28 Oct
Office Furniture Trends 2019

The Trendiest Modern Office Furniture Options for 2019

The Trendiest Modern Office Furniture Options for 2019

When it comes to office furniture, there are a lot of options out there for you to choose from. And we mean a lot. 2019 has been a groundbreaking year in terms of furniture design that is more minimalistic than in the past, but simultaneously also pushes boundaries in terms of design, often incorporating some abstract themes. It has also been a big year for the growth of furniture created with sustainable parts, as well as a new consideration to be more tech friendly, with a leaning towards how the product increases productivity.  In terms of some of the trendiest modern furniture options, the following three fit the bill as items to watch as we close out this year, and as we move into the 2020’s. 

Industrial Club Chair

The industrial club chair is one that we’ve been keeping an eye on, not only because of its design (roughly 40% smaller than a traditional office chair), but also because of its ease of use and the materials it is made of. Coming equipped with a polyurethane seat and backrest, with a swivel mechanism to allow for 360 degree turns (great for a sales environment), this office chair is wonderful for small spaces with a lot of employee movement. Wear and tear is minimal here, and the chair’s nylon base boasts an impressive heavy duty record as well, so you won’t be replacing or maintaining any parts of the chair anytime soon.

Peugo Desk 9B 24i

When it comes to office desks, the Peugo 9B 24i (and those designed in a similar style) is certainly one that has grown in popularity this year. Promoted as a managerial desk, but also perfect for a reception area, this desk comes in elegant black walnut or our personal favourite, red line wood. This desk was designed with technology in mind, and has more than enough space for either a desktop or laptop workstation. The desk itself, which is exclusive to Ixaxa Office Furniture, is a whopping 2400mm x 900mm x 750mm and even if size doesn’t matter to you, you won’t be able to turn down those modern looking desk legs, which are made to be sturdy and sustainable. The Peugo desk also retails below R8500, which is a steal for the value you’re getting.

Aylee Mesh Back Chair

The third of our modern office furniture options to keep an eye on, is the Aylee Mesh Back Chair. It first caught our eye for its red mesh design, which not only looks crisp and futuristic, but has great built in support for your back as well. We hear that the mesh comes in various colours, which will allow you to customise the design of the office and perhaps even personalise the various chairs between departments. This chair contains height adjustable arms, which is not something you see regularly in other products, and also give us the impression that future designs in this range may look to continue to build systems not commonly found from other suppliers.

Getting Modern Furniture That Works For You

While there are a lot of furniture options to choose from, it’s important to keep in mind modern trends, and to ensure you’re buying something that will be effective to use regardless of rapid technological or environmental changes in the years to come. These options are a great starting point, and will put you well on your way on the journey to add some longer term items to the office, with a leaning towards longer term growth and sustainability. 

28 Oct
Office Furniture, Office Furniture Trends 2019

The Trendiest Office Furniture from 2019

The Trendiest Office Furniture from 2019

With 2020 right around the corner, it’s a great time to take a look at some of the furniture trends that took this year by storm, paving the way for the new year and giving us a sense as to which trends may continue to build momentum as we enter the twenties. While there is a general push to go more minimalistically in terms of office space furnishings, especially with companies needing to make provision for the maximisation of smaller spaces than compared to previous decades, there are a few key trends that have popped up, that look like they may be here to stay, which we’re happy to explore with you today. 

A Marriage of the Old and New

Many furniture designers are finding ways to marry the “old with the new” so to speak, looking at incorporating some of the more classic elements of design with textures (natural or manmade) that are rising in prominence. A lot of companies are moving away from traditional furniture choices, which may have also paved the way for the rise in abstract design. Similarly, companies are going more abstract not only in terms of the architecture of the office space, but in terms of the furniture they are selecting as well. The challenge is to merge the old and the new, while not going too abstract and creating something impractical in the process. It’s a fine balance, which many companies are paying close attention to and refining gradually.

Sustainability As The New Normal

It’s no secret that sustainability is hot on the minds of most businesses around the world, with 2019 seeing an increase in corporate pushes towards creating more organic, natural, environmentally friendly product parts as a whole. The same can be said for the furniture industry, which has come under some scrutiny in recent years for the heavy use of plastic and the lack of recyclability of many popular units worldwide. That’s all in the process of changing, and new designs are geared in the direction of longer term sustainability, which may also account for the fact that a lot of furniture is being made of a lot less materials than in the past. In turn, this adds to the minimalistic trend, which we believe will be prominent for years to come.

