Designer Forum: A workplace is designed for flow, comfort and connection – May 2026

By Maegen Curry

When a global consulting firm chose to launch its San Diego office, leadership envisioned a workplace that would feel welcoming from the moment someone stepped inside. They wanted the space to reflect the spirit of San Diego itself with an open and airy atmosphere, natural ease and what the team affectionately described as “chill vibes.” Their focus on wellness, productivity, privacy and inclusivity guided the design direction from the very beginning.

SETTING THE VISION: WELLNESS, LIGHT AND A SENSE OF EASE

The office is located in the Little Italy neighborhood of downtown San Diego, a vibrant district known for its walkability and energetic street life. The building itself prioritizes healthy, sustainable workplaces and carries both LEED Platinum and WELL Building Gold certifications, an ideal match for the client’s goal of fostering an environment where employees can truly thrive. With terraces on every floor, abundant natural light and sweeping views of the harbor, the building creates an immediate connection to the outdoors. This strong indoor-outdoor relationship became a key influence on the design approach, including the flooring strategy.  

AN INDOOR-OUTDOOR INFLUENCE SHAPES THE DESIGN APPROACH

Inspired by this strong connection to the outdoors, ID Studios set out to design an office with a calm and optimistic atmosphere that still carried enough energy to support collaboration. Materials, color palettes, furniture and spatial planning all support this balance. Of all the elements that shape the experience, flooring plays a significant role. It softens acoustics, defines zones without requiring walls, reflects the natural qualities of the region and creates subtle wayfinding that gently guides people through the space.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: ESTABLISHING THE MATERