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In this issue… workplace and office-sector momentum builds as NYC, Washington, D.C., Dallas-Fort Worth, law firms, and Central Europe show stronger leasing, tighter supply, and renewed market confidence, while industry firms announce acquisitions, leadership changes, showroom openings, dealer growth, and strategic continuity. Design coverage looks at overlooked office chairs, sustainability, American design identity, coworking hospitality, and more human-centric workplaces shaped by neuroscience, neurodiversity, biorhythms, AI, and adaptable micro-environments. Workspace stories examine Gen Z’s demand for in-person mentorship, remote work’s benefits for parents and risks for isolation, employee frustration with poor offices, top workplace-experience jobs, and coworking amenities. Product news highlights ergonomic monitor arms, flexible Maker Project additions, Bruno lounge seating, and climate-controlled chair technology.
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By the Numbers
US hiring slowed sharply in June despite a drop in the unemployment rate to 4.2%, tempering the recent momentum in job growth. Nonfarm payrolls rose by 57,000, lower than most estimates, and the biggest decline in leisure and hospitality payrolls since 2020 highlighted ongoing labor market challenges, while resilient consumer spending amid high energy prices kept employers cautious. |
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U.S. job openings rose slightly in May to 7.594 million, while hiring fell to 5.170 million, keeping the openings rate at 4.6% and the hiring rate at 3.3%. Despite modest job growth and a low unemployment rate around 4.3%, the labor market remains mixed, with layoffs edging up and the Federal Reserve expected to raise interest rates later this year.
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“As organizations rethink workplace, education and healthcare environments, the physical environment has never been more important.”
- Rob Lau, President of Perdue, Inc. |
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Perdue Expands Florida Footprint with ABI Acquisition as Steelcase Dealer Consolidation Continues
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Florida’s contract furnishings market continues to consolidate with the acquisition of American Business Interiors (ABI) by Jacksonville-based Perdue Office Interiors, a major Steelcase dealer operating as part of Suddath Workplace Solutions. The transaction adds Melbourne-based ABI, a commercial interiors firm founded in 1969, to Perdue’s growing Florida platform and significantly expands the company’s presence along the Space Coast. While the companies are positioning the acquisition around expanded client capabilities in workplace, healthcare and education, the move also reflects the broader competitive reality facing dealerships as clients increasingly demand integrated services that extend well beyond furniture procurement.
For Perdue, the acquisition fills an important geographic gap. ABI brings decades of relationships throughout Florida’s Space Coast, a region experiencing continued growth driven by aerospace, defense, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. Rather than simply adding another sales office, Perdue gains access to markets where sophisticated workplace projects increasingly require a combination of furniture, architectural interiors, design services, project management and ongoing support. President Rob Lau said organizations are rethinking their workplaces and that clients increasingly expect environments that inspire employees while supporting new ways of working. Suddath Workplace Solutions President Rich Greco added that the acquisition strengthens Perdue’s partnership with Steelcase while allowing the company to expand more deliberately across Florida. ABI General Manager Rob Perers emphasized continuity, noting that clients will continue working with their existing teams while gaining access to broader resources and expanded capabilities.
The acquisition is another reminder that dealership competition has evolved far beyond selling desks and chairs. Across North America, the industry’s strongest dealers are becoming full-service workplace organizations capable of handling strategy, architecture, furniture, technology integration and lifecycle services under a single contract. For Steelcase, larger and better-capitalized dealer organizations also provide greater market coverage at a time when manufacturers are placing increasing emphasis on delivering complete workplace solutions rather than individual product transactions. With ABI joining Perdue, Florida’s competitive landscape becomes a little more concentrated—and a little more reflective of where the contract furnishings industry appears to be heading. |
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Teknion Doubles Down on Calgary as Showroom Becomes a Broader Workplace Statement
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For all the discussion about hybrid work shrinking the need for office space, contract furniture manufacturers continue to invest heavily in the places where design decisions actually get made. The latest example comes from Teknion, which has reopened its redesigned Calgary showroom, signaling that the Canadian manufacturer sees Western Canada as an increasingly important market for workplace innovation rather than simply another sales territory.
