Design Your Office Space as a Welcome Gathering Place

Welcome Gathering Place SitOnIt Reya Desk

Why the need for an office welcome gathering place?

Just a few years ago, the office was everything. Remote work or occasional telecommuting was talked about, but in reality that practice was the exception. In 2018, only a third of the workforce could do their jobs at home, according to figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What’s it like now?

A 2021 survey from FlexJobs conducted in July and August shows that up to 97 percent of workers want some form of remote work. The 10th annual survey shows that:

  • 58 percent of respondents want to work remotely full-time
  • 39 percent want a hybrid work environment

What’s going to happen, and how does this impact how you should plan and design your office space?

A Work Trend Index from Microsoft published in March 2021 found that 66 percent of employers worldwide are redesigning their offices to accommodate hybrid work arrangements.

We don’t know how long the hybrid work model will continue. If companies, and especially the major corporations, find that they’re more profitable with employees in the office, then there will be a push to have workers return either full-time or mostly full-time.

But we know that employees can easily be connected from their home offices. People are also saving money on commuting costs, especially with the current price of gas in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area ranging from $4.05 to nearly $5.00 a gallon.


Photo: HON Solve Chair

The reality is that our professional and personal worlds have merged like never before, and leading architects say that we shouldn’t make hard boundaries between the home and office.

Perhaps it’s time to blur the lines; a convergence.  Merging spaces to accommodate this shift in our work culture and create a welcome gathering place.

Blurring Categories to Create a Welcome Gathering Place

At the NeoCon gathering in October 2021, the most important event for the commercial design industry, the award-winning architect and interior designer Lauren Rottet told attendees that, “The world separates us, wants to categorize us.”

She disagrees with the philosophy and is blending spaces through her designs.

Offices are becoming fun, says Rottet. When she’s pitching a major office design, she says she doesn’t hesitate to refer to previous work she’s done in hotels for inspiration to her clients.


Photo: HON Westhill Lounge

The trend is bringing communities together in a instead of separating them.

A keynote speaker at the conference, Jeanne Gang, and her firm designed the Vista Tower in Chicago which is a blend of hotel rooms, residential condominiums, a 5-star hotel, restaurants, and amenity spaces. It  creates “a vibrant social center.”

This welcome gathering place concept is similar to the Paseo in Pasadena and the Americana in Glendale where retail shopping and living spaces go hand-in-hand.

The Re-Imagined Office

Imagine your office as a social center and not just as a place to work. Given today’s array of modular furniture and a range of office design options, it’s easy to do.

What do employees want?

They want to know that they’re valued.

According to Gallup, engaged employees are “those who are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace.”

Engaged employees outperform their peers that are not engaged. Overall, companies with high employee engagement are 21% more profitable.

How does office planning and design accomplish this?

Having remote work options is one way, according to Chief Information Officer magazine. That means giving your team freedom to work in the office from the most comfortable locations.

Use welcome gathering place designs that bring out the best in people and provide balance as we merge our professional and personal lives.

The Resimercial office design remains popular for that reason. Elements of home, or a residence, are brought into the commercial setting. Create spaces for people to meet and eat like using informal conference tables that double as a lunch or snack site. The spaces are warm, inviting, and informal so the sharing of ideas and interaction can take place easily and in a way that’s relational and not rigid.


Photo: OFS Obeya Wall and Nineteen20 Table


Photo: Safco Resi Collaboration Workstation 

Use colors that stimulate creativity and are calming, and select attractive furniture that’s durable and made with antimicrobial fabrics.


Photo: Stylex Still Screens

Get Expert Input on a Welcome Gathering Place

Get more ideas for planning your office as community using the expertise of 2010 Office Furniture. Our team at 2010 Office Furniture has about 50 years of combined experience working with Southern California’s most distinguished corporations, universities, and small business from Los Angeles and Orange Counties to the Inland Empire.

Contact us and let us know about your potential project needs.  We can help you create the welcome gathering place for your office.

Read Also: Work From Home Office Furniture
Main Photo: SitOnIt Seating Reya Desk
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: HON, OFS, SitOnIt Seating, Safco & Stylex Seating

6 Reasons to Use a Resimercial Design for Your Office

6 Reasons to Use a Resimercial Design for Your Office

There are many benefits to resimercial office design like boosting employee creativity and retaining your talent. If you’re looking to refresh an existing office or plan a new office layout, consider blending the look of a residence within a commercial space.


