BEST OF NEOCON 2026 WITH PEOPLESPACE

Our teams highlights from the world’s leading commercial interiors event

OUR TOP 10 TRENDS AT NEOCON

Soft seating continues to expand beyond lounges and is becoming a primary destination for focused work, informal meetings, and social connection. Manufacturers showcased residential-inspired seating with enhanced ergonomics, integrated power, and privacy features. This shift reflects the growing demand for workplace environments that prioritize comfort, flexibility, and employee experience.

Manufacturers are investing heavily in modular furniture systems that can easily adapt to changing team sizes and work styles. These solutions allow organizations to reconfigure spaces quickly without significant renovation costs. The emphasis is on creating agile environments that support both collaboration and individual work throughout the day.

Privacy pods were present in nearly every showroom, signaling their evolution from trend to workplace necessity. Organizations continue to seek solutions that provide acoustic separation without requiring permanent construction. New pod designs featured improved ventilation, integrated technology, and a broader range of sizes to support various work activities.

Acoustic performance is now being integrated directly into furniture, architectural elements, and space planning strategies. Manufacturers highlighted solutions that address noise control while maintaining open and collaborative environments. The focus has shifted from reactive sound management to proactive acoustic design as a core workplace requirement.

Height-adjustable products have matured, with manufacturers focusing on aesthetics, ease of use, and seamless integration into workplace design. New solutions emphasized cleaner profiles, quieter operation, and improved user experiences. The trend reflects a move away from standing desks as a feature and toward wellness as a standard expectation.

Sustainability remains a major driver of product development, with increased use of recycled, renewable, and low-carbon materials. Manufacturers are emphasizing transparency through environmental certifications and lifecycle assessments. The conversation has expanded beyond material selection to include circular design principles and end-of-life product strategies.

Technology integration is becoming increasingly invisible, with power, charging, sensors, and connectivity embedded directly into furniture and architectural solutions. Manufacturers focused on reducing technology clutter while enhancing user convenience. These solutions support hybrid work environments where seamless connectivity is expected regardless of location.

Outdoor workspaces continue to gain traction as organizations seek to maximize underutilized exterior areas. Furniture manufacturers showcased products designed to withstand environmental conditions while delivering indoor-level comfort and functionality. The trend supports employee wellness initiatives and provides alternative work settings that encourage creativity and collaboration.

Biophilic design remains a prominent influence, with products incorporating natural materials, organic forms, and plant integration. Manufacturers emphasized the connection between nature-inspired environments and employee well-being, engagement, and productivity. The trend has evolved from simply adding plants to creating more holistic, nature-centered workplace experiences.

Curved forms dominated furniture, architectural elements, and space planning concepts throughout NeoCon. Softer geometries create a more welcoming and residential atmosphere while supporting fluid movement through the workplace. This design direction aligns with the broader shift toward human-centered environments that prioritize comfort, warmth, and connection.

NEW FROM HAWORTH

PHOTOS FROM OUR TEAM

NEW – Sosu Sofa
NEW – Moxie Modular Lounge
NEW – Sosu Lounge Chair
NEW – Sorin
NEW – Accolade
NEW Moxie Modular Lounge

Model No., out of Columbus, Ohio is a sustainable company that 3D prints furniture from reclaimed furniture, ground up furniture waste. They have successfully made it modular with standard sizes in addition to the custom work. They developed it in conjunction with IA’s Seattle office. They have lounge seating, desking/touchdown areas, planters, tables, waste and recycling centers.
Theresa Comer, Manager | Client Engagement

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

Our team attended NeoCon 2026 with clients in tow, walked the showrooms independently, and participated in VIP presentations. These are their firsthand observations — the shifts, surprises, and standouts that are shaping how we think about workspace design heading into the rest of 2026.

Ancillary Is No Longer Secondary

Soft seating dominated the show floor in a way that hasn’t been seen before. Oversized, serpentine sectionals—often incorporating built-in planters—appeared across nearly every major manufacturer. Traditional workstations and private offices were noticeably less prominent, signaling a shift in workplace priorities. Ancillary spaces are no longer supporting elements; they are becoming central to how offices are designed and experienced.

