PRAXIS3: In the KNOW

PRAXIS3 attended NeoCon 2023 in Chicago, Illinois! NeoCon has served as the world’s leading platform for the commercial design industry since 1969. From flooring to furniture, textiles to acoustic solutions, NeoCon sets the stage to view millions of square feet of the latest and greatest from the past, present, and into the future. This 3-day event offers an opportunity for companies to display ideas and introductions that shape the built environment, as well as opportunities to expand one’s knowledge through continuing education units from various speakers and topics.

We noticed a few trends during this year’s exhibition: using softer, rounded shapes/forms, incorporating earth tones as pops of color, and honoring the past, present, and future of design.

The first trend of using softer, rounded shapes and forms was seen throughout showrooms in furniture and flooring. From lounge seating to floor patterns and even architectural solutions, there was a mixture of curves, arches, and organic shapes seen in several products, in which many of the furniture pieces were also modular, giving them flexibility that we’ve seen be a constant over the past several years. This made for an approachable and inviting experience.

The next trend of pops of color was more muted than we’ve seen in the past. More of the color palettes reflected more earth tones, much of the terracotta tones were used, along with light woods and splashes of green from products or by incorporating greenery in the spaces. Though not as vibrant, these colors were very calming and pleasant to see.

The last trend of honoring the past, present, and future of design was seen in several ways. Some manufacturers paid homage to the previous designs by re-introducing them, re-inventing them, or simply modifying them for today’s needs and those of the future, while others dug into important causes and saw a way of how to push design for the world we live in today and want to create in the future. It was great to see collaborations with different artists and designers to achieve this and really create something familiar, yet elevated and special. This was also seen in some of the panel discussions, keeping the conversation going of where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going.

Year after year, there’s always something new and interesting at Neocon. It’s always great to draw inspiration from many of the products and experiences available. We’re excited to incorporate some of the latest and greatest seen in PRAXIS3 projects and we look forward to seeing what the future holds next year!