Jennifer Romero, an interior designer with Coleman Partners Architects, says the top design trend she sees in her recent projects is the addition of natural light to office spaces.
Gone are the glaring fluorescent rays of yesteryear; instead, designers are keeping it simple, using natural light as a primary element when renovating workplaces.
As Business Report details in its latest trends in office design feature, one way a company might do this is by moving meeting rooms and private offices to the core of the building, replacing any wooden doors with glass to better reflect sunlight. Meanwhile, employees line the perimeter of the space, also getting access to direct sunlight from the windows near their workstations.
“It offers a comfort factor, and having natural light decreases the need for artificial light during daytime hours,” says Romero. “And everyone loves a connection to the outdoors.”
The importance of natural light for worker productivity was highlighted in a survey released last month by financial giant Capital One that asked 3,608 full-time office workers across the U.S. what they “need, want, and expect from their work environment,” Inc. reports.
Nearly six in 10 employees surveyed reported increased productivity and mental well-being when windows and natural light are present.
Read the full trends in office design story from the latest edition of Business Report here, and Inc.’s feature here.
