INTERIORS 77 Reporting on the future
Dorothe Kessels and Thomas Eurlings of Forbo Flooring Systems discuss how trend reports are helping to shape the future of design, helping architects create spaces that meet modern expectations and inspire creativity.
T
rends are a crucial part of the architectural world, feeding into and infl uencing specifi cation choices, as well as ensuring the buildings you are creating meet modern expectations. Whether it be design or functionality, it’s important that as an architect or specifi er, you are up to date with what is evolving in the industry. To aid this, many manufacturers will create their own in-house trend reports, which they use to curate product collections and meet market needs. Such documents can be a very benefi cial tool, with in-house design teams using them to create new collections.
Making a trend report First and foremost, it’s key to analyse the trends in architectural development and the ways in which a specifi c product, like fl ooring, is being used by customers. By studying this information, design teams can build a clearer picture of what the current trends are and begin to form ideas of how they can support this. For example, if research were to fi nd that there is a growing trend towards ‘nature-inclusive’ design, fi rms may incorporate this into upcoming product collections. This could involve a shift from cooler colours to warmer tones or developing patterns inspired by nature. Supporting this, they can look at how this is refl ected throughout other building fi nishes, whether that be furniture, fl ooring or the materials being used.
Another effective way that design teams can gather trend information is by venturing out to trade shows and speaking to other interior fi nish providers, looking at what products they offer and what they’re developing. By getting face to face with other manufacturers, designers can gain a more rounded perspective on the types of products that their offering will be used alongside.
Once these initial ideas have been gathered, it is time to examine and explore
ADF SEPTEMBER 2025
them in greater depth, both internally within the business and out to a wider panel of customers. By gathering customer feedback on the existing offering or asking directly what it is they need or want, design teams can get a much better picture of how they’re able to support these requirements. Some teams will even go out and interview architects to learn more about their recent material specifi cation experiences and their key ‘wants’ from a product collection. To fi nalise new ideas and internal reports, designers will focus on developing
Natural materials, like wood and stone, remain a key and enduring design trend among architects
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