Located in Calgary’s historic Warehouse District, the renovated showroom moves beyond the traditional product-display model to present a more comprehensive view of Teknion’s portfolio. While workstations remain part of the equation, the emphasis has shifted toward ancillary furniture, Studio TK, and architectural interiors—a reflection of how workplace projects themselves have evolved. Today’s conversations are less about specifying desks and more about creating hospitality-inspired destinations, integrating architectural wall systems, and using furniture to support collaboration, privacy, and employee experience. President of Canadian/CALAM Sales David Patterson said the new showroom is intended to demonstrate “a broader dimension” of the company’s offering, highlighting the growing role ancillary furnishings and architectural interiors play in creating high-performing workplaces.
The investment is also notable because it reinforces a broader trend developing across the industry. Manufacturers continue to pour resources into flagship showrooms despite ongoing uncertainty surrounding office occupancy. These spaces are increasingly functioning as collaboration hubs for architects, designers, dealers, and clients rather than conventional sales floors. Teknion’s Calgary facility will host product demonstrations, client meetings, and industry events while showcasing materials, finishes, Studio TK collections, and the company’s architectural wall systems. In other words, it’s less about displaying products and more about demonstrating how an integrated workplace ecosystem comes together—a strategy that has become increasingly common as manufacturers compete for influence earlier in the design process. |
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Indiana Furniture Expands Nortwest Presence With New Coeur D'Alene Showroom
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Indiana Furniture is expanding its presence in the Pacific Northwest through the opening of a new 5,500-square-foot JL & Associates showroom in downtown Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, approximately 30 minutes east of Spokane. The investment gives the manufacturer a permanent destination in a market that serves eastern Washington, northern Idaho and surrounding regions while reinforcing a relationship that has spanned a quarter century. Formerly known as Jeff Leist Associates, the independent manufacturers’ representative has represented Indiana Furniture throughout the Northwest for the past 25 years and is now broadening its role with a dedicated environment for product demonstrations, client consultations and project support.
The new showroom showcases a broad cross-section of Indiana Furniture’s portfolio, reflecting the company’s continued push into collaborative, hospitality-inspired and workplace applications. Rather than functioning solely as a furniture display, the space has been designed as a working resource where dealers, designers and end users can evaluate finishes, experience products in realistic settings and collaborate on project solutions.
Increasingly, manufacturers are asking their independent representatives to provide more than sales coverage, and JL & Associates’ new facility reflects that evolution. In addition to product specification, the firm offers quoting, drawing support, project management, order administration and tracking services that help move projects from specification through installation. As manufacturers continue investing in regional experience centers instead of relying exclusively on major metropolitan showrooms, facilities like this one are becoming an increasingly important extension of both the dealer network and the customer experience.
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FMG Names Kristen Anderson to Lead Oklahoma City Following Gary Kelley's Retirement
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Furniture Marketing Group (FMG) is making a leadership transition in its Oklahoma City operation as longtime industry executive Gary Kelley retires after more than three decades in the commercial interiors business. Kelley played a central role in building FMG’s presence in the market, helping establish the dealership as a leading partner for clients throughout Oklahoma through a combination of long-term customer relationships and steady organizational growth.
FMG has appointed Kristen Anderson as Director of Sales for the Oklahoma City office, positioning her to lead the dealership’s next phase of development. Anderson brings experience in business development, client relationships and the design community, and will assume responsibility for continuing the momentum established during Kelley’s tenure. FMG Owner and CEO Greg Almond credited Kelley with helping define the company’s reputation in the market through his leadership, integrity and commitment to both customers and employees.
