 and one we’re expecting to see lead the way through 2025 is town hall spaces. This describes an all-hands-style gathering area where every team comes together for a company-wide meeting, presentation or social event.
To meet their function of bringing sizeable groups of people together, in business offices and co-working spaces, town hall spaces typically include design elements such as:
- Bleacher seating in larger workspaces.
- Stackable chairs in smaller spaces that need the area to be multi-purpose and reconfigurable.
- AV technology designed for delivering presentations.
- Integrated tech to facilitate the blend and participation of remote workers.
Read more: Office town halls trend spotlight >>
Planning a project in 2025? Get in touch with our workspace planning and design experts to learn more about how we can support you or take inspiration from our latest case studies.
