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Now Trending: Driftwood Finishes

Neutral colors will always be in style, and gray has been a clear front-runner for modern offices that find black depressingly dark and white blindingly bright. The trend toward gray has moved from being just a shade you paint on the walls to being a color you can use as a base anywhere, from the upholstery on chairs to the finish on your desk. In fact, we’ve seen more gray ash desks and tables over the last couple of years that have a weathered, driftwood-like appearance. With this finish, you can still get the beautiful wood grain look you love but in a soft, neutral shade that will look good when paired with just about any other color.

In an Office

The rustic look of gray ash gives it a homelike appearance, making it a great choice in an office. Whether in an open-concept workstation or a private office, you probably spend a lot of time at work. In fact, many office employees spend more waking hours in the office than they do at their residences. Making your office feel a little more like home is a great way to boost your mood and, by extension, your productivity.

In a Waiting Room

In the same way that you want your office to feel like home, you want to give your guests a warm welcome as soon as they walk into your reception area, which is just what this finish helps achieve. Not only does the color give off a soft look, but it can also be paired with any accent color when you want to turn up the volume. Pair it with bright green accents for a bold look or subdued blue for a calm, serene appearance. No matter what look you’re going for, this color delivers.

In a Conference Room 

Conference tables and storage units in ashy gray tones are attractive but not overly distracting. This makes them a great choice for use in a conference room wherein the goal is to create a professional look without taking away from the importance of your meetings.

Similar Washed-out Wood Tones 

You still have options if you want a little more color in your work life but love that soft, washed-out look. The NBF Signature Series Metropolitan collection comes in a boardwalk walnut color that’s light and rich at the same time, closer to brown than gray. If you want to go even lighter, the At Work collection comes in a Warm Ash finish that’s practically blonde, giving you a light, airy look that’s more intriguing than plain white.
Design & Innovation

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The Complete Office Furniture Style Guide

Ready for the office of your dreams? If you've already been scouring board after board on Pinterest trying to find inspiration for your office design, you may find yourself leaning toward one trend or another. To learn more about the most common office styles, check out our complete guide and create the beautiful office you deserve. 

Industrial Office Furniture

Industrial design is a popular trend in residential and commercial interiors, featuring a blend of organic and man-made elements to create a unique balance. This particular trend is a breath of fresh air compared to its rigorously detailed traditional and starkly minimalist modern cousins. In contrast to these popular styles, Industrial design embraces the utilitarian nature of buildings, utilizing elements like exposed brick and open ductwork as things to be appreciated, not hidden. Read our guide to decorating with industrial décor and furniture to learn more about this office style trend.  

Rustic Office Furniture

Rustic office design has the unique ability to turn a cold, stodgy office into a warm, welcoming workspace by using the simplest elements. With neutral colors, a worn-in look, and a little help from Mother Nature, you can take your office from corporate to comfortable in no time. Remember to incorporate natural elements, a worn-out design, and warm, neutral colors when bringing this style trend into your office. Learn more about rustic office design in our guide to decorating with rustic décor and furniture.

Traditional Office Furniture

Whether you’re working in a lawyer’s office or love the rich look of classically styled furniture, traditional offices are a sight to behold and easy to achieve in most workspaces. Create a warm and welcoming atmosphere by incorporating furniture in a deep cherry, chestnut, or mahogany finish with office chairs in fine leather. Elegant details such as nailhead trim on chairs and picture frame panels on desks will give a nod to the historical significance or traditionally styled office furniture. Learn more in our guide to decorating with traditional office furniture and décor.

Transitional Office Furniture

Transitional design is a mix of traditional and modern interior design aesthetics. When it comes to design styles, modern and traditional are fairly well-known and easy to define, but the lines are blurred when it comes to transitional pieces. If you’re looking for a happy medium, transitional may be the way to go. Check out our guide to transitional office design to learn how to bring this classic yet modern look to your workspace.

Modern Office Furniture

Modern office design has a signature look that’s simple and clean. With a focus on minimal silhouettes and bold décor, it’s no wonder this is the go-to style choice for most corporate offices and startup businesses today. When adding modern design aesthetics to your office, remember to keep it simple, choose a cool color palette, and utilize artwork and other décor that makes a statement. If you're ready to go minimal in your workspace, read our guide to decorating with modern office furniture and décor.

Mid-Century Office Furniture

What's old always becomes new again at some point, and that fact is no different when it comes to office design. Mid-century modern office furniture and décor are reminiscent of furnishings made popular in the 1950s and 60s and made popular again by hit TV shows like Mad Men. Learn how to bring this bold style into your office by reading our guide to mid-century modern office furniture and décor.

The Complete Guide to Boho Style

If you’re a down-to-earth type of person and want your workspace to reflect your individual style, the bohemian or boho look may be just what you need. Commonly used in home design, this interior trend works well for the office as well and can be toned up or down depending on how professional you need the space to look. Take these tips for achieving stellar boho style in your place of work.

20 NBF Style Offices to Inspire Your Business Makeover

We work hard to design furniture that works. that's why we love seeing customer photos of our products in their natural habitats, working hard to give others the beautiful offices they deserve. Now we want to see your NBF style, too!

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