It’s an exciting time for commercial furniture. The crossover between corporate and hospitality environments continues, such that any boundaries that still apply are few and far between. Take soft seating, for example. No longer confined to the foyer of corporate establishments, today it’s an accepted design element throughout all office and corporate spaces. As well as helping create a softer environment, it offers more relaxed and flexible open-plan areas that cater to multiple activities and uses. The same goes for the hospitality sector too. Also, as hotels and other hospitality venues increasingly seek to fulfil the needs of their corporate clients, soft seating is now a vital necessity for informal work lounges, phone booths and touchdown spaces.

Soft seating is indeed here to stay. And, as communication, collaboration and flexibility continue to be the key driving forces in design schemes throughout corporate, hospitality and leisure interiors, we’re seeing modular seating and flexible furniture rise to the fore.

Although some clients often misunderstand the term, modular furniture is typically a collection of individual pieces that can be tailored to fit the specific needs of a given space or use. Space efficient, it successfully meets the demands of formal and informal meeting areas, as well as public spaces such as reception spaces and atriums. Nowadays, it even graces circulation areas commonly found in shopping malls. If required, modular seating can be expanded at a later date by simply choosing from the same collection and style that was first used, without compromising the overall setup and style of the original furniture. It also tends to be easy to assemble and reassemble, if needed, thereby facilitating cost-savings.

There’s no doubt that the rise in popularity of modular seating and furniture is attributed to the flexible solution it provides for a wide variety of spaces. Today, seating and furniture is no longer specified purely on comfort, practicality, colour, texture or shape alone. Instead, it has to meet the needs of the space it occupies, and it must create a balance that fulfils both functional and aesthetic requirements. Modular seating and furniture meets the brief on all counts. Boasting flexible and reconfigurable options, it offers specifiers and designers infinite layout arrangements.

From straight and curved configuration seating, to more traditional options of sofas, corner units and footstools, the possibilities are endless. By introducing differing table heights and seating levels, it’s easy to adapt furniture to suit any given scheme. Combined with a wealth of choice of fabrics, colours and finishes, it’s no wonder that interior designers and specifiers enjoy taking flexible design to new heights; from classic and distinctive, to fun and organic.

Modular seating is more commonly specified for corporate reception areas and public spaces where large numbers of people need to be accommodated. However, in a bid to bring a more casual and relaxed feel to these spaces; upholstered cubes, stools and benches are often included too.

Since there’s a growing need for furniture in the workplace that can adapt to new and changing requirements, we’re finding that this is where modular furniture really comes into its own. Smart office furniture choices to support a well-designed, high functioning and adaptable workplace include: modular soft seating, modular workbenches and desk pods. We know from experience that high-backed modular meeting booths are also a popular specification. Designed to help break up large, open-plan spaces, they are available in a range of seating configurations and are capable of seating from as few as two people, up to larger groups of eight. As their contoured high-back design helps reduce peripheral vision and external noise, they are perfect for aiding privacy.

Likewise, with employee wellbeing in the workplace an increasing priority for many companies, compact modular units help provide the perfect breakout space for staff to rest and escape from a busy work environment. Whether working in solitude, focusing on a concentrated task or making phone calls, these pieces offer the intimacy and privacy that is vital for today’s modern working methods.

Since recently bursting onto the scene, landscape modular seating has become a firm favourite too with specifiers; offering a mixture of different seating or leaning levels, and creating an inviting and interesting seating area for those quick impromptu meetings and spaces where employees want to catch up or sit and work with a device.

An expansive combination of linking units allows multiple configurations for office, breakout and public spaces, making it a truly modular product which can be reconfigured when desired. For this reason, landscape modular seating is commonly found in areas of passing; such as large, open corridors or the open-plan office or atrium. Delivering ‘create and connect’ versatility, this type of seating is inviting to co-workers and guests for brief social and work-related interactions.

For any modular furniture to be truly successful, however, it has to aid connectivity. As the reliance upon mobile electronic devices increases, so too has the need for keeping mobiles, laptops and tablet devices charged. Indeed, everyone now expects the same level of connectivity in an hotel foyer as found in a bank. Hence, it’s imperative that charging points can be incorporated into modular upholstered seating panels as well as tables and desks. The integration of such technology should be clean and seamless and aesthetically coordinate with each piece. As well as power and data units, some modular pieces such as meeting booths, for instance, even come equipped with multi-media capabilities.

Today, commercial seating and furniture needs to be multifunctional, adaptable and able to meet the demands of its surrounding environment. Modular furniture fully meets these expectations. No longer confined to breakout spaces, it can fulfil the needs of any given space and facilitate connectivity too. By introducing modular solutions into their design schemes, designers and specifiers can at last breathe life into both corporate and hospitality settings, and bring true creative licence to their projects.