Smart Furniture

Whether it comes to desks, chairs or storage space, there is an increasing rise in smart furniture, which is geared towards the combination of practical space (doing more with less) with the rapid development of technology. A lot of companies are incorporating A.I into their business models, and in terms of efficiency building with staff, and creating the most productive workspace possible. Managing directors everywhere are being forced to consider how technology can enhance employee output, even in something as fundamental as an office chair. Are you thinking about how technology can make your life easier and benefit the bottom line of the company? You should be.

Where Trendy Meets Practicality

Ixaxa Office Furniture, which is based in Johannesburg, has a core focus around keeping up with industry trends at all times. Their furniture designs are not only modern, but there is also a general push towards greater sustainability of their products, even in terms of their own office space. While South Africa is generally a little slower on the uptake than the rest of the world when it comes to incorporating technology into design, Ixaxa is at the forefront of this, and they would be happy to chat you through any ideas you may have based on the individual needs of your business.

01 Aug
Office Furniture Trends 2019

The Latest Office Furniture Trends for 2019

The Latest Office Furniture Trends for 2019

With modern offices becoming more of a mix of private, home and shared workspaces, putting your finger on general office furniture trends for the year is not a simple undertaking. What may work for one type of office setup, doesn’t necessarily work for the others. What we can tell you, however, is that there are some interesting individual trends popping up in the industry as a whole, as we head into the second half of the year, with a leaning towards what may be trendy heading into 2020 as well.

Smart Technology Combining with Furniture

There is a lot of buzz in offices around the world about the combination of smart technologies with what is seen as more old school, traditional furniture. Many office spaces and businesses in the hospitality industry, for example, are looking at ways to integrate technology in order to provide users with a more seamless (and memorable) experience as a whole. Not only does smart technology, which is often directly embedded into furniture, provide the space with an ultra edgy feel, showing that the business is keeping up with the latest trends, but it also provides more opportunities for a business to integrate further technological advancements (like Augmented and Virtual reality), both of which are set to play an increasingly more important role in the years to come.

Open Plan is Getting More and More Popular

More and more businesses are moving away from private offices, to an open plan environment, featuring communal “hot desks”, where people are able to sit anywhere on any given day. This not only encourages collaboration and decreases boredom in the office, but also leads to less general office confrontation’s starting with “alright, who took my chair?” (we’ve all been there at some point, right). Open plan environments also allow for a more energised mood in the office, giving companies the chance to opt to furnish a single room, rather than looking at individual furnishings of smaller offices with additional furniture pieces. This can have a positive effect on the bottom line. 

The Rise in “Green” (Sustainable) Furniture

If your company isn’t already prioritising sustainability and looking at “green” alternatives in terms of its office furniture, where have you been? It’s no surprise that some of the biggest companies in the world are prioritising environmentally aware decisionmaking when it comes to their furniture buying decisions, especially as these have an effect on the challenges the world is facing these days. More companies are opting for “green” certified furniture providers and brands, and more of these suppliers are moving into the bigger cities, striking deals with larger chains to start a broader conversation about the issue.

Colour “Pop” and General Office Design

A pop of colour never hurt anyone. In relatively uncertain times, there is all the more reason for brightness and colour in our days, but the key is not to overdo it. An office environment can be transformed from a dreary space to one that is fun and playful, with the simple inclusion of a few carefully selected colours to match a more playful office culture. Talk to your staff about colours that would make them feel most comfortable, do some research around colours that have the greatest effect on general mood (let’s stay away from bright red, yes), and start planning to refresh that boring, beige couch you inherited from the company who was there before you. It’s time.

At the end of the day, your office space says a lot about your company, and the culture that is adopted by the organisation as a whole. By following these guidelines and trends for the rest of the year, you can take your office space to brand new heights, not only potentially increasing productivity and morale within your teams, but also making a great impression on any clients, past or present. If you need a bit of help in revamping your office space, Ixaxa Office Furniture is a great place to start. They provide a wide range of furniture options, carefully tailored to the needs of your business, whether big or small. Oh and PS, their turnaround time for delivery is also something worth writing home about.