Commercial Interior Design Trends to Look Out For

The design of a commercial interior has a direct influence on the outcomes that matter most for every business: employee productivity, brand reinforcement and customer engagement. Staying up to date with the latest commercial interior design trends is therefore an effective way to ensure that your industrial property interiors are getting results. If you’re looking for interior design ideas or simply wondering what’s hot in the world of commercial building renovation, here are some current trends to influence and inspire.

Hotels

The latest hotel interiors seek to achieve a difficult balance; a look and feel that emphasises a back-to-nature approach, combined with highly technological innovations to let guests luxuriate in comfort and style. The marriage of these two opposing approaches is tricky to pull off, but here are some tips:

• Let the light in wherever possible; use skylights and floor-to-ceiling windows to bathe your hotel interior in natural light.
• Use colours and fabrics inspired by nature – earthy tones and natural fabrics.
• Consider maximising the outdoor space for every guest with generous balconies that let the outside in.
• Get smart: Employing technology that enables guests to control factors like temperature and lighting at the touch of a button or the tap or a screen.
• Hide the wires: Conceal tell-tale signs of technology using screens and other features that blend into the overall room design. This will make for a more relaxing experience and enable travellers to take a break from screen time when they need to.
• Rethink your lobby layout. With many guests now preferring to check in online, you may decide to reduce the space dedicated to traditional reception functions and replace it with a larger lounge area, an eye-catching art or water feature, or a Wi-Fi hotspot where people can work as they watch the world go by.

For more up-to-the-minute ideas, read more about the top interior design trends for 2016.

Museums

Today’s museums are a far cry from the dark and dusty spaces of the past. Increasingly, museums are becoming commercially astute institutions, with interiors that are designed to attract footfall and maximise revenue. Here are some commercial interior design trends being employed by modern museums and galleries:

• Unique design elements to intrigue and inspire. First impressions really are important for museums looking to tempt people inside, and many institutions are using some really exciting devices to attract the attention of their potential clientele. The best features are those that incorporate the spirit of the exhibitions they are showcasing, highlighting period elements and enabling the old to sit side by side with the new. Check out the museum refurbishment we carried out for the Museum of Brands London, featuring a spectacular, bespoke Time Tunnel.
• Event spaces. Many museums are beginning to realise the potential for revenue from hiring outdoor space for private, out-of-hours events. In this case, any interior design ideas for a new museum building need to address the need for a flexible space that can be used for this purpose.
• Retail opportunities. Without café and gift shop revenue, most museums would be significantly worse off. So modern museum interior design needs to incorporate enticing retail and restaurant spaces where patrons are encouraged to linger and are inspired to spend.

If you plan to refurbish a museum, you need to bear in mind that this can be a complex issue, with many specialist factors to consider. Find out how Apollo’s commercial building contractors can help you with your museum project.

Offices

As the central hub of activity within your business, the interior design of your office space can make a massive difference to productivity. From subtle use of colour and light to help inspire creativity, to well-researched layouts to maximise efficient workflow, well planned and executed office fit out and interior design has the power to revolutionise your office output. Here are some great commercial interior ideas to inspire your office refurbishment:

• Hot desking. One of the buzzwords of modern office life, hot desking allows employees to move around and mingle, removing the need to be tied to a particular workstation in a specific department. Designing your office to enable this flexibility will help you get the most out of your office space and encourage your employees to collaborate across traditional departmental boundaries and think outside the box.
• Flexible breakout areas. Continuing this theme, modern offices are beginning to recognise the potential of ‘breakout’ areas that can be used for breaks, meetings, or simply somewhere to take the laptop for a change of scenery.
• Sustainable solutions. Employing eco-friendly solutions within your office space is the sign of a forward-thinking company that values its employees and the environment. Solar power, indoor gardens and other ecologically aware design features will boost feelings of wellbeing, reduce energy costs and promote your image as a company that cares.

Apollo Interiors can transform your office space. Read this office interior design case study to find out how we carried out a large-scale commercial building renovation in Hemel Hempstead. Alternatively, check out this Hoxton refurbishment case study which makes great use of natural light and provides some great office interior inspiration.

Retail

Commercial interior design is especially important in retail outlets. Here you’ll be competing directly with others on the same street – so you’ll need to keep up with the competition and ensure that your industrial property interiors are fit for purpose. Here are some retail interior design tips to help you on your way:

• Let customers experience your product in a way that they can’t replicate online. Clothes and shoes should be showcased in a way that encourages tactile interaction. Don’t underestimate the importance of dedicating physical space to demonstration areas where your products can be tried out and tested before customers make the commitment to buy.
• Encourage browsers to linger; make them feel comfortable with seating areas, generous fitting rooms and other hospitable elements. Some retail outlets are even incorporating interactive tablets to help their guests feel at home.

For more refurbishment ideas, discover how our commercial building contractors at Apollo Interiors recently fitted out a new branch of London estate agents in Chelsea Square. You can read the case study on our complete fit out here.

If you’re looking for commercial building contractors for interior design solutions and space planning, just contact Apollo. We’ll be happy to discuss your particular needs for your hotel, museum, office or retail space and offer advice on how you can employ some of these commercial interior design trends within your own individual interiors.

Call us on 01462 732 991 or email [email protected] for a chat about and how we can help you today!