Last week our team of designers visited the Chicago Merchandise Mart for NeoCon 2018, the top event for the commercial design industry. We’ve rounded up some of our top design elements from the event that inspire our designers to look for ways to use these applications as part of in-store experiences.
- Bold Numbers – Numbers are nothing new but using them in a bold way helps the viewer guide their eye exactly where you want it to go and allows you to tie back a focal point that summarizes a collection or parts of a room. (Just like this list!)
- Deceptive Materials – We found metal coffee tables that looked like wood, crystal lamps made of resin, and rubber lamps that looked like ceramic. These inventive uses of materials to imitate others gave the look and feel desired while delivering structural properties that hold up against wear and tear.
- Going Vertical – Many exhibitors found unique ways to showcase their products in unconventional ways through the use of wall art. They ranged from simple prints on 8.5×11 paper held up with clips you would find in any office to the inventive use of fabrics used on chairs. Doing this helps showcase products finer details of colors, fabrics and textures rather than recognizing an object as simply an everyday office chair.
- Monochromatic – Contrast stands out but subtle and understated draws you in. This trend lets the color be the star and forces the viewer to be highly engaged to focus on the text or visual that’s being presented.
- Living Textiles – While some of these were faux for practicality’s sake, this trend usually seen in high-end environments is making its way to the mainstream. We saw plants clustered together and applied to not only blank walls but architectural tables and encased signage.