Leadership transitions have become an increasingly important story across the contract furnishings industry as a generation of dealership executives reaches retirement. For many organizations, the challenge is no longer simply replacing experienced leaders, but preserving decades of customer relationships while preparing the next generation to compete in a market that continues to demand broader services, deeper expertise and stronger strategic partnerships. FMG’s decision to elevate Anderson reflects that balancing act—honoring continuity while positioning the dealership for its next chapter. |
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DIRTT Extends Transformation Leadership Through End of 2026
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DIRTT Environmental Solutions is giving its turnaround effort more time by extending the contracts of Executive Chairman Scott Robinson and Chief Transformation Officer Adrian Zarate through Dec. 31, 2026. The pair were originally brought into their temporary leadership roles in November 2025, with agreements scheduled to expire at the end of June, but the company has now opted to keep both executives in place as it continues executing its operational transformation strategy.
The extensions suggest DIRTT believes its restructuring work remains unfinished. The company established its transformation office last year to streamline operations, improve productivity and strengthen its Construction Services business while implementing broader operational and financial changes. Robinson and Zarate have been working alongside DIRTT’s executive team to drive those initiatives, and the board’s decision to extend both appointments signals confidence in the direction of the program while acknowledging that meaningful organizational change typically requires more time than originally anticipated.
For investors and dealers, the announcement is less about executive contracts than it is about continuity. DIRTT has spent much of the past several years rebuilding its business following periods of operational instability and declining revenue. Keeping the architects of its current transformation effort in place through year-end provides management with additional runway to demonstrate measurable progress before the company enters 2027, when stakeholders will likely expect to see whether the restructuring has translated into sustained financial and operating improvement. |
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After proving that heated and cooled seating could be a premium amenity in professional sports venues, Michigan-based Promethient is bringing the same technology to the workplace. The company unveiled ThermaXis at NeoCon 2026, a new office furniture brand focused on task seating that integrates active heating and cooling directly into office chairs, along with an aftermarket seat cover designed to retrofit many of today’s most popular task chairs. The launch positions Promethient to enter the commercial interiors market just as employers continue searching for new ways to improve employee comfort while reducing building energy consumption.
Unlike traditional climate control that attempts to heat or cool an entire office, ThermaXis uses Promethient’s Thermavance technology—combining graphene with thermoelectric heat pumps—to regulate temperature through direct contact with the user. CEO Bill Myers says the goal is to eliminate the familiar “office thermostat wars,” allowing individuals to control their personal comfort without increasing demands on a building’s HVAC system. The company is already working with an office seating manufacturer to integrate the technology into a new task chair while simultaneously preparing an aftermarket version for customers who want to upgrade existing seating. Following its NeoCon debut, Myers said early customer response has been strong, with commercial availability targeted for early 2027.
For the contract furnishings industry, ThermaXis represents another example of technology becoming a differentiator in seating rather than simply an add-on feature. As ergonomics evolve beyond adjustability and posture support, personal thermal comfort could emerge as the next competitive battleground, particularly in premium workplace, healthcare and executive environments. Promethient’s success in stadium seating—including installations for the Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, Cleveland Guardians and Seattle Seahawks—suggests the company already has proof that customers are willing to pay for individualized comfort. The question now is whether office workers will be just as eager to stop fighting over the thermostat. |
|  www.traverseticker.com
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Mentor Office Furniture, a trusted Northeast Ohio office furnishings provider since 1960, has announced a recent ownership transition from longtime owner Ron Fitchko to local business owner Steve Morano, who aims to preserve the company’s legacy while introducing fresh ideas and expanded solutions for modern workplaces. The company will continue serving businesses throughout Greater Cleveland and Northeast Ohio from its Mentor showroom, offering new and pre‑owned office furniture, space planning, and installation services.
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|  www.clevelandjewishnews.com
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The Austrian office furniture market is expected to stabilize in 2026 before returning to stronger growth in 2027. The market is forecast to increase 1.0% this year to approximately US$300.3 million, following a 7.9% decline, before accelerating with 6.3% growth in 2027 as office construction rebounds and organizations resume investing in modern workplace environments. Height-adjustable desks continue to be the industry’s fastest-growing product category, expanding at an annual rate of 6.8% through 2029 and already representing 9.4% of total market sales.
