October 2024
Panel Discussion with the EIS Brand Studio Team
CONTRIBUTING EXPERTS:
KENDRA GIBSON, DESIGN MANAGER | EIS NORTH AMERICA
ELIZABETH WELLS, SENIOR DESIGNER | EIS NORTH AMERICA
NINA GUTIERREZ, SENIOR DESIGNER | EIS NORTH AMERICA
STEPHANIE RUTLEDGE, SENIOR DESIGNER | EIS NORTH AMERICA

As we look toward 2025, design trends from recent years come into focus. We consider what has changed and what has stayed the same. People often see trends as simple changes, like popular colors or materials. However, these trends have not changed much in the past few years. This consistency raises an important question for designers: Why haven’t these trends changed, and how do we take them further? 

We have a responsibility to make design more meaningful. We should create stronger connections and better experiences in the spaces we build. Design is more than aesthetics—it reflects human behavior, culture, and societal changes. In response, design is evolving, from how people interact with spaces to their expectations of brands. 

Design trends such as personalized connection, authenticity, convenience, unique experiences, and modularity are emerging. These ideas focus on how people live, talk, and connect with brands and one another. 

This blog will explore the why behind these 2025 design trends, highlighting how societal changes drive commercial space renovations.  

Personalized, Emotional Connection 

One of the biggest drivers in design is the growing need for personal connections. These connections should meet individual preferences and build emotional ties. In a world where so much feels automated, generic, and mass-produced, consumers seek spaces beyond functionality. They want environments that evoke a sense of belonging, comfort, and connection.  

The changing need for connection influences how designers create spaces. It highlights the importance of creating environments where everyone feels seen and valued. By using data and customer insights, brands can create a personalized experience. The goal is to create spaces where everyone feels seen and valued, enhancing the overall customer experience. 

Unique Experiences: The “Wow Factor” 

Similar to wanting a personal connection, consumers are also seeking a one-of-a-kind environment that leaves enough of a lasting impression to make them want to return. They want to be in spaces that make them feel special, seen, and heard, offering something they can’t find anywhere else.  

Brands have a small window to engage a customer before they move on, so it’s about creating a setting or moment that “wows” everyone who walks in the door. If done correctly, a space will offer something unforgettable and shareable and will be a destination people visit not just for the product or service but for the experience itself. 

Authenticity 

As artificial intelligence, automation, and digital tools continue influencing nearly every aspect of life, consumers increasingly search for authenticity as a counterbalance. If consumers don’t feel like a product or experience comes from an authentic place, they won’t connect with it. Our perceptions of spaces and our attractions influence our daily lives, and many places compete with each other. We have to ask, “What makes a consumer choose one place over another?” It immediately captures how a space makes you feel initially and emotionally. Design Manager Kendra Gibson says, “It’s not just for functionality anymore. Anything goes, and design rules are out the window. It’s about what connects with the customer.” 

Convenience 

Multiple ways for customers to interact with a brand are still relevant. Consumers expect several avenues to engage with a brand, whether online or in person, quickly and easily. Today’s consumer interacts with a brand in several ways, like mobile apps, social media platforms, websites, and physical locations. This might mean designing spaces in consideration of online ordering, in-store pickups, and self-service kiosks in restaurant and retail spaces. Customers want to choose how to interact with a brand, which brings them the convenience they desire and increases brand loyalty. In 2025, designers will create spaces that make the digital and physical worlds feel seamless and support a variety of interactions. 

Modularity 

Modularity refers to designing spaces that are flexible and easily adaptable, allowing for quick and simple updates and reconfigurations without major renovations. It also plays a crucial role in sustainability, a trend we’ll see continue into 2025. By designing spaces this way, companies can reduce waste and lessen their footprint by replacing or updating specific elements instead of entire displays or spaces.  

In a retail space, modular shelving or tables can be changed as often as needed without requiring new or large-scale installations. For a restaurant owner, flexible layouts and modular furniture help reconfigure spaces for new dining experiences or health and safety protocols. It also lowers costs by allowing updates to specific elements over time, rather than requiring a complete overhaul when trends inevitably shift in just a few years. 

This approach aligns with consumer behaviors, as many people are more likely to support brands that prioritize sustainability.  

Adapting to Trends Through Social Science  

These trends are not only about aesthetic shifts but are driven by deeper societal changes. Brands must think about design not only as a visual or functional element but also as a social science that reflects how people live, interact, and connect. By staying well-informed of consumer behaviors and understanding the deeper reasons behind design trends, brands can create spaces that resonate with consumers on a human level, offering more than well-designed environments. Those who approach design with a social science mindset will be better equipped to adapt to future trends and continue offering impactful, memorable spaces.  

Our design team at Elkay Interior Systems understands the power of design trends and knows how to use them to create spaces that truly resonate. We don’t just follow trends - we strategize based on the unique needs of your brand and your customers, ensuring every design decision serves a purpose. Reach out to our team to learn how we’ll bring these 2025 trends to life in your next project!

About Elkay Interior Systems

Elkay Interior Systems (EIS) is a tight-knit team of industry-leading designers, commercial-grade manufacturers, innovative engineers, resourceful project managers, and sourcing experts committed to every stage of your project by guaranteeing quality and reliability. We stand out from the crowd with our 40+ years of global experience in the restaurant, hospitality, retail, and education markets. We believe in simplifying the complicated.