Pamela Holschuh,Jessica Meibers and fellow designer Viviane Herbert prepare for a full day at NeoCon.
NEOCON
Held every June in Chicago, NeoCon (National Exposition of Contract Interior Furnishings) is the commercial design industry’s largest gathering. Serving as the platform for new design and product innovations, much of what is found at NeoCon has historically shaped the places we work. Throughout the decades, NeoCon has grown with the world of work, responding to such changes as the birth of computers, ergonomics, and sustainability. 
  
Celebrating the 50th anniversary this year, NeoCon, hosted more than 500 exhibitors with thousands of products. The future will bring virtual reality, big data, smart tech anD co-working. But, as we saw firsthand at NeoCon, the future is now, for these workplace issues were already being addressed in products and design. Collaborative and adaptable, the workspace of tomorrow is here today, and we are excited to bring these new products back home to you.
Cool Collaboration
Strong teamwork is key to the success of any endeavor. Having the workspace that fosters creative thinking and employee engagement can go a long way to creating a solid synergy in any organization. Collaborative workspaces for groups interpersed with quiet, personal areas for more focused work was a strong trend at NeoCon this year.

Atom by Boss was innovative and responsive to many different workgroups.
The Mackinac by Steelcase provides meeting and single workspaces with a small footprint. Modular and with adjustable height desks, these exciting systems had many applications.
Also new on the scene were meeting pods as the one below. Increasing flexibility within an open office setting or public place, one can have more confidential or focused meetings.
Jasper Group showed options for group, private and semi-private work spaces.
Acoustic details that can be added as needed, provide a more personal work area within a larger space.
Amazing Acoustics
While open floor plans and large meeting areas can be very effective, they can also be very loud, making it difficult to focus on the task at hand, or even communicate with coworkers, if the area is especially noisy. To combat these distractions, acoustic elements are added to the room to absorb the sound. The acoustic products we found at NeoCon this year were effective while being artistic and innovative.
Ecoustic Sculpt Ceiling Tile Collection by Unika Vaev provide design interest and noise buffering. Available in several colors, this product line was a Gold award winner of Best Of NeoCon this year.
Scandinavian Spaces took home the Innovation award in Acoustics for the Nordgröna Pixel.This highly effective acoustic element absorbs up to twice as much as the industry average for similar products. It is natural, hand-picked Scandinavian Reindeer Moss which retains its colors, is fire-proof, absorbs and releases humidity to remain soft, and is completely maintenance-free.

As if that wasn't enough, it really makes a space feel magical.
Funky and functional , acoustic elements can be added to any space, adding privacy, art and brand reinforcement. These are some of our favorite out of the box options.
Home Away From Home
Our workplace can seem like a second home, and indeed, some weeks we spend more time at the office than our actual home. To create a less stressful and more inviting atmosphere, we saw many non-traditional meeting and work spaces that were radiating a homey atmosphere, while still providing all the technical tools required for today's workplace.
It was great to meet with our hardworking friends at the national office of ASID.
(American Society of Interior Designers)
Flooring
Flooring is a major component of a workspace, and the options this year were outstanding. Increased sustainability, flexibility and customization were prevalent throughout the show.
Haven by Shaw Contract is a carpet tile product, with high customization options. It is able to be seamlessly integrated with hard flooring surfaces like vinyl planks.

Inspired by the work of artist Gabriel Dawe, the Moire' Collection by Mannington is available in broadloom or carpet planks. Using hue gradations to form a visual that mimics the spectrum of light, the effect changes as the viewer’s perspective changes.
Nutopia by Mohawk Group was an exciting carpet plank product that is designed to achieve the Living Product Challenge Petal Certification. These carbon-neutral floor coverings are also available in with red, yellow, and dark blue accents.





Great commercial tile options from J&J Flooring Group. We also enjoyed their dramatic visuals in their booth space that showed the artistic nature of their hardworking flooring.
Sit On It!
Sitting is the new smoking, with serious side effects for those who don't move around enough daily, or do not have proper ergonomic support throughout the day. We found several task seats - these are the workhorses of the workplace chairs - that are as stylish as they are supportive.

Soji, by Haworth is thoughtfully designed and informed by ergonomics, This is a highly-adjustable task chair that syncs your body and mind the second you sit down—for healthier levels of performance and well-being, no matter where you work. (http://www.haworth.com/products/seating/desk-chairs/soji)
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Silq, another favorite from Steelcase, earned an Innovation Award.
Comfortable and lightweight, this chair is designed to be so intuitive, that only a height adjustment is needed. It adjusts to your body and encourages posture shift for a better experience.
Jessica tries out new and exciting products from BuzziSpace.
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Copper Leaf Interior Design | 740.373.9993 | www.copperleafinteriors.com