2018 ushered in a strong economy, a stock market rollercoaster, and some controversial trade policy decisions. How has this impacted our industry? The labor market remains strong and interest rates are beginning to rise. We expect end users to start asking for materials that last longer than a short-term lease, as we witness occupancy costs rising. Trade tariffs are prompting interior designers to pay attention to where a product is manufactured. Many foreign manufacturers are raising prices to protect their profits and to stay in business. We expect that this issue will be top-of-mind for many of our clients in 2019.

We now have plenty of projects to go around, but we don’t necessarily have the labor pool to construct them. We would expect to see construction costs rising and general contractors to become more selective on which assignments to produce. What does all of this mean for interior design projects in 2019? Let’s have some fun and take a shot at what we can expect to see this year!

Many factors will shape the future of restaurants and the way we dine, but at a minimum, the industry will be led by new behaviors that were shaped by what we learned about dining when it was gone.

While traditional dining is here to stay, brands will need to explore new avenues of engagement both inside and outside restaurants. Learn more about the future of engaging food experiences in our latest report.

The world of work has undergone tremendous change in the last three years. During that time, NELSON has designed 1.5 million square feet of legal workspace for 28 different law firms. Fundamental to our approach has been asking questions that push beyond the borders of a particular project: Rather than responding solely to requests for design services, we explore firm objectives, operational methods, and culture to develop solutions that truly respond to deep organizational needs.

This has given us a unique perspective on what makes a successful legal workplace. We have distilled that knowledge into five core insights that can guide firms as they think about creating contemporary workplaces.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced our society to accept a new normal, and these learned behaviors will cause a monumental shift in how we return to the workplace. A shift where every corporation must embrace a renewed sense of energy on creating environments that are safe, healthy, and inspiring to work in.

At NELSON, it’s our goal to provide a holistic approach of strategic changes employers can make today, tomorrow, and in the future, to make this transition back into the workplace as seamless as possible.

The effects of the global pandemic will reflect the flaws of our past but will also give us the opportunity to emerge stronger than before.

At NELSON, we’re rewriting the rules by boldly transforming the employee experience through innovative architecture and design, revolutionizing the way legal professionals work. We believe in a holistic approach to design and partner with our clients to create spaces that support their unique brand- and sector-specific connections and promote engagement.

In today’s legal workplace, hierarchical organization of office space, crowned by the ultimate reward of the corner office for the highest ranking attorneys, reigns supreme. But as is true for any static institution that doesn’t keep up with the changing times, a revolution is taking place.

The events of 2020 have fundamentally changed the way consumers engage with environments. Hotel brands must embrace a new, innovative mindset to better prepare for the future. These reframed rituals could be minor, but we may also see brands experiment at a larger scale by allowing guests more visibility and control in their experience.

Many factors will shape the future of the office and the way we work, but at a minimum corporations must embrace a renewed sense of energy on creating environments that are safe, efficient, and most importantly, inspiring to work in. The future of the workplace is here and the renaissance of the office will allow us to emerge stronger than before.

At NELSON Worldwide, we know great workplace design not only enables and encourages communication, but helps leaders perform better. When we accomplish these two objectives in our design solutions, our clients gain a workplace that naturally boosts the opportunity for, and success of, the key to all great companies: great mentorship.

As the workplace evolves, the legal sector is no exception. This typically conservative industry has once again been forced to adapt quickly to maintain business continuity. The challenges developing around physical space, client service, and employee safety promise to reshape the legal workplace in both the near and long-term future.