Commercial Stone Design Trends
Emerging from the depths of cubicles and vending machines are new design trends intended to increase productivity and well-being. Today, offices are filled with modern designs and employee amenities suited for employer and employee expectations. With biophilia being the forefront of design, the workplace is incorporating more natural materials… like stone! Explore these most popular stone office trends for 2019!
Reception
A striking reception area is a must to showcase your business. Consider it the front cover of a magazine. Whether a client, partner, visitor or interviewee, every person who walks through your front door is looking for a direction, so they glance the room for a reception desk and the welcoming smile behind it. In 2019, reception areas embody modernization through the use of stone. Whether a countertop or waterfall design, this choice will sophisticate any look for your business. Consider using Silestone's Helix or Vicostone's Java Noir!
Open Spaces
George Musser, author of the Scientific American, said, “...to break down the social walls that divide people, you had to break down the real walls, too.” Today, open spaces and unconventional stations have spread across the workplace. Sofas, Volkswagen buses and expanded desks are becoming the new hot spots for getting work done. Using simpler designs such as Camrbria’s Ella would be perfect for expanded desks, while designs like Cambria’s Aberdeen would fit better as retro statement pieces for accent tables.
Conference Rooms
Conference rooms are just as important as reception areas. Used as collaboration stations, focus rooms, meeting areas, training-grounds and think tanks, conference rooms are considered the hub of everything business. This year, bold moves are in to make a statement and stand out from your competitors. HanStone Quartz’s Silhouette design is both modern and dramatic, which is an ideal combination for any conference room table.
Kitchen
Vending machines have become a thing of the past. Businesses are saying goodbye to 50¢ snacks and hello to coffee bars, kitchens and full-service refrigerators. If you’re looking for a subtle design, Cambria’s Summerhill is calm and serene, perfect for relaxing while eating lunch. However, any coffee bar is deserving of Caesarstone’s Excava design. The coppered look will relish as a countertop or backsplash!
Wall Cladding
Considered one of the most profound ways to make a statement, wall cladding has become popular in modernizing and charming workplaces. Employees desire to escape the concrete walls of a building and dive into more natural settings. Wall cladding does just this by bringing a piece of nature to a workspace. Meant to appear as a statement piece, wall cladding is universally applicable in a range of colors and patterns. Stay neutral with Cambria’s Myddleton or be audacious with Cambria’s Galloway design.
Which Stone Is Best for the Workplace?
Although solid surface is popular among commercial designs, the type of stone you choose should depend on your business’s traffic areas. Marble is ideal for design-based areas such as the reception desk or for use in wall cladding. High traffic areas, such as bathrooms or desks, should incorporate granite or quartzite for added durability. If you’re unsure about which stone type is best for you, visit our blog post or speak to one of our professionals!