The broader Central and Eastern European (CEE) office furniture market is expected to outperform Austria, growing 5.3% in 2026 to approximately US$1.43 billion and approaching US$1.67 billion by 2029. Meanwhile, Austrian manufacturer Wiesner-Hager projects fiscal 2026/27 revenue of approximately US$49.2 million, up from US$44.6 million the previous year. By 2029, the Austrian office furniture market is forecast to reach approximately US$347.0 million, reflecting renewed confidence in workplace investment as employers continue upgrading offices to support hybrid work and employee wellbeing. |
|  www.interiordaily.com
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Washington, D.C.’s office market saw its first notable occupancy gain in Q2 2026, with overall vacancy falling to 22.2% and prime office vacancy dropping to 9.3% as demand shifted toward newer, premium buildings. Positive net absorption of 65,101 sq ft was driven by strong private‑sector leasing, while the conversion of outdated properties—especially in Northwest D.C.—into residential and mixed‑use projects reduced supply. Law firms accounted for a third of leasing activity, and limited new office development, all pre‑leased, is expected to keep high‑quality space tight.
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|  allwork.space
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The office market in New York experienced its strongest leasing activity in over two decades, with 11 million square feet signed in the second quarter and a total of 22.8 million square feet leased in the first half of the year, signaling the busiest year since 2000. This surge, the most significant since 2002, puts landlords back in control and highlights a historic winning streak for the sector.
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|  www.bisnow.com
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Office leasing in Dallas‑Fort Worth surged in Q2 2026, with 4.0 million sq ft leased—a 23.9% year‑over‑year rise—driven by corporate relocations and expansions, while average asking rents climbed 4.1% to $34.44 per sq ft and Class A rents rose 5.7% to $38.75 per sq ft. Availability tightened to 26.0%, down 210 basis points, as sublease space fell and high‑quality offices remained in strong demand, especially in the North Dallas Corridor, Uptown, and Preston Center.
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|  allwork.space
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Law firms are rapidly expanding office space to meet soaring demand driven by increased AI usage, regulatory uncertainty, and a more litigious market, with leasing activity up 46% year‑over‑year and firms signing millions of square feet in early 2026. This growth is fueled by higher profits, the need for AI‑focused legal teams, and a shift toward larger, amenity‑rich workplaces, even as space per attorney declines, while firms also face rising workforce costs and potential financial pressures from AI tool expenses.
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|  www.bisnow.com
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American design is portrayed as a reflection of the nation’s individualistic spirit, highlighted through a range of objects and ideas that have become culturally iconic. Designers surveyed point to diverse examples—from political cartoons and Thoreau’s cabin, symbolizing independence and moral intuition, to Charles “Chuck” Harrison’s 1966 Sears plastic trash can—illustrating how everyday items and creative expressions collectively define America’s design identity.
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|  www.fastcompany.com
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Savo Wants to Put the Office Chair Back Into the Design Conversation
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For an industry built around workplace furniture, the office chair has become something of an odd paradox. It remains the single most-used object in the modern workplace, yet it rarely receives the same design attention, cultural relevance or editorial coverage as lounge seating, residential furniture or even occasional tables. Swedish seating manufacturer Savo is challenged that disconnect with The Office Chair Reimagined, an exhibition presented during Copenhagen’s 3daysofdesign festival that asked a surprisingly provocative question: Why has the office chair disappeared from the design conversation?
The exhibition, held during Framing at Copenhagen’s Odd Fellow Palace, invited nine architects, designers and creatives to reinterpret a Savo office chair without the traditional constraints of ergonomics, engineering or manufacturability. Instead of treating the task as another product development exercise, participants explored the chair as a cultural object worthy of artistic and conceptual expression. The installation was supported by Savo’s new white paper, Resetting Office Seating: From the Back Seat to the Front Row, which analyzed more than 400 exhibitors across major international design festivals over the past decade. According to the research, office seating represented just 8.1 percent of exhibited furniture and has steadily declined as a share of design attention, despite hybrid work making conversations about where and how people work more relevant than ever.