Takeaway: Ancillary furniture and collaborative lounge environments are the category to watch.

The Workplace Now Competes with Home

Comfort, warmth, and residential-inspired design defined this year’s show. Manufacturers expanded their offerings with richer textures, fashion-driven monochromatic palettes, and a strong return of 1970s-inspired colors, including deep burgundy, forest green, and other jewel tones. The message was clear: today’s workplace must provide an experience compelling enough to draw people away from the comfort of home.

Takeaway: Residential aesthetics and hospitality-inspired design continue to influence workplace environments.

Privacy Solutions Are Maturing Rapidly

As organizations continue to address the challenges of open office environments, privacy-focused solutions have evolved significantly.Acoustic pods, phone booths, beam-based screens, and modular room systems all demonstrated improvements in both design quality and scalability. One standout innovation came from Framery, whose new customizable exterior panel program helps transform privacy pods from functional equipment into integrated furniture solutions.

Takeaway: Privacy is no longer an afterthought—it’s becoming a core component of workplace planning.

Sustainability Arrived with Proof

This year, sustainability moved beyond marketing claims and focused on measurable impact. Manufacturers emphasized verified certifications, documented material transparency, and traceable environmental data. A standout example was Model No. (Columbus, OH), which showcased modular furniture produced through 3D printing using reclaimed material waste. The system was developed in partnership with IA’s Seattle office and demonstrates a practical, scalable approach to circular design.

Takeaway: Verified sustainability practices and material transparency are becoming competitive differentiators.

VENDOR PARTNERS

HAT COLLECTIVE

HAT Collective unveiled Corva at NeoCon 2026, a modular height-adjustable workstation platform designed for flexibility and adaptability. Supporting a range of workstation and benching configurations, Corva delivers a streamlined solution for today’s evolving workplace.

BOSS DESIGN

Boss Design debuted four new collections at NeoCon 2026, led by the award-winning Lucy lounge chair alongside the Nya lounge chair, Lumae meeting chair, and Enso modular seating collection. Designed with comfort, flexibility, and circular design principles in mind, the new introductions reflect Boss Design’s commitment to creating beautiful, long-lasting furniture for evolving workplace environments.

OFS

Designed in collaboration with Webb, Obee brings together ergonomic lumbar support, modular flexibility, and the aesthetic warmth defining the workplace category at NeoCon 2026. Soft organic curves, a sculptural profile, and rich customization options make it equally at home in a quiet focus retreat or a vibrant team hub.

SOURCE

Source International’s NeoCon 2026 showroom leaned fully into the warm, residential palette trending across the floor. Bold yellows, layered textiles, and mixed upholstery pieces like the Charm Lounge brought a personal, hospitality-inspired feel that felt right at home with where the industry is headed.

FROM OUR TEAM – IN THEIR OWN WORDS

“The Haworth ROOMs VIP presentation was a standout, more intimate than the standard showroom tour and created an atmosphere for great customer engagement. The AI-generated ROOMs rendering within a customer’s own facility was really cool, and impressed all of the clients we toured through.”

~Yuri Petroff

“My biggest takeaway was the continued emphasis on materiality and creating warmer, more engaging environments, expanded textures, refreshed powder coat options, and monochromatic palettes inspired by fashion, all contributing to spaces that feel more residential and human-centered.”

~ Rhyanna Street

“Ancillary solutions seemed to take center stage this year, with less focus on traditional workstations and private offices. Most manufacturers featured soft seating that was rounded, sometimes oversized, serpentine, incorporating planters was big.”

~ Teresa Comer

“Haworth 4SPACE Rooms, in my opinion it should be a game changer for GC-driven wall opportunities. Framery booth upgrades with decorative exterior panels look to have enhanced the aesthetics which is superior to HUSH booths.”

~ Howard York

“Workplace has caught up to hospitality. The spaces that showed well held a refined sophistication through color and texture, drawing crowds into the space. Deep, saturated colors created jewel box moments for furniture and space to collide. The stand out performers paid special attention to product details with a sleek mix of materials, thoughtful, elegant features and well curated design detailing.”

~ Michael Fisher