From floor coverings to furnishing fabrics and wallcoverings to screening, we are seeing a strong and growing trend for pattern. Applied to commercial interiors, pattern can have a powerful and positive impact, particularly for the workplace. Read on to learn about the many different ways that pattern can be used to enhance workplace interiors.
The psychological impact of pattern shouldn’t be underestimated. Careful specification of patterned materials and finishes can help ‘set the scene’ on how a company wishes to be perceived – serious, fun, relaxed, innovative, dynamic?
Biophilic patterns inspired by nature are well known for helping to create a calming effect, helping to reduce stress and promote a sense of well-being. Softer, organic designs can make a workplace feel more inviting, while energetic patterns, in common areas, can promote social interaction and collaboration.
Since the pandemic, as workplaces become more agile to flexibly accommodate hybrid workstyles, we are seeing more collaborative working areas, social spaces and hot desking. Areas for social interaction benefit from vibrant, playful patterns that encourage collaboration, interaction and engagement.
Pattern Play - Motifs
Brightly patterned accent walls, decorative ceilings, or artistic murals can serve as conversation starters and foster a sense of community. When employees feel comfortable in their environment, collaboration and teamwork naturally improve.
Use pattern to inject a completely new level of energy into a space. Strong pattern stimulates the brain, inspires creativity and fosters innovation. Warm and vibrant colours of pattern can be particularly useful in this regard.
By adding a sense of dynamism and movement to a space, geometric and abstract patterns can help employees to think out of the box and come up with new and fresh ideas.
And it’s not just the creative industries that benefit from brainstorming, ‘free-thinking’ spaces. Any type of business including IT, law firms and accountancy businesses can also benefit from a work environment designed to inspire employees to come up with innovative problem-solving solutions.
For open-plan offices, breaking down the floorplate with patterned flooring can be an effective way to visually define areas without the need for physical barriers. For example, meeting areas may feature a bold patterned inset in a plainer field flooring. A quiet focussed working zone could have a muted, repetitive design to encourage concentration.
For navigating through a workplace, patterned modular tiles can be cleverly used as way markers with the use of particular motifs. Introducing a varying colour palette with the same motif can also be used as a visual signal to identify, for example, different floor levels or departments.
By improving spatial organisation with the use of pattern, employees can navigate the office more intuitively.
Coastline Collection at BP (left) and Northward Bound Collection (right)
Employee well-being is perhaps one of today’s biggest driving forces in workplace design. Creating spaces that connect with the nautral world and the positive effect they can have on health and wellbeing are well documented.
While real plants and foliage are a more obvious way of bringing the outside in, organic shapes and biophilic inspired pattern introduced into interior finishes will also help to achieve this effect.
At one extreme, interior pattern can be used to reflect a brandmark for a truly immersive experience for employees and visitors. However, a more subtle approach can often be more effective.
A brand’s identity is so much more than its logo. It encompasses a business’s personality, culture and values. Clever use of pattern and colour can help to create a welcoming, nurturing environment that can help reflect a company’s ethos. Used cohesively this can reinforce an identity and foster a sense of pride and belonging.
The trend for minimal workplaces filled with plain walls and muted surfaces is beginning to give way to more colourful interiors with more visual interest. For large spaces in particular this can feel quite uninspiring. As workplace designers work hard to create interiors that will attract employees back into the office, introducing carefully selected layered patterning in wallpapers, furnishings and flooring are making work environments more homely, welcoming and engaging.
Patterned interiors are more than just a design choice — they are a powerful tool that can have a positive influence on employee behaviour, well-being, and productivity. By thoughtfully integrating patterns into workplace design, companies can create spaces that inspire creativity, enhance focus, and reinforce their brand identity. Whether through subtle textures or bold statements, patterns have the ability to transform a workplace into a vibrant, functional, and engaging environment.
Also see our blog: THE TRANSFORMATIONAL POWER OF PATTERN