NeoCon has rightfully earned its reputation as the world’s most anticipated and important event of the year for the commercial design industry.

Each year the international tradeshow supplies professionals with a jam-packed, three-day, first look at the design communities latest and greatest.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, visitors can access revolutionary designs, thought-provoking keynote presenters, nearly 100 CEU programs, and attendance-worthy networking events.

As another NeoCon comes and goes, we have taken note of some of the top 2017 trends that we experienced. Some of these trends include…

“Nature Cravings”

Technology is evolving at what seems like an ever-increasing rate and is continuing to expand the role it plays in our everyday lives. The more people are engulfed in a virtual world, the more our innate senses start tingling for the natural world.

Organizations are recognizing and embracing this concept by integrating biophilic elements into their designs. Such elements include raw materials, nature-inspired color palettes and patterns, and even live accent walls.

“Tech Savvy”

Speaking of technology… rapid changes in this category are compelling employees to become more tech-confident and are ultimately working to unlock human potential. This year some of the new and exciting introductions included Virtual and Augmented Reality, Microsoft Surface Hub, and wireless charging stations. These introductions will drive the ways in which we create, collaborate, communicate, and more.

“Millennial-Minded”

With Millennials entering the workforce, organizations are using their environments to attract and retain incoming talent. This generation, having grown up with infinite choices, looks for opportunities in which they can put their personal stamp on the world. In 2017, we are seeing how companies are catering to this desire by showcasing their abilities to personalize and customize their products. Companies are also embracing the millennial push for work-life balance by incorporating time-out features, such as Ping-Pong tables, into their spaces.

“Comfortably Collected”

Over-styled and stark interiors are becoming outdated. With the digital age upon us, the desire to counteract the “computer-generated” and “machine-made” aesthetic continues to trend. People are looking to fill their spaces with warmth and intimacy and are using handcrafted elements to personalize their environments and express their cultural values. Avenues, such as Pinterest and Instagram, give consumers access to design styles from all over the world right at their fingertips. This kind of global exchange is inspiring eclectic and “comfortably collected” interiors.

“Privacy Please”

While the open plan concept has been a wonderful foster for collaboration and the mobile workforce, it has also become a catalyst for distraction. With that said, finding ways to provide people with defenses against sensory overload has continued to be a focus. Designers are recognizing that everyone works differently and that there is a need for a range of ecosystems to accommodate all types of productivity. In response to satisfying these needs, a variety of modular partitions and areas of refuge were seen popping up all over NeoCon.