Welcome to Spring!

By Jeff Baker, posted on April 5, 2022

Jeff Baker chairs Future Branches

With the blooming of early flowers – at least here in southern New Hampshire – projects are blooming as well. Our clients across the board are asking us to develop  projects from refreshed and new trade show environments to banking and commercial interior environments, and even to retail shops. Even in the face of inflation there is pent up demand.

We’ve seen a couple of trends develop in all these areas which we think are long-term shifts in how people live in their environments. We call the over-riding trend “comfort”. There’s been a distinct shift in preference to softer colors (lavender, pale yellow, soft whites), softer materials (woven fabrics, wallcovering) and items and textures from nature (wood, stone, water, plants).

Another trend we see is “communication”. Many spaces from temporary to permanent are being redesigned to allow for more authentic, richer, highly valuable communication. Settees, glass walled offices, more comfortable seating, round tables as opposed to rectangular, less formal conference spaces are all part of this trend. Largely gone are high-tops, chrome, red cushions, ceramic tile. Noise control has taken a front seat in many of our designs, with the outcome being to soften the conversations.

As we return to work, commerce and business development, we’re bringing with us the “comforts of home” we enjoyed the past 18 months. Technology is now critical to developing and maintaining relationships – Zoom, etc. – and yet we our acceptance of informality is greater, and our desire for comfort and sincere communication is paramount.

Pre-Covid, designers around the world were talking about the beginnings of the “Experience Economy”. The pandemic has accelerated our transition to it. How we choose to experience commerce, relationships, friends, brands, daily life from grocery shopping to car repairs to commuting – or even the decision to commute – have changed.

As Experience Designers, Image 4 is leading our clientele to understanding, developing and presenting Your Authentic Brand®, the experience that only your Brand delivers to your particular constituents. Now more than ever, that experience has the potential to define your Brand’s success in whatever market in which you participate. We’re excited by this, because as is our motto, “It’s About the Experience®”


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