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October 16, 2013

Office Furniture Industry Toronto and Beyond

demountable-walls-office-furniture-toronto

I have been involved with the office furniture industry for over three decades (man, the thought makes me feel exhausted) and to me, it has been wonderful to see how office furnishings has evolved in so many ways. No longer is the desk that would be suitable for a large IBM Selectrix typewriter in demand, rather smaller tables with advanced wire management, compatible to lightning-speed laptop computers.

Private offices was the way to go back then (just take a look at an episode of Mad Men), now open collaborative desking stations with lowered glass partitions (if any) is what is in demand. Leather tufted high back executive chairs with goose neck arms made by Krug or Kaufman was the chair of prestige which evolved into the most recognizable, branded chair to appear in the office furniture market, the Herman Miller, Aeron chair.

Sleek, contemporary, ergonomic, sustainable are the features, furniture manufacturers are presently striving for. Speaking of sustainability –that’s huge in furniture design. (I blogged about it too!) As companies seek environmentally friendly buildings (with LEEDS certification), manufacturers are developing ergonomic seating and “desking” that is made from a high percentage of recycled materials.

Office Furniture in Canada and beyond

What is unique, living in Toronto, is that all the best office furniture in the world are represented here. Interior designers are often the ones specifying these products for companies, but many inquire directly and services by a choice of dealers. The best part is that even the most expensive furnishings are affordable by creating a leasing plan suitable to a company’s budget. Some of the many excellent designed products are being manufactured by such reputable names as Steelcase, Haworth, Knoll, Reff,Teknion, Herman Miller, Krug, and many more.

Have you ever gone to an office furniture market before such as NEOCON in Chicago, IIDEX in Toronto,or the largest in the world, CIFF in China? There you will find the latest, most original product and technology to make us work effectively and efficiently.

Offices of the Future – Mantra is “flexible”

What I do think the office of the future will look like?

I see office furniture in Toronto, Canada, and across the globe as designed primarily for flexibility. For example:

  • Furniture to be used in a collaborative environment easily switched for privacy when required.
  • More walls-on wheels which can be re-design any space easily and within minutes.
  • Electrical grids in the ceiling that can be dropped and used anywhere in the office, anytime.
  • Employees working from home and telecommuters will continue to grow. The work force will continue to be located across the globe for economic reasons, and in particularly locations far away from the central office. (When was the last time you spoke to a CSR in India?)

Office Trends

Less office space will be required which could prove to be a savings for companies, but as mentioned, flexibility is the new mantra as we ‘work’ towards the future.

Imagine this scenario…. “Congratulations, you have been promoted to Vice-President. Your table is over there. It’s 6” larger than your last one. Need privacy? No problem, just move that wall when you need it!”

Ready to explore your furniture options? Please request a quotation or visit our 30,000 square foot showroom in Toronto with furniture for your business, furniture for employee relocation, as well multiple furniture options for your corporate events, exhibits and meetings. Call 416-785-0932 or 1-800-618-1733 to schedule your appointment now. We’re here to help.

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