The findings raise a larger issue for the contract furnishings industry. Office chairs have largely been marketed through the language of ergonomics, adjustability and performance, while residential furniture increasingly sells through emotion, storytelling and lifestyle imagery. Savo argues that distinction no longer reflects how people actually live and work. As hybrid work continues to blur the boundaries between home and office, buyers increasingly expect workplace products to deliver both performance and personality. The company also points to another consequence of treating chairs as purely technical equipment: disposability. Without emotional attachment, office seating is more likely to be discarded rather than repaired, refurbished or reused, undermining the industry’s growing commitment to circularity and sustainability.
We have argued for years that the contract furnishings industry needs more experimentation if it expects to remain culturally relevant. Savo’s exhibition doesn’t introduce another mechanism, another mesh back or another synchronized tilt. Instead, it questions whether the industry’s flagship product category has become trapped by its own engineering narrative. For manufacturers searching for the next wave of workplace innovation, perhaps the biggest opportunity isn’t making office chairs work better—it may be making people care about them again. Go deeper > |
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U.S. coworking spaces are increasingly competing on premium amenities such as pet‑friendly policies, wellness facilities, childcare support, and EV charging. The Northeast leads in overall premium offerings, while specific cities top individual categories: San Francisco and Denver have the highest pet‑friendly rates (26%); Cambridge dominates wellness amenities (85% of spaces); Minneapolis leads in childcare support (nearly 30%); and Irvine tops EV‑charging availability (27%). Overall, 25.4% of coworking locations provide at least one standout amenity beyond basic Wi‑Fi and coffee.
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|  allwork.space
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Monster’s analysis of millions of employee reviews identifies the top 15 U.S. occupations with the strongest overall workplace experience scores, led by Healthcare Practitioners, Mathematics & Data Science Professionals, and Science Technicians, each scoring above 3.8 out of 5. The rankings consider eight dimensions—compensation, culture, DEI, job security, management quality, work‑life balance, CEO approval, and career outlook—showing that high‑scoring jobs span diverse fields such as healthcare, education, law, finance, engineering, entertainment, and construction, with only a 0.32‑point gap between the best and the 15th‑ranked occupations, suggesting strong workplace experiences are attainable across many career paths.
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|  allwork.space
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Gen Z employees strongly prefer hybrid work, with about 71 % favoring a mix of in‑person and remote days—the highest rate among generations—while only 23 % want fully remote work. They value face‑time for career growth, mentorship, and combating loneliness, seeking flexibility such as four days in the office and one remote day, and are driving a shift toward more in‑office presence across workplaces.
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|  allwork.space
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A major study links the rapid rise of fully remote work since the pandemic to increased social isolation and mental‑health distress among U.S. workers, especially those living alone, estimating that remote work accounts for about one‑third of the rise in psychological distress and that roughly 30 % of workdays were spent entirely at home by 2024.
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|  workplaceinsight.net
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Employees are increasingly frustrated by workspace issues such as noise, lack of privacy, uncomfortable seating, and cluttered shared areas, which hinder focus and collaboration. The report shows that resolving these frustrations could significantly boost on‑site attendance, with many workers indicating they would come to the office more often if environments were improved. Practical changes like adding private workspaces, better hybrid‑ready collaboration zones, comfortable seating, and optimized layouts are preferred over a complete overhaul and are seen as ways to enhance productivity, employee satisfaction, and office utilization.
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|  www.visionmonday.com
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Remote work’s post‑pandemic flexibility has enabled many parents, especially mothers of young children, to balance careers and family life, turning remote options into a crucial support for hiring, retention, and overall well‑being. While the shift has boosted labor‑force participation and offered cultural changes at workplaces, challenges remain, such as rising childcare costs, gender pay gaps, and the need for broader policy reforms to sustain and expand flexible work arrangements for all caregivers.
