Office design trends 2025: Colour, furniture, & spacing ideas

How our workplaces look and feel is changing—again. But in 2025, it’s not just about adapting to hybrid work or squeezing in a few plants to look “green.” Instead, today’s offices are becoming finely tuned ecosystems that reflect company culture, encourage high performance, and support employees as multi-faceted human beings with individual needs.

The next frontier is designing spaces that genuinely work—for everyone. So, what should you be thinking about when planning your workplace design this year? Here are the biggest trends in colour, furniture, and spatial planning that will shape offices in 2025.

Colour trends setting the tone in 2025

Gone are the days of cold greys and corporate beiges. Colour in the modern office now plays a more intentional role—shaping how people feel, think, and collaborate. 

Pantone’s Colour of the Year—Mocha Mousse–is a “warming, brown hue imbued with richness.” Reminiscent of the creamy colours of chocolate and coffee, the colour creates a sensorial warmth that captures our desire for comfort while being grounded, subtle, and harmonious. 

Pantone Colour of the Year 2025 - Mocha Mousse

Similarly, Benjamin Moore’s 2025 colour trends embrace the “quietly colourful”, “in-between” hues that are not oversaturated and exude warmth, comfort, and a sense of ease—like Cinnamon Slate, a mix of heathered plum and velvety brown. 

Benjamin Moore Colour of the Year 2025 - Cinnamon Slate

These colour trends show a move towards soft natural tones designed to create grounding, sensory-rich environments. As the trend forecasting company, Stylus, points out:

“Natural aesthetics and biobased materials will help counter modern disconnection... Compelling sensory design will also create more engaging and dynamic experiences, deepening our immersion in the present moment.”

Neuroscience is also informing workplace colour trends, linking colour to cognitive and emotional responses. Moving away from aggressive, overstimulating colours and toward shades that gently support mental wellbeing is especially important in focus zones or wellness areas.

Colour zoning is another big idea gaining traction—where different areas of an office are given distinct palettes to subtly cue behaviour: a deep blue quiet zone for focus, energising yellow for collaborative idea generation, and soft clay tones in communal areas to encourage relaxed interaction.

Orangebox - Away from the Desk seating system

Future-forward furniture

Furniture in 2025 will be more than functional—it’s responsive. It will adapt to people’s needs rather than expect them to adapt to rigid work settings. According to WorkDesign Magazine, furniture trends are moving toward comfort, versatility, and inclusivity.

This year, we're seeing a surge in modular systems—furniture that can be reconfigured in minutes, encouraging teams to shape their environment based on how they work. From mobile whiteboards that double as space dividers to soft seating that flexes between solo work and group chats, the office is becoming more fluid and people-centric. 

Steelcase - Flex Whiteboard

Neurodiversity considerations are also influencing furniture design in a big way. Expect to see more sensory-friendly materials, varying seat heights, and options for different postures—from high stools for alert engagement to lounge seating that invites quiet reflection. 

And yes, technology is still in the mix—but it’s finally becoming seamless. Power and data access are integrated into the furniture itself, not tacked on as an afterthought. Meeting tables are increasingly designed to accommodate hybrid collaboration, ensuring everyone—remote or in-person—has a seat at the table.

Steelcase - Roam Interactive Whiteboard Stand

Spatial planning reimagined

If furniture is becoming more flexible, space planning is going through a full-blown reinvention. The traditional office model—desk banks, closed offices, and a few meeting rooms—is giving way to workspaces designed with natural circulation in mind, encouraging spontaneous employee encounters without sacrificing privacy.

According to Office Principles’ 2025 design insights, companies are increasingly allocating more floor space to “multi-functional spaces”—gyms, nap pods, massage rooms, and games lounges alongside practical amenities such as cafes and libraries. 

By blending work, leisure, and restoration, the modern office aims to be an all-encompassing environment that sustains innovation and nurtures company culture. Employees can seamlessly transition between collaboration, focused work, and relaxation activities throughout their day.

Casala - Capsule Soft Seating

Designers are also thinking more carefully about environmental comfort. That means maximising natural light, improving air quality, and incorporating acoustic zoning so that people can focus without feeling isolated. Flexible walls, soft partitions, and thoughtfully placed greenery are being used not just for aesthetics but also to control sound, improve mood, and guide flow.

Frovi - Relic Cloud

Other workplace design trends to watch in 2025

With the intentional use of colour, flexible, adaptable furniture, and holistic spatial design leading the way, here are some other workplace design trends we anticipate seeing more of in 2025:

1. Designing for hybrid realities

Hybrid work is now the norm, but while we’ve figured out the logistics, many workplaces still struggle with the experience. In 2025, we’ll see a greater emphasis on digital equity—ensuring remote team members can see, hear, and participate equally in meetings, thanks to camera-friendly room layouts, adjustable lighting, and acoustic treatments.

2. Biophilic design 

Biophilic design will continue to dominate the workplace in 2025. Expect elements like living walls and indoor gardens, large windows and skylights for natural light, and organic materials like wood, stone, and bamboo to become more popular.

3. Branded environments

More and more companies are capturing their brand identity and workplace culture in their office design. Think bespoke colour palettes incorporating brand colours, artwork celebrating company achievements, and graphics reinforcing the company’s vision, values and mission.

4. Sustainability and eco-friendly practices

Sustainability continues to be a key priority for companies, with many adopting eco-conscious practices like renewable energy solutions, electric vehicle charging stations, responsible waste disposal and recycling programmes, and low-emission furniture with non-toxic materials.

5. Inclusive design

The workforce is becoming more diverse as employees from different generations, cultures, and neurodiversity backgrounds collaborate together in shared office environments. This has led to the rise of inclusive office spaces with prayer rooms, gender-neutral bathrooms, and accessibility initiatives like wheelchair ramps and braille signage.

6. Integrating local culture

Many global companies are integrating local influences into their regional offices. By celebrating their heritage through artwork displays from local artists, architectural details reflecting regional history, and work cafe menus featuring local cuisine, companies are fostering a sense of community beyond their own company culture.

Conclusion: The future of office design is human-centred

Underpinning all these trends is a broader shift, with companies now recognising that employee wellbeing is not a perk but a performance driver. 

People don’t thrive in sterile or stressful spaces. They flourish in environments where they feel seen, supported, and safe to be themselves. That’s why at the heart of 2025 workplace design lies choice and control, giving people autonomy over their work. Whether it’s choosing a quiet nook, adjusting their lighting, or moving furniture to suit their needs, the power to personalise is key.

Moving forward into the future beyond 2025, the best offices will be those designed with intention—places that celebrate individuality, foster flexibility, and help people feel and perform their best.

At IE, we specialise in helping organisations bring these trends to life—through intelligent design, future-ready furniture, and expert insight. Whether you're planning a refresh or a complete redesign, we’re here to help you shape the best workplace for your people. Get in touch with us now to learn more about our workplace design consultation services.