Each year, design professionals from around the world gather in Chicago for NeoCon and Fulton Market Design Days, the premier events for commercial interior design in North America. For over five decades, NeoCon has served as the launchpad for workplace innovation, where leading manufacturers debut their latest products, material solutions, and space-planning concepts. Held during the same timeframe, Design Days brings together a curated group of leading design studios from across the country. With thousands of attendees from the architecture, design, and corporate sectors, it’s more than a trade show; it’s a powerful learning experience.
Thirteen members of the CJ & Associates team had the opportunity to attend NeoCon and Design Days this year. From product unveilings to emerging trends, the events offered fresh perspectives that will directly influence the way we design and furnish workspaces across Wisconsin and beyond.
How NeoCon & Design Days Keep Design Leaders Ahead of the Curve
Each year, CJ & Associates attends NeoCon and Design Days as part of our ongoing commitment to staying at the forefront of commercial interior design. With over 40 years of experience in commercial interior design and furnishings, we are always exploring smarter, more strategic ways to enhance how workplaces look, feel, and function. Our goal is simple: to design environments that help people and businesses succeed.
These events provide an opportunity to engage with the latest products in person, connect with vendor partners, and see what’s gaining traction across all industries in real time. This hands-on experience allows us to return with fresh ideas and proven workplace strategies that elevate the spaces we design, ensuring every project reflects the very best of what’s next in commercial interiors.
Top NeoCon & Design Days 2025 Trends
From the showrooms to the stairwells, NeoCon and Design Days were full of patterns, palettes, textures, and technologies that are pushing workplace design in exciting new directions. Here are just a few of the trends our team was most excited about:
The Resimercial Movement
A major theme across the show was the blending of residential warmth with commercial function, also known as “resimercial” (residential + commercial) design. From cozy rugs and soft seating to layered lighting and organic textures, manufacturers are embracing a relaxed, comfort-first approach to the workplace. “We saw spaces that truly felt like home,” Sarah Putman, New Business Development at CJ & Associates, noted. “And for people returning to the office, that is exactly what they want.”
Private Spaces and Pods
While the open office still has its place, privacy pods, quiet rooms, and enclosed work zones were front and center this year. Designed to support focus, concentration, and personal well-being, these spaces give employees the flexibility to choose how they work best. Functional and beautifully designed, they reflect a growing emphasis on purposeful, adaptable environments.
Tech and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Design
Technology is playing an increasingly influential role in the built environment, with more AI-driven and sensor-based solutions appearing in product lines. From furniture with embedded machine learning to lighting systems that respond to occupancy, these innovations are designed to adapt in real time, automatically adjusting lighting, acoustics, thermal comfort, and spatial layouts based on user behavior.
Circular Design
“Circular Design” was a buzzword throughout the events, referring to products intentionally created for deconstruction, reuse, and recyclability. The concept reflects a growing push toward sustainability by designing with the entire product life cycle in mind, from material selection to strategies for reuse and reintegration at the end of a product’s use.
Favorites from the Floor
While NeoCon and Design Days were full of great ideas, here are a few of the products our team couldn’t stop talking about:
- The Phone Booth: The phone booth is a modern take on the classic glass-enclosed booths once found on street corners, reimagined to bring privacy, focus, and quiet back into today’s open office environments when needed.
- Teknion’s Tek Vue Curved Glass Wall: Teknion’s curved glass Tek Vue architectural interior walls were truly breathtaking to see in person. The display showcased how stepping away from straight lines and sharp corners can completely transform a space, adding depth, softness, and a sophisticated sense of flow.
- Teknion Ligna Architectural Wall: Teknion’s newest architectural wall goes well beyond your classic space divider. With a mix of louvers, shelving, glass, and solid panels, it adds depth and a natural feel to any space and is set to make its debut in the coming months.
- Dog-Friendly Office Solutions: As more employees return to the office with their furry companions, we are seeing a new wave of office furniture designed with pets in mind. From built-in nooks to stylish feeding stations, these pieces, like DARRAN’s Central Bark, add a thoughtful layer of comfort for dogs while blending right into the workplace setting.
Bringing Innovation Back to You
At CJ & Associates, we do not just read about what is new. We experience it, evaluate it, and bring the best of it back to our clients in Wisconsin and across the country.
Now it is our job to turn that innovation into your next installation.
Looking for fresh workplace design ideas? We would love the opportunity to share more insights from NeoCon and Design Days and explore how space reconfiguration and modern furnishings can completely change how your workplace functions. Reach out today to explore what’s possible.