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|  www.nytimes.com
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Haworth DesignLab, launched in 2023, serves as a collaborative platform where emerging designers and artists experiment with new ideas, materials, and cultural influences. Over four years it has evolved from a single event into an ongoing initiative that shapes design thinking through immersive installations, partnerships, and workshops—highlighted by the 2026 NeoCon experience, award‑winning projects, and collaborations with notable designers and brands. The program emphasizes sustainability, technology integration, and the blurring of living and working spaces, fostering continuous innovation and dialogue within the design community.
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|  www.haworth.com
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The coworking industry has spent years borrowing ideas from the hospitality business, but one industry observer argues that the comparison may be leading operators in the wrong direction. Writing in Allwork.Space, Cat Johnson contends that while hotels excel at delivering polished, standardized service, coworking spaces succeed for a very different reason: creating lasting relationships. Unlike hotel guests who arrive and depart with little expectation of interacting with one another, coworking members often remain for years. That longevity, Johnson argues, requires operators to move beyond scripted greetings and standard operating procedures toward fostering genuine human connections that build community and encourage collaboration.
The distinction is becoming increasingly important as larger coworking operators seek to scale their businesses through standardized processes and hospitality-inspired service models. Johnson warns that relying too heavily on operational consistency can unintentionally produce attractive but emotionally flat workplaces where every interaction feels transactional. The result may be efficient operations, but not necessarily stronger member retention or a differentiated culture. For furniture manufacturers, workplace designers, and operators alike, the article is a reminder that successful flexible workplaces are defined as much by social infrastructure as physical infrastructure. As competition intensifies, creating spaces where members develop authentic relationships may prove to be a more durable competitive advantage than simply delivering a hotel-quality experience. |
|  allwork.space
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Fulton Market Design Days Reports Record Growth and Attendance
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Fulton Market Design Days celebrated its most successful event yet, drawing a record crowd with a 55% increase in attendance and featuring over 80 brands, showrooms, and installations that highlighted the district’s vibrant design, fashion, hospitality, and creative communities. The event underscored the power of collaboration and community in driving innovation, setting the stage for continued growth and the upcoming 2027 edition.
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The Circular Hub, originally launched in the Netherlands in 2021, expands to the UK, offering a comprehensive circular service that includes buy‑back programmes, refurbished furniture collections, and logistics support to extend product lifespans and reduce waste. Staffed by over 25 experts, the hub provides sustainability guidance, data on carbon footprints, and a “7 Certainties” refurbishment process that can cut carbon emissions by up to 90%, while also managing moves to minimize environmental impact and streamline operations for businesses.
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|  www.mixinteriors.com
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Versteel Expands The Maker Project: One Collection. More Possibilities.
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Ten years ago, “makerspaces” were the hot new thing. Every school wanted one, every furniture manufacturer needed a story about creativity, and suddenly butcher-block tables became symbols of innovation. A decade later, Versteel is acknowledging what many in the industry have quietly discovered: making isn’t confined to a dedicated room anymore. It’s happening throughout offices, schools, libraries, healthcare facilities, and anywhere people gather to collaborate. To mark the 10th anniversary of The Maker Project, the Jasper, Indiana-based manufacturer has expanded the collection with a series of practical enhancements that reflect how these spaces are actually being used rather than how they were originally envisioned.
The updates are less about introducing flashy new products and more about making the existing platform substantially more flexible. Expanded worksurface choices—including laminate, phenolic resin, and stainless steel—join the original maple butcher block option, while new storage shelves, field-installed bag hooks, integrated power, table-linking capabilities, additional seating materials, and upholstered seat options allow designers to tailor installations for everything from STEM classrooms to corporate innovation centers. Perhaps the most telling aspect of the announcement is that many of these additions originated as customer requests that repeatedly surfaced during project installations before ultimately becoming standard offerings. That’s often a better product development strategy than trying to predict the next workplace trend from a conference keynote.
For contract furniture manufacturers, there’s a broader lesson here.
