Bringing Design Full Circle:
Indiana Furniture's Modern Design has a Nod To Their Legacy.
NeoCon is always a time to see the latest in product design, surface materials, and today’s (and tomorrow’s) working needs. And, for the most part, this year was no different…unless you’re Indiana Furniture.
They took on opening the doors to their new Chicago Design Studio, located on the 10th floor at The Mart, during the show. But it wasn’t just another showcasing of lots of product and finishes. Rather, it was a full-on immersive experience, engaging all of your senses, across multiple rooms, and effortlessly showing the flexibility of their furniture in a floor-to-ceiling design that targets the wellness, productivity, and comfort of users.
And to do this, they drew inspiration from where they came from.
From the Ceiling to The Wall.
One of the most notable design elements within the space was their logo wall, which captured their current branding intertwined with their past. Metal tiles from their original headquarters (Indiana Furniture moved their headquarters earlier this year) were placed on the wall to create not only a backdrop for their logo, but also a focal point for the space...and one that quickly became the setting for selfies and group portraits throughout the show.
A small panel next to the wall of tiles reads:
Where We're Going Is Built On Where We've Been.
These metal tiles, proudly removed, as is, from our company's original headquarters, built in 1905, are symbolic of our long-standing history and fundamental beliefs. They no longer serve as a ceiling for Indiana Furniture but rather as an unwavering foundation--a wall intricately woven of quality, design, and steadfast craftsmanship--that reminds us of our purpose and gives us strength to grow and prosper for generations to come.
The Warmest of Welcomes.
At the front of the space was a large area that drew you in with a reception desk, which was actually all standard product but looked custom, a group of lounge pieces, tables, and pouffes for additional seating. The area also included large benching units from their Polka Collection which were perfect for taking a break or having a quick conversation.
Casegoods for Today's Working Needs.
Indiana Furniture has been making desks for 120 years, so it's no surprise their display of veneer and laminate casegoods was elevated and beautiful yet practical and functional.
This setting highlighted height adjustability, along with alternative methods for storage, meeting with others, and enhancing overall office spaces. Models from their Gesso, Iconic, Serenity, Spirit, KickStart, and Cush lines were highlighted.
A Little Dab Goes A Long Way.
Indiana Furniture's new Dab chair captured the spotlight. With its simple design and light scaling, Dab is ideal for personal and shared offices, teaming and collaborative areas, training and learning
spaces, meeting and huddle rooms, break rooms and cafés, and so much more.
More importantly, the Dab Collection has an inherent sustainability story, as the seat, back, and arm frames are made from 70% recycled content, and for every Dab chair sold, Indiana Furniture will donate a percentage of the sales to The Common Thread for The Cure - an industry organization dedicated to those battling breast cancer.
Find Your Happy Place.
"The Serenity Atrium" was dedicated to showcasing one of their latest introductions. Besides the beauty of the Serenity chair, this room was bright and cheerful, and used a custom-designed wallpaper to bring the entire space together. This area also demonstrates how easy it is to mix casegoods, tables, and seating to functional collaborative areas that are not only stylish, but also comfortable.
Indiana Furniture began taking order on the Serenity chair on August 5.
In The Chill of The Night.
The dimly lit garden was a surprising moment within the studio. Deemed the "Runna Garden" by Indiana Furniture, this space focused on the Runna collection and, more so, Indiana's broad range of ancillary products. Like its neighboring space, this area also had custom-designed wallpaper, crickets chirping, and umbrellas turned light fixtures.
This space, as well as the entire Studio, was considered spot on for today's design trends, and was even captured in several videos highlighting "what to see" at NeoCon.
The Energy of Collaboration.
As the workforce changes and offices embrace new hybrid and collaborative work models, the way we work in spaces is evolving. Sometimes we need to work alone, sometimes in a small team, and sometimes as a large group. Spaces ebb and flow as workers come together to collaborate and then move apart for privacy. That’s where Synergy comes in. Synergy allows users to easily configure and reconfigure spaces to support these fluid work styles.
Introducing a new collection of partitions, tables, and seating to create spaces in an impromptu way without the need for complex architecture. This line promotes flexibility to adapt to different interactions, forming areas to gather, separate, and then gather again…all in personalized ways, and all within the same open space.
Indiana Furniture is planning to have Synergy available for order later this year.
The Board Room.
The Board Room area was an elevated display of a glass-topped Catalyst and storage, with Rockstar. Catalyst sparks conversation with upgraded materials on conference products, while Rockstar’s luxurious comfort and lumbar support shines in an executive meeting space.
Throughout the show, this area was used to demonstrate a new specification platform, called Thumbprint. Thumbprint is dedicated to simplifying the commercial furniture design and specification process through best-in-class technology, and all of Indiana Furniture's products will be available within the tool.
The Design Cafe.
Get ready for one of the best views of the city, especially the Chicago River. This area has a mix of tables, booths, and seating, as well as finish/color samples, to create a hospitable, learning and ideation area. Fifteen Lounge creates banquette-style dining or huddle spaces, Catalyst continues to spark innovation in smaller table sizes and base options, and their seating at desk and bar height seamlessly complements their other products and creates open visibility through the space.
Window Shopping At It's Finest.
Just like any big department store, Indiana Furniture provided a showcase area up-front at the windows. Here you could get a glimpse of the various elements of new Synergy product. But what stole the hearts of many were the fish that took residence during the show. (Don't worry they have all been re-homed and are thriving!)
