Design trends: Home is where the office is

They say you shouldn’t bring your work home with you.

But if current design trends offer any cues, there’s nothing wrong with bringing your home to work with you.

Workplaces, including construction company Richard Crookes Constructions’ new digs, have taken on a decidedly domestic flavour in a bid to make them more appealing to employees.

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The company’s single-floor office in Gore Hill, Sydney, has elements that would previously have been seen predominantly in residential fit-outs, including the colour palette, building materials and furniture choices.

The office has a number of informal sitting areas. Picture: Nicole England

Futurespace design director Gavin Harris, who led the design team, says it was about creating “an informal vibe where employees can come together to socialise, to eat together, learn together, and ultimately collaborate to continue delivering innovative solutions for their clients”.

“So often our work colleagues become close friends who feel like family, and it’s no wonder, when you’re spending more than 40 hours a week with the same people. It makes sense to create a more comfortable workplace that feels like home.”

One of the meeting spaces. Picture: Nicole England

“We designed a workplace that would feel like home, with many inclusive and informal spaces that encourage a laid-back, causal and connected workplace.”

The 2300sqm space, which houses 140 staff, is centred around collaborative spaces, and uses materials that pay homage to the company’s construction roots, with textured weaves, raw timber, patina metals and naturally aged materials, as well as including cement, terracotta and steel.

There are also more traditional desk spaces. Richard Crookes Constructions. Picture: Nicole England

Richard Crookes Constructions managing director Jamie Crookes says: “The new workplace is a total overhaul from our previous, ad-hoc space. The office has been designed to create a home for our employees, creating a domestic feel that promotes collaboration and productivity for our growing team”.