Element Sessions: The Rise of “Resi-mercial” Design

 

Office spaces have long been attached to the stigma of being cold, grey rooms filled with an endless sea of cubicles. The design of office spaces today, though, is turning the idea that workspaces must be bland and sterile on its head.

On this first episode of Element Sessions, we were joined by Element Designs guests Beata Klecha, vice president of marketing, and Nelson Wills, partner for sales & operations design, two professionals freshly off attending NeoCon 2019, a conference that serves as the launchpad for commercial design and innovation.

We dove into how commercial design trends and changes are being implemented in real time, and what ideas we can anticipate upsetting the industry in big ways. The prevalent movement in commercial design today can be boiled down into one hybrid word: ”resimmercial.” The warmth and comfort of residential design merged with the open concept, collaborative nature of commercial design–resimmercial.

Klecha noted the warm colors and cozy fabrics found in homes inching their way into workspaces. Wills, a NeoCon veteran, gave his insider advice on which trends are here to stay and which are passing fads. We noted how modern tech is weaving its way into furniture that includes charging docs or storage areas for devices, and how the commercial design industry is pushing open-concept, collaborative workspaces while nurturing the notion of privacy by cultivating cozy nooks for employees to find solace during a buzzing workday.

The overarching sentiment pushing commercial design, however, is a need to make employees happy. After all, a happy employee is a productive employee. We unpack the question “What makes employees happy in their workspace?” today on this Element Sessions podcast.

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the AEC Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.

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

Twitter – @AECMKSL
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

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

Image

Latest

The Tech-Enabled Hospital of the Future: Implications for Care Delivery
The Tech-Enabled Hospital of the Future: Implications for Care Delivery
March 12, 2026

Gone are the days when a hospital was simply a place where patients received care. Today’s hospitals are rapidly evolving into highly connected ecosystems powered by advanced technology, networked devices, and real-time data. The modern hospital is no longer confined to physical walls—it’s a dynamic digital environment where data flows seamlessly, AI supports clinical decisions,…

Read More
career
Stop Chasing Titles, Build a Career That Matters: A CAO’s Advice on Long-Term Success
March 11, 2026

Career advice in finance and accounting often centers around promotions, titles, and compensation. But in an era where professionals frequently change jobs every few years—the average American worker now stays in a role for less than four years—industries are facing growing talent shortages and reevaluating what long-term career success looks like. The question many…

Read More
Career success
A CEO’s Blueprint for Career Success: Leading with Love to Drive Performance and Culture
March 10, 2026

Leadership right now feels heavier than it did just a few years ago. Teams are stretched, expectations are high, and many employees are quietly disengaged. In fact, Gallup’s 2025 U.S. data shows that only about 31% of employees are actively engaged at work, leaving the majority feeling disconnected or indifferent. For CEOs and senior…

Read More
employer-sponsored apprenticeships
The Degree That Pays You Back: How Employer-Sponsored Apprenticeships Are Rewriting Higher Ed
March 9, 2026

Higher education is under pressure. Over the past few years, public confidence in the value of a four-year degree has declined significantly, with fewer Americans expressing a strong belief that traditional higher education delivers a worthwhile return on investment. At the same time, employers consistently report that graduates lack job-ready skills—particularly the “durable skills”…

Read More