Inspired by Chicago. Designed for What's Next.

This year, manufacturers highlighted pieces that embraced softer shapes and prioritized user comfort over traditional contract aesthetics. Nearly everywhere you looked, you could catch a glimpse of beautiful plaid upholstery or a piece wrapped in HBF's Fields of Velvet. Building on last year's trends, we also noticed more showrooms embracing rich jewel-tone palettes.

One of the most notable jewel-tone applications we saw—and one we're especially excited about—is the launch of Aeron's new finish palette. Nightfall and Jasper, a rich navy and deep forest green, evoke a sense of warmth and comfort. Alongside these new finishes, MillerKnoll continued to advance Aeron's sustainability by dematerializing the base and increasing its weight capacity while maintaining the same legendary comfort and ergonomics the world has come to expect.

Herman Miller also introduced its new DC-powered Canvas Vista Workstations, requiring only a single outlet to power an entire workstation. No more needing an electrician to wire a whip if all of your technology components run on DC power. The flexibility this innovation provides will be truly groundbreaking.

You might expect NaughtOne to debut a fun new product in a bold, polychromatic palette—and they certainly delivered on multiple fronts. The new Lotti Side Chair stood out with its exceptional comfort and extensive material options. Its back support hits just the right spot, even providing an extra boost if you're someone who enjoys cracking your back! NaughtOne also expanded its Pullman collection, now offering 92 modular units that create nearly every configuration imaginable. This playful, versatile line is poised to be a favorite across nearly every market, especially with availability through education and GSA contracts. NaughtOne is no longer just a manufacturer for inspired private enterprise spaces.

The elevator lines at The Mart were shorter this year, but the showrooms were just as packed.

Bernhardt has several exciting releases from student designers on the horizon that aren't quite ready for order entry. Terry Crews has also delivered once again with his aptly named new sofa, the Crews. The residential comfort and sweeping forms he's known for are beautifully expressed in this piece.

Many manufacturers expanded existing product lines or showcased pieces that don't typically make it to the showroom floor. One showroom concept that truly blew me away came from Studiocraft. Vice President Paul Knust presented a traveling showroom featuring a 3D-printed installation that demonstrated how their products integrate with and enhance traditional panel systems.

Source International's showroom featured a stunning library setting where I could have happily spent the entire day. Seeing their products applied in such a thoughtfully curated environment was a great reminder of how much context influences design. Their new Chromia stacking chairs were another standout addition to the collection.

We left Chicago inspired, exhausted, and already looking for places to incorporate plaid fabrics into our next projects.