NeoCon Celebrates 51 Years of Commercial Design This Week

For the fifty-first year, NeoCon returns to the Chicago Merchandise Mart to showcase the best of the commercial design world. This year’s edition is currently underway and concludes on June 12.

According to the conference website, 500 leading companies and more than 50,000 professional designs are in attendance this week. Tomorrow’s final keynote address, “Do No Harm: The Role of Design in Complicated Times” will be presented by Liz Ogbu, Founder & Principal of Studio O in New York.

UPDATE: 12:17 p.m. CST

The above photo comes courtesy of NeoCon.

UPDATE: 10:14 a.m. CST

Beata Klecha, VP of Marketing at Element Designs, has been checking out the show floor this morning and photographing some of the most compelling and innovative exhibits in her eyes.

Below is a black matte and wood office setup by Geiger. Klecha was particularly impressed by the dark gray heather tack board. Black matte continues to be a prominent design trend in 2019.

The next picture submitted by Klecha features new occasional tables by Studio TK in various metallic finishes. According to Element Designs, these finishes are one of today’s primary design trends, with growing prominence in kitchen, bath, living and bedrooms across the world.

Klecha also photographed the below image of a HermanMiller Eames lounge chair, inspired by the classic Vans checkerboard print. The famous shoes are seen beside the chair here.

Terry Coffey of Draper Inc. submitted to MarketScale this photo of one of the company’s commercial window shade products.

Stay tuned for more product images and demonstrations from the show today and tomorrow and plenty more perspective from NeoCon 2019.

For the latest news in the world of architecture and design, head to our industry page and sign up for our weekly newsletter!

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

career
Soft Skills, Real Impact: Rethinking What Makes Talent Stand Out with Client Success Executive Ben Brandon
November 26, 2025

Work feels different today. Conversations about AI, hybrid schedules, shifting career paths, and talent shortages aren’t just industry headlines—they’re shaping everyday decisions for workers and employers alike. As people rethink what they want from their careers and companies rethink what they need from their teams, one theme keeps rising to the surface: the skills that…

Read More
empathy
Why Empathy Matters in Today’s Workplace and How It Builds Better Teams
November 25, 2025

Empathy has become a business competency, not a soft nice-to-have. With hybrid teams, rapid AI adoption, and a workforce increasingly vocal about identity and inclusion, companies are being pushed to rethink what effective leadership looks like right now. Research and workplace trend reports consistently show that employees who feel seen and supported are more…

Read More
pastor
Finding Purpose Through Service: Faith, Leadership, and Legacy with Pastor Arthur James
November 24, 2025

Burnout among faith leaders has surged in recent years, fueled by heavier workloads, complex community needs, and the quiet exhaustion many pastors carry—sparking urgent conversations about resilience, calling, and sustainable leadership. A survey found that roughly four in ten pastors considered leaving full-time ministry in a single year, citing reasons like stress and loneliness—making guidance…

Read More
intuition
Allowing Inspiration to Grow from Intuition: How Inner Guidance Drives Real Career Growth
November 21, 2025

In a workplace culture increasingly shaped by rapid change, rising expectations, and new definitions of leadership, professionals are redefining success beyond titles and output. Empathy, intuition, and inner alignment — once seen as intangible “nice-to-haves” — are now emerging as competitive advantages. As recent workforce studies show that human-centered leaders drive higher engagement and…

Read More