Work/Life Balance: Reimagining the Modern Workplace

Enticing employees back to the office has become an art form, especially in a post-pandemic world. Savvy interior design professionals today must consider the modern workspace with a delicate balance of psychology and smart design—with their end goal resulting in a hybrid workspace embodying both functionality and the comforts of home. So, what is their approach? Interior Enhancement Group’s senior interior designer, Elizabeth Waters, tells her personal success story.

Located within a centralized hub of the O’Hare International Center (OIC), Sayers’ Rosemont office conveniently sits just 17 miles northwest of Downtown Chicago. The vibrant property boasts more than 65 restaurants, hotels, and entertainment destinations within a 1.5-mile proximity, offering employees and business guests an array of recreation options and VIP connectivity to the O’Hare Transfer Metra Station, rental car facilities, and shuttle services.

“The president of Sayers is a client we worked with in the past on his home,” says Waters. “Our color palette and design concepts evolved from his request for the office to feel like home, where returning employees would want to spend their time.”

WELCOME VIBES

With this design aesthetic in mind, Waters chose warm color tones and incorporated multiple layers of texture for contrast and depth. To inject a vibrant pop of color, she introduced navy blue, regarded as a highly favored universal hue that symbolizes community. “We didn’t want the furniture to look like typical office furniture, so we selected plush pieces you could envision in your own home,” notes the designer. “Our thoughtfully chosen commercial grade fabrics pass the fire rating code yet still maintain the look and feel of a luxury residence. To amplify the luxe aesthetic, we intentionally selected natural fibers and a mix of rich and supple leathers—all durable performance fabrics that could stand up to daily use.

Waters and her design team incorporated graphic patterns to infuse an element of playfulness into the space and selected furniture pieces that would allow employees to work and collaborate in a common area. One recurring fabric used on the barstools and multiple side chairs inspired all the furnishings.

WARM RECEPTION

The upbeat reception area greets guests with four inviting chairs and a cocktail table anchored by a custom area rug. Its yarn colors capture all the hues used throughout the office. The design inspiration stems from a seating group you might imagine in your own home, and textural accents materialize through a woven-like wall paneling, a streamlined media cabinet, and spikey bursts of greenery. “If we didn’t tell you it was an office space, you may never know from looking at the picture,” says Waters.

BREAKS & CELEBRATIONS

Designed for lunch breaks, entertaining, and large-scale events, a full working kitchen includes a wine chiller, custom cabinetry, and finishes hand-selected by Interior Enhancement Group. The team’s careful attention to detail translates through tactile embellishments, including a dramatic full-height stone backsplash, an elegant waterfall island, and an ADA-compliant countertop space. “Due to the dark finishes and cabinetry sheen, lighting plays a crucial role to ensure the space is well-lit for multiple tasks,” says Waters. “A brilliant custom linear light fixture softens the hard edges of the countertop and cabinetry while lending a sophisticated touch.”

CONFERENCE CALL

The conference table is designed to seat ten guests for client and board room meetings and includes integrated outlets, USB ports, and internet connectivity. The executive chairs feature adjustable back heights, tilt options, lumbar support, and seat depth, and the custom area rug sports a wide faux leather border complementing the leather chairs and table finish. A warm wood ceiling replaces ordinary white acoustic tiles, and a dynamic pair of chandeliers creates visual impact along with three-dimensional paneling on the back wall.

C-SUITE

The comfortable and versatile president’s office allows the CEO to work in multiple places and privately meet with employees and clients behind closed doors. A custom high-low desk allows sitting and standing capabilities and features two hand-selected finishes that blend with the room’s natural travertine stone wall and masculine design aesthetic. A custom built-in backdropped with wallpaper and illuminated with pendant lighting includes a beverage refrigerator and additional storage cabinets. A pair of leather lounge chairs trimmed in blue leather contrast welting gives a well-tailored finish that nods to the navy blue color accents incorporated throughout.\

V-SUITE

The Senior VP’s suite emulates a similar vibe, with a rich Hale Navy paint hue wrapping the office walls in warmth. A pair of lamps flanking the sofa radiate ambient light, the likes of which you might see in your living room, and two leather swivel chairs with nail head trim polish the look. A plush textured area rug defines the seating space, and a private conference table sits off to the side for formal meetings.

CONNECTED & COLLABORATIVE

“We thoroughly enjoyed creating an atypical office space that feels like home,” notes Waters. “It was fun to see it all come to life and used in the way we intended, and the reactions from the employees were especially gratifying. Many neighboring businesses came to tour because they had never seen an office space designed this way.”

Designed as a non-desk environment for employees to collaborate and work individually, a communal open area generates the real wow factor for this project. Warmly inviting, the common area fashions a prime spot for hosting social events with its innovative mix of lounge seating and visual connection to the outdoors, reiterated through custom teak wood sculptures, a cloud-like ceiling feature, and branch patterned dividing panels. Lustrous leathers, cowhide rugs, and natural woods create elements of refined rusticity, along with an exposed ceiling painted in black and luxury vinyl tile.

“The warmth and coziness of the space feels like home,” Waters adds, “with no cold white walls or harsh fluorescent lighting. Instead of working at a desk for eight hours, the place inspires collaboration and allows people to come and go—or even kick their shoes off and work from a recliner.”