Many of us have been working from home for the past couple of months. As states begin to open up and local governments release plans to return to the office environment, a lot of us have questions about what that looks like and what we need to do to get back into our spaces safely.

There are varying opinions by today’s workers about the “open office” environment. Multiple recent surveys of people in open workspaces found noise, distractions, and lack of privacy and personal space consistently cited as the biggest complaints in this new norm.

A great interior space considers both physical and human elements. A great interior design professional uses their creative eye to evoke physical emotions and harmonize elements within a space. These three trends are becoming more prevalent than ever, even if they may not be new!

Earlier this year, we announced an exciting multi-year partnership as the Proud Work Environment Partner of the Columbus Blue Jackets. This partnership is highlighted by the CO Lab, a creative collaboration center and modern meeting room created by our team at Continental Office.

If these walls could talk, what would they say? Transforming older buildings and repurposing them into something new, known as adaptive reuse, is the latest buzz-worthy renovation trend that is influencing how we look at design.

If these walls could talk, what would they say? The process of taking existing structures and turning them into modern facilities is the hottest trend in development right now. It's called adaptive reuse and it's changing the way we create meaningful spaces. Over the past ten years in the US alone, there's been more than 40,000 adaptive reuse projects.

Designing a new or remodeled office can be kind of a rollercoaster. First, there’s that long, stuttering climb toward a firm decision to take action. Then suddenly you’re on top in the sunlight, surveying the glowing possibilities spread before you like candles on a birthday cake.

Nature; we can see it, touch it, smell it and hear it. We are surrounded by it everywhere we go. Yet, we often don’t see it being a necessity within our work environment. Most commonly, a planting strategy is simply not incorporated within the design budget from the early project stages on. However, this paradigm is shifting because the impact of planting is significant. A large contribution to this is the increase of overall well-being of employees and the reduction of absenteeism in the workplace, which, conservatively speaking, often reaches more than 30% ⁽¹⁾ after the introduction of planting according to research.

One of the most common questions we get from new clients is, "What is commercial or contract furniture anyway?" In simple terms, it's furniture not intended for residential use. The official definition is: Commercial furniture is manufactured to meet established industry standards. It is subject to stringent testing and a certification process. It is then sold exclusively by local dealerships.

In today's economy, the world continues to shrink and the need for talent continues to expand. Companies are seeking every possible advantage to attract and retain talent in order to fuel growth and continue to innovate. The location of a company and the community in which employees live are often taken for granted and not fully leveraged.