Photo: OFS Rowen Lounge Sofa

Resimercial Design is a Lasting Trend

Designing a commercial office with elements of a residence is a lasting trend. It certainly isn’t a fad. Think of the aptly named Residence Inn by Marriot as a good example. There are many spread around Southern California in cities like Rancho Cucamonga, Arcadia, Long Beach and throughout the Los Angeles area.

The name speaks volumes.


Photo: HON Westhill Lounge Sofas

Customers aren’t just guests for a night or two. They’re residents. The lobbies have the relaxed feel of a living space within a corporate environment. The rooms are smartly partitioned with decorative glass and have enough wood décor so that they don’t seem sterile. Each one has a personal appeal and looks as much like a living room as it does a hotel room.

And that’s a good way to think of office resimercial design—an office that uses the best elements of a home brought into a commercial office space.

Since so many employees are working remotely, you can also reverse the situation. It’s possible to have a home office with ergonomic chairs and commercial grade desks that are durable. A home office can reflect the brand of the corporate office.

The boundaries separating professional and personal lives are more integrated than they’ve ever been. And that’s a trend that will last. Resimercial has been called the defining office design trend for the 21st century. Nearly 90% of all companies expect to continue having remote workers in the aftermath of Covid-19. Of course, the widespread use of digital communication reduces the need to be physically present in the corporate office.

Useful for Employee Retention

An attractive office resimercial design that has plenty of natural light flowing through it is a pleasant place to work. It can boost overall morale and act as a way to retain your most talented workers. The days of gray cubicles are gone.

You can plan an office space to maximize workflow, but you can also make the space comfortable to boost productivity.

Using modular workstations and quality desking solutions shows that you’re committed to your employees’ well-being. This helps employees become more engaged in their work and motivates them to share in the company vision.


Photo: HON Solve Task Chair, Astir Lounge Chair & Mav Lounge Chair

Resimercial Design Appeals to All Ages

Each generation brings a unique world view to bear, yet a design that blends the best of a professional office setting with the warmth of a personal residence is accepted by all ages. Implementing ergonomic resimercial design standards to support the people working is a timeless principle.

Who doesn’t want the best possible environment?

Boosts Creativity

Fighting foggy brain syndrome gets old. Knees and elbows under pressure from sitting in the same position begin to hurt. A stale environment slowly drains energy, but a work setting that’s laid out well provides a morale boost when the day gets long.

Here’s what a resimercial office has:

  • Soothing color choices
  • Furnishings that are sturdy, yet comfortable
  • Fabrics that have a homey or personal appeal
  • An office layout that allows for employees to work at their desks or lounge areas

When you’re stuck on a problem, you feel free to take a walk or huddle with co-workers in a comfortable common area to find a solution.


Photo: National Delgado Seating


Photo: HON Preside Conference Table

Encourages Movement and Well-Being

Sitting in one position for several hours at a time hurts. A home office is inviting because you don’t have to be stuck in one position for hours. No one is looking over your shoulder so you can feel free to get up for a brisk walk or quick exercise to get the blood flowing.

Companies should encourage workers in corporate offices to do the same. Movement gets the blood circulating and that promotes oxygen flow to the brain.

An office resimercial design that uses ergonomic chairs, height-adjustable desks, and other equipment that workers can adjust to their specifications is another way that companies make an investment in office wellness. Customizable equipment in settings that are well lit reduce strain on the eyes, neck and lower back.

Your team is able to think more clearly, become less fatigued and in the process can remain productive.

Resimercial Offices are More Comfortable than Remote Offices

An office that’s designed to support the people working there and a space that’s aesthetically pleasing can be more desirable than a home office or a co-working space. Employees may get tired of home offices and want to work in the corporate setting at least a few days each week.

Companies today know that employees can have options for where they do their work.

What’s important is that employees believe in the mission and value statements so that they feel a part of the company’s overall success. That builds loyalty, employee engagement, and becomes a subtle, yet important, competitive advantage.

Plan and design a resimercial office space that works for your company’s brand. Consult with the team at 2010 Office Furniture. They bring more than 50 years of combined experience to each project and have worked with Southern California’s most distinguished companies.

