Interestingly, this is a practice that is also now being adopted by the workplace – a typology that has swung from one end of the pendulum to the other in an attempt to reach peak productivity, and has momentarily landed somewhere in the middle, albeit still not quite satisfied. From closed-off offices and partitions galore, to completely open plan, we have now settled for ABW-style spaces that take a little from both worlds to find some sense of balance between the two.
Within this place in the middle, we have seen another kind of ‘borrowing’ happening recently: the imitation from one typology to another. The blending of residential and workspace design styles have given birth to the now-common term ‘resimerical’, while the marriage of workspace and hospitality has been referred to as ‘corpritality’.
Think what you will of the portmanteaus; there is no denying that these hybrid spaces exist, and they are evolving into something special. Take, for instance, the Mantab Group workplace in Bangsar. An interior by S/LAB10 that would make anyone even vaguely interested in design weak at the knees combines with soft curves, elegant finishes and furnishings that one would only expect to see in a high-end retail store, posh restaurant or the home of your wildest dreams. Materiality, textures and colour create a space that is intimate, cosy, luxurious and calm.
Workspaces like Mantab Group take the approach that the office should borrow a little from hospitality – perhaps some rich colours and finishes, some luxury; and then a little from the home – some comfort and softness, maybe a cosy sofa in plush velvet. The result is a space you wouldn’t mind staying back in; a space you would want to leave home to be in. This is the workspace of the future – the ideal middle-ground, the perfect use of marrying, borrowing, melding.
This June, Schiavello is launching a new range of products that bring equal levels of elegance and softness to the workspace and the home. Follow our social media to see updates and previews of the new collection.