Collections that survive a decade rarely do so because they remain frozen in time. They endure because they evolve with customer needs while preserving a recognizable design language. Versteel’s Maker Project appears to be following that playbook, transforming from a niche makerspace solution into a broader platform for collaborative environments. In an industry where clients increasingly expect furniture systems to adapt as quickly as their organizations do, continuous refinement may prove more valuable than the next “revolutionary” product launch. Sometimes the smartest innovation is simply listening to the people who use your products every day. |
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Stellar Works and Australian design studio LAYAN present the Bruno collection, featuring a sculptural lounge chair that combines a wooden frame with generous, lightly suspended upholstery, creating a cradled, lightweight silhouette. Emphasizing material honesty, craftsmanship, and timeless design, the chair offers comfort through its architectural structure and soft cushions, reflecting LAYAN’s philosophy of functional, emotionally resonant furniture suitable for both hospitality and residential settings.
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|  www.officing.com
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The spring‑loaded table leg system by Austrian company RIOF uses partially split wood to create a purely mechanical, glue‑free connection between tabletop and legs, eliminating the need for metal screws. This monomaterial, volume‑optimized design offers high quality and thoughtful engineering, showcasing an innovative, nature‑inspired solution for durable furniture construction.
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|  www.core77.com
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Hans J. Wegner created the PP130 Circle Chair late in his career at age 72, achieving his long‑standing goal of integrating a circular form into a chair by using a steam‑bent hoop and tightly‑stretched jute web for structural support; this innovative design, produced by PP Møbler, overcame previous manufacturing challenges and entered the market in 1986, remaining in production today.
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|  www.core77.com
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NeoCon 2027 / DesignDays 2027
June 13-16, 2027 | Chicago, IL
NeoCon has served as the world’s leading platform and most important event of the year for the commercial design industry since 1969. A launch pad for innovation—NeoCon offers ideas and introductions that shape the built environment today and into the future. For 2027 NeoCon is officially a 4-day event beginning on Sunday, June 13, 2027.
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Product Talk | America 250—Heritage, Craftsmanship, and the Next Generation of American Design
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The episode spotlights America 250, emphasizing its dedication to preserving heritage and craftsmanship while fostering the next generation of American design. It explores how the brand blends traditional techniques with modern innovation, highlighting collaborations with emerging designers, sustainable material choices, and a commitment to quality that bridges the past with future creative directions.
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Trends in Commercial Projects
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Revel Architecture & Design transformed LinkedIn’s San Francisco floor into a vibrant, community‑focused space that blends warm materials, fluid forms, and surf‑inspired textures, offering a barista bar, communal lounge, flexible meeting zones, and event areas while meeting complex life‑safety requirements.
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|  retaildesignblog.net
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PMG’s White Fox Boutique Headquarters in Sydney is a five‑floor, 13,000 sqm headquarters that blends the brand’s identity with collaborative spaces, featuring a 380 sqm atrium, gym, Pilates studio, saunas, and treatment rooms, delivered on time and on budget through integrated design‑to‑construction execution.
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|  officesnapshots.com
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MoreySmith’s new “Workplace 3.0” report argues that AI and the pandemic have decoupled productivity and presence from the office, making human connection the core reason for physical workspaces. It defines three eras of office design, positioning the current era as intentional, durable, and hospitality‑inspired, creating “destination buildings” that foster community, mentorship, and serendipitous collaboration. The report highlights how purposeful, adaptable design can extend a building’s lifespan, increase rental value, and deliver sustainable, long‑term value for owners and occupants.
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|  www.designinsiderlive.com
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Stripe is expanding its River North Chicago office by over 130,000 sq ft, securing a total of more than 222,000 sq ft at 350 N. Orleans St. (next to the Mart), with the move planned in phases over the next few years. This expansion follows previous leases in 2022 and 2025 that increased its footprint to about 89,000 sq ft, and aims to accommodate roughly 80 new hires while the building itself is being marketed for sale amid a high vacancy market.