Read Also: Planning Office Layouts for Today’s Workplace Needs
Main Photo: Stylex Seating
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: HON, OFS, National & Stylex Seating

Resimercial Office Designs and Trends

Resimercial Office Designs and Trends

When looking at resimercial office designs, it’s important to go back and remember where it all started from.

Remember when all work was performed in the corporate office?

Then came use of the home office.

Third spaces then evolved as popular alternatives between home and work that helped avoid the grind of commuting in Los Angeles.

As coffee shops went from being grunge and turned fashionable, they became acceptable places where professionals could work on their laptops or have one-on-one client meetings. Co-working spaces attracted freelancers and employees who didn’t want to make the drive from their homes in places like the foothills to their employers near LAX or Long Beach.

The coffee shops came with a relaxed informality. Co-working spaces had perks added like coffee, snacks and even professional development seminars for the monthly fee of renting space.

Of course, the table and chair arrangements were nice as well.


Photo: OFS Rowen, Bistro, and Elani Seating

Boundaries between work and home continued to grow blurred with the popularity of urban villages. Retail stores and professional offices on the first floor with living quarters on the upper floors meant you could take the elevator down to the office or step outside and walk a few blocks to work.

You’ll see this trend anywhere you go in Southern California. The urban village concept drew young professional families to neighborhoods along Hollywood Boulevard.

Live-work spaces and third spaces are common in Irvine, Pasadena, and in Ontario or Rancho Cucamonga.

The trend has had enough of an impact to result in a new term: Resimercial.

What is Resimercial Design?

Resimercial design brings personal elements of home into the commercial office space. Think of it as an approach that respects the personalities of employees and their various moods and mindsets.

A mixture of familiar and business-like elements creates an atmosphere that’s less sterile and more welcoming to our senses.


Photo: OFS Rowen Lounge

The Upbeat Contemporary Office is a nice example of resimercial. Splashes of comfortable colors with soft fabrics have a personal appeal.

Resimercial doesn’t mean sloppy or random. Instead, the use of workstations and lounge areas with circles and triangles give structure with an inviting look.

Resimercial’s Growing Popularity

Policies and practices like implementing family leave for spouses after the birth of a baby was another way that private lives and occupations intertwined. Telecommuting had already been a widely used term and practice since the mid-90s, but when Covid-19 hit it became a forced reality.

The majority of companies let their employees work from home, and now, many will continue to work remotely. According to the National Association for Business Economics, only 11 percent of companies in the U.S. expect to have all their employees returning to the corporate office.

Tech giants Twitter and Facebook are currently letting all their employees work remotely while Google will likely go to a hybrid model of office-home later in 2021.


Photo: SitOnIt Reya Table

How Resimercial Benefits Employees

Evidence exists that resimercial design has a positive impact on wellbeing, collaboration, creativity and overall productivity in the workplace. Work Design Magazine describes how this arrangement means more “than merely placing residential objects in a commercial setting.”

Products and materials are used that are especially designed for the unique purpose of bridging the familiarity of home with the professionalism of workspaces. Doing so allows for more comfort for employees to work how they want instead of staying cooped up in sterile cubicles.


Photo: Stylex Still Screens

Resimercial and the Impact on Office Layouts

The look and feel of resimercial doesn’t have to affect the physical placement of departments in an office. However, the fabrics, colors and style of furnishings can reinforce a company’s brand while defining specific areas of an office.

Re-imagine the finance department. Instead of a traditional desk, there could be a comfortable use of open benchingthat has partitions with an attractive color. Lamps and tables with a wood grain finish can add personality.

A manager’s meeting space can be transformed from the inflexible looking cubicle into a more casual feel using modular furniture.

The furnishings can be budget friendly. The payoff can come from an atmosphere that boosts creativity and productivity.


Photo: SitOnIt Novo Chair, OFS Rowen and Wyre Lounge, OFS Staks Benching

If your office needs a refreshing, or you need to plan new space, then the team at 2010 Office Furniture has nearly 50 years of experience to share. They’ve worked with Southern California’s most distinguished corporations, universities, and growing small businesses.

Contact 2010 Office Furniture with your project needs.

Read Also: Developing a Supportive Office Work Environment
Main Photo: Arcadia Contract Delen Meeting Table
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers:  Arcadia Contract, OFS, SitOnIt & Stylex