McCoy Rockford’s takeaways from NeoCon and Design Days 2025
From power-embedded tables to terrazzo-inspired floors, this year’s NeoCon and Fulton Market Design Days in Chicago revealed a continued focus on the human experience. The McCoy Rockford team was on the ground at The Mart and Fulton Market, taking note of the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways in which workplace design is evolving.
Here’s what stood out to us, and what we think is coming next.
Warmer palettes and gentler forms
Across furniture and flooring, the industry is embracing softness in every sense. Forms are shifting toward sculptural silhouettes, while color palettes are leaning into muted jewel tones, warm neutrals and finishes that evoke calm and comfort. Account Executive Madison Carter noted that purples weren’t just accents at NeoCon and Design Days — they comprised full color stories in and of themselves. A&D New Business Development Executive Sarah Justo observed that not a single desk she saw had a sharp edge.
“Everything was soft and rounded,” Justo said. “It just brings an inviting feel to the furniture.”
That sense of quiet invitation came through in standout pieces like the award-winning Astoria collection by Halcon, which pairs modern elegance with seamless technology integration across height-adjustable café and conference tables. The Bolete Armchair by Andreu World also stood out, with its rounded, cocoon-like form offering visual softness and a gentle sense of enclosure.
In lounge settings, the Sunset Sofa by Bernhardt Design evokes effortless calm. With its low profile and enveloping curves, it strikes a balance between a residential and workplace feel, demonstrating how warmth and simplicity can still carry design sophistication.
These forms are not only visually softer, but also emotionally resonant. In a time where comfort and clarity are paramount, this turn toward gentler design feels like an intentional recalibration.
Seamless integration
Innovation at NeoCon 2025 wasn’t loud. The most memorable introductions were those that integrated advanced functionality with such precision and restraint, you might miss it if you weren’t paying attention. Carter pointed to Halcon’s Astoria collection, whose sculptural tables disguise complex engineering beneath refined finishes and graceful forms. It’s a masterclass in designing for both performance and presence.
The Lynk glassboard by Clarus exemplifies that same design ethos. It’s a beautifully minimalist visual communication system that redefines how writable surfaces can look and function. With architectural alignment, hidden mounting and a clean, magnetic, edge-to-edge surface, Lynk feels more like an intentional design element than a tool.
Even furniture systems are being reimagined through this lens. Global Furniture Group’s Open Spaces collection embraces transparency, flexibility and smart space division in benching environments. With soft, architectural lines and thoughtful detailing, it’s a reminder that furniture systems can feel at once elevated and performance-driven.
The takeaway? Function is no longer enough. Today’s workplace solutions must operate seamlessly, quietly empowering teams without overwhelming the space.
Pneumatic power and on-demand comfort
Flexibility has become a foundational expectation. Across NeoCon and Design Days, manufacturers leaned into designs that respond to real human needs: mobility, choice and intuitive use. Carter noted the enduring prevalence of pneumatic, height-adjustable tables and compact laptop desks that transition easily between tasks and users.
“They’re visually lighter, physically easier to use and better aligned with how people actually work,” she said.
This sensibility was clear in pieces like the Una Conference Table by Nienkämper, a sustainability-award winner that blends sleek design with flexibility and environmental responsibility. Its flip-top mechanism, concealed power management and clean profile make it ideal for spaces that need to evolve without sacrificing sophistication.
Also turning heads was the Panigiri collection by Extremis, which reimagines communal gathering with lightweight, easy-to-move seating and table configurations. Inspired by casual Greek festivities, it invites spontaneous collaboration and adapts gracefully to indoor/outdoor environments.
Supporting solo work, the JUMPER seating collection by VS America stood out for its ergonomic versatility. The JUMPER Air Move stool, which earned a Silver award, is both dynamic and approachable, encouraging motion while supporting a range of postures and users, from students to creative professionals.
Together, these products reflect a deeper shift: Flexibility is the new norm. It’s about giving people tools to shape their environment, not the other way around.
Texture, terrazzo and the rug revival
If one pattern reigned supreme at NeoCon, it was terrazzo. “Every manufacturer had a terrazzo luxury vinyl tile,” said Flooring Account Executive Christine Wade, noting its mid-century appeal and ability to offer something new after years of wood-look dominance. Wade also highlighted Johnsonite’s millwork base in a terrazzo finish, which creates the illusion of poured terrazzo when paired with matching tile — an elegant solution that “could fool a lot of people.”
Warm neutrals also dominated. Executive Vice President of Floor Covering Elizabeth Greenman described the color story as “very conservative — calming, not ostentatious,” which she believes mirrors broader cultural caution. At the same time, flooring manufacturers responded to the continued prevalence of hard surfaces with a wave of new rug programs — ready-made or semi-custom options that add comfort, acoustic softness and spatial definition. Mohawk Group and Interface led the way, with Interface making a bold visual statement in its black-and-white showroom.
Award-winning collections like Patcraft Modern Finds and Mannington’s Grounded Beginnings LVT and Dapper Dialogue Carpet prove that texture and tonal nuance remain central to next-gen floors.
Subtle signs of neuroinclusive thinking
Perhaps the most promising takeaway? A quiet but deliberate embrace of neurodiversity. Justo observed spaces demonstrating varied layouts and lighting levels across identical footprints — creating an unspoken message of choice and autonomy. “It’s not just about creating options,” she said. “It’s about showing people that different preferences are valid.”
This shift wasn’t always overtly labeled as neurodiverse design, but it was there — in the layered textures, acoustic zoning and workstations that invited individualization. Work Design Magazine affirmed this broader movement in their own coverage, noting that this year’s designs “reframe specifying as curating experiences” for different modes of work and sensory needs.
Calmer, smarter, more human design
Taken together, these trends speak to a commercial interiors industry that is thinking more deeply about wellbeing, flexibility, identity and inclusion. From high-performance healthcare seating to whisper-quiet pneumatic desks, the best designs we saw weren’t just responding to aesthetics — they were anticipating emotional needs.
At McCoy Rockford, we’re excited to help our clients navigate what’s next, with tools and insight that translate these trends into spaces that work. If you’re ready to turn what’s emerging into what’s possible, let’s talk.