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|  www.bisnow.com
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Integra Seating Earns a Best of NeoCon Title for the Expanded Odyssey Collection
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Integra Seating’s Expanded Odyssey Collection earned the Best of NeoCon Silver Award in the Furniture > Healthcare: Guest & Lounge category at NeoCon 2026. The expanded line adds counter‑height and bar‑height stools, a modular Odyssey System with connecting brackets, integrated and freestanding tables, and a personal item shelf, all featuring Dymetrol‑suspended plywood seats, component‑based construction, and a hook‑and‑clip upholstery system for easy textile replacement. It maintains a 1,200‑lb static load capacity and holds BIFMA Level 1, Clean Air Gold, and lifetime warranty certifications.
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Henricksen Promotes Bob Batley to Managing Director, Architectural Products
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Bob Batley, a veteran with over 40 years in construction, design, and workplace strategy, has been promoted to Managing Director of Architectural Products at Henricksen. In this role he will lead the architectural products practice across the company’s 13 U.S. offices, deepen the partnership with Allsteel, and drive growth by uniting the national team, nurturing talent, and leveraging his extensive experience to deliver integrated, flexible workplace solutions.
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Empire & Co. Rises to #2 on Atlanta Business Chronicle's List of Largest Office Furniture Dealers
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Empire & Co., one of the nation’s largest commercial furniture and interior solutions providers, has been ranked #2 on the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2025 list of the city’s largest office furniture dealers, reflecting $82.68 million in commercial sales and a climb from #3 in previous years. The company recently opened a new 6,200‑sq‑ft flagship showroom and a 70,000‑sq‑ft warehouse in Atlanta’s Battery district, positioning itself closer to key clients, partners, and projects while showcasing a curated portfolio from top manufacturers and emphasizing flexible, collaborative workplace design. This recognition underscores Empire & Co.’s continued investment in the Atlanta market and its role in supporting the region’s growing office demand and corporate relocations.
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NanaWall Celebrates 40 Years of Leadership in Opening Glass Wall Systems
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NanaWall celebrates 40 years as a leader in opening glass wall systems, highlighting its origins in 1986 when four brothers founded the company to fill a market gap, and its many industry firsts such as FoldFlat™ technology, high acoustic ratings, hurricane‑rated and wood‑to‑clad systems, and patented innovations like PrivaSEE™ and UniverSILL™. Today the company offers a comprehensive portfolio—including sliding, folding, and window solutions—known for acoustic, thermal, and structural performance, and continues to advance the market with new materials, expanded applications, and a strong reputation built on decades of trust with architects and builders.
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IIDA NY Inaugurates First Design Materials Specialist as Chapter President for 2026-2027 Term
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Robin Reigi, a design materials specialist, has been inaugurated as IIDA New York Chapter President for 2026‑2027, succeeding Elisabeth Mejia and joining President‑Elect Rachel Robinson. Her “All In” theme emphasizes inclusive, hands‑on leadership for the chapter’s 700 members. Reigi will launch “The Loupe,” a firm‑based conversation series linking sponsors with emerging designers, building on her prior student‑development program “SUP.” The annual members meeting and her initiatives aim to strengthen community engagement and professional development.
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Seeing confidential salary data sparked intense curiosity, envy, and constant comparison among employees, highlighting how such information can distort perception of fairness and value within a company. The advice emphasizes stopping comparisons, focusing on personal market value, and seeking fair compensation based on external benchmarks rather than internal salary secrecy.
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Senior Sales Executive (Director / VP Level)
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Lacasse is seeking an accomplished senior sales executive to lead growth initiatives across the United States. This strategic leadership role will be responsible for accelerating revenue growth, expanding market presence, and strengthening relationships with our sales partners and key accounts.
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Open Plan Systems is seeking an accomplished National Sales Director to lead strategic growth across the United States by expanding the company’s dealer network, strengthening key contract relationships, and identifying new market opportunities. This high-impact role is ideal for a proven sales executive with deep contract furniture industry experience, strong partnership-building skills, and the ability to combine strategic vision with hands-on execution to deliver measurable revenue growth.
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| See Job Opening > |
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