What Designers Want
If there’s one question everyone in the interiors industry wants answered, it is this: What exactly are designers looking for when they are picking products for a space? It is a difficult question to answer, even when you spend time polling the design community.
The recently completed BIFMA 360° Leadership Conference provided some answers.
What we learned based on conversations and an interesting panel discussion is this: One size does not fit all. Designers want products that exude flexibility, promote health and wellness, provide an oasis in an increasingly loud office and allow easy reconfiguration.
ADAPTABILITY
Designers want spaces that can be easily reconfigured: “Coincidentally, here in Miami, we embarked on a new office design in winter 2020. We were in the midst of wrapping up planning and had to go back to the drawing board. We said to ourselves, ‘Well, what does this office space mean for you?’ It’s only been accelerated that one size does not fit all.” — Steven Burgos, design director, senior associate, Gensler Miami Work Studio
Nook is adaptable: Nook was designed to be mobile. Roll four together in a square to create a team workspace. Line them up along a wall to activate space where it was impossible before.
CHOICE
Designers want products that allow choice: “We’re focused on individual, not on the box. And I think that is the way forward to the future, especially in sustainability and wellness.” — ASID Chief Executive Officer Gary Wheeler
Nook allows for choice: Want to work together? Gather in a Nook Huddle Pod. Want to work alone? Escape to a Nook Solo Booth. Nook was designed to work exactly how you want to work.
AGILITY
Designers want products that are agile: “Our clients are more open to change…and we’re going to need your products to help us build scale and adaptability and flexibility.” — Brett Shwery, senior vice president, Interiors Practice, AECOM
Nook is built to move at the speed of change: The same Nook can be used as a spot for a cup of coffee as the day starts, as a meeting hub later on and a personal work space as the day goes on.
HEALTHY PRODUCTS
Designers want products that address health, wellness, noise and privacy issues: “You’ve got people like me that are loud talkers. You need to think about acoustics, about products that can do more than one thing and provide flexibility, which is key.” — Gretchen Holy, DLR Group principal and higher education interior design leader
Nook provides comfort: Nook is built on the foundations of neurodiversity and contains three of the key components of an inclusive wellness space including a personal and intimate space, a place to manage noise and disruption and tunable lighting control to personalize the experience.
A GREEN PEDIGREE
Designers want to protect the environment: “American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and Interior Designers of Canada (IDC) co-wrote an individual pledge for all interior designers to say they will do the very best they can on every project and in every way (to protect the environment).” — ASID Chief Executive Officer Gary Wheeler
Nook is designed with the environment in mind: With cushions that easily snap into place, worn or stained fabrics can be popped out and replaced. If a panel of your Nook is damaged, it can simply be swapped out with a new one.
DESIGNERS WANT
