Every June, Chicago becomes the hub of commercial design innovation thanks to two events: Neocon and Design Days. Each offers a unique lens into the future of how we work, design, and connect with an environment.
NeoCon, the industry’s flagship event, is where brands share their latest innovations, unveiling new trends and gaining recognition for their stellar creativity. The week is filled with unwavering inspiration and bold ideas that challenge convention, spark conversation and set the tone for the year ahead in design.
Fulton Market’s Design Days bring together a diverse community to celebrate designers and brands shaping the future of design. Through immersive showrooms and curated experiences, it highlights both established and emerging talent. With a strong focus on community, Design Days demonstrates how design can lead us toward a more sustainable, inclusive, and inspiring world.
Waldner’s is here to break down key trends, award-winning designs, and some of our favorite products that truly stood out.
Notable NeoCon 2025 Awards
Coalesse Jean Nouvel Seating Collection
Extremis Panigiri Table
Global Furniture Group Open Spaces Benching & Furniture Systems
Steelcase at Fulton Market Design Days
Steelcase’s environments at Design Days showcased human experience through their workspaces. Their spaces foster inclusion through their collaborative layouts and support hybrid work through their adaptable furniture. Each setting tells a story about flexibility, community, and the evolving nature of how we connect.
Steelcase Design Days 2025 Featured Products – Helping to Enhance Community
5 Macro Trends from NeoCon & Design Days
After exploring the latest coverage from NeoCon and Interior Design magazine, we’ve uncovered five standout macro trends that are currently shaping the commercial design landscape.
1. Design as a Catalyst for Global Change
Design is being positioned as a powerful tool to address urgent global challenges like climate change, equity, and resilience.
2. Human-Centered Innovation
Inclusive, human-centered design is driving innovation by prioritizing real-world needs across diverse identities and abilities.
3. The Evolution of the Workplace
Workplaces are transforming into flexible, wellness-focused environments that foster connection, creativity, and neurodiverse support.
4. Foundational Sustainability
Sustainability has shifted from a feature to a foundational design principle, with circularity and carbon neutrality becoming standard.
5. Science-Driven Design
Designers are increasingly leveraging neuroscience, behavioral data, and AI to create spaces that enhance cognitive and emotional well-being.
5 Micro Trends from NeoCon & Design Days
Drawing from industry insights, event coverage, and firsthand observations from our Waldner’s team on the ground at the MART and Fulton Market Design Days, we’ve identified five emerging micro trends shaping the design of today’s spaces
1. Biophilic & Multisensory Wellness Design
Designers are embracing nature-inspired materials, textures, and sensory elements to create calming, wellness-oriented environments.
2. Circular & Biodegradable Materials
Furniture is going green with biodegradable materials, recycled content, and closed-loop production becoming key design priorities.
3. Neurodiverse & Inclusive Workspaces
Workspaces are evolving to support neurodiversity through modular, sensory-sensitive, and universally inclusive design solutions.
4. Curved & Organic Forms
Soft, rounded furniture forms are trending for their ability to evoke comfort, safety, and emotional warmth in shared spaces.
5. Muted Colors
A new palette of soft, desaturated earth tones is emerging to promote calm, reduce stress, and connect interiors to nature.
Our Top 5 Favorite Products
Some of Waldner’s most loved products from NeoCon and Design Days! Click on the images for more information.
In a world where design is constantly evolving, NeoCon and Design Days 2025 remind us that the future of design is not just functional, it’s inclusive, wellness-focused and beautifully human. The micro and macro trends not only reflect the evolving needs of our environments but also reaffirm design’s profound role in shaping the workplace experience.
References:
https://neocon.com/blog/neocon-2025-spotlights-the-future-of-commercial-design
https://neocon.com/press/in-the-news
https://www.steelcase.com/resources/documents/design-days-experience-guide
