From Mustaches to Meeting Rooms: The Office Design Trend Cycle

Take a look around — the mustache is everywhere again. Musicians like Benson Boone are rocking it on stage, reality stars like Tom Sandoval are bringing it to TV (my wife’s shows, not mine!), and pretty much every twenty-something in Montauk seems to be sporting one.

But give it a season. By fall, we’ll probably be talking spiked hair, Cavariccis, and parachute pants.

The point? Trends shift constantly. And in the world of office design, they shift even faster.

Why Office Trends Don’t Sit Still

There are a lot of reasons why workplace design feels more volatile than ever:

  • The nomadic way we work, thanks to laptops and hybrid setups.

  • The uncertainty of COVID, which rewired how companies plan space.

  • Social media, where a viral trend can flip expectations in days.

  • Leadership teams hesitant to commit to one workstyle or policy.

Whatever the cause, the fact is clear: offices are in flux.

The Challenge for Architects & Designers

Here’s the scenario we see all the time:

  • A client wants everyone back in-office, so the design team restores dedicated desks.

  • Mid-project, hiring projections change — now they need hoteling and hot desks to maximize square footage.

  • Or employee surveys reveal less need for heads-down space and more demand for collaborative areas.

  • Or leadership decides that amenities (lounges, cafes, wellness spaces) are the real retention play.

Design firms and furniture dealers end up chasing moving targets.

Designing for Now vs. Designing for What’s Next

So the dilemma becomes:

  • Do you design based on today’s information and stick to your intent?

  • Or do you future-proof the space, limiting fixed structures and prioritizing flexible furniture systems that can shift as fast as the trends?

At Slyde Innovations, we believe the answer is balance. Core architectural decisions should be intentional, but furniture and storage solutions must remain adaptable. That’s why our products — from Slyde lockers to Totem hybrid caddies to Divyde modular dividers — are designed to flex with the times.

Because just like mustaches, office design trends come and go.
But flexibility? That never goes out of style.

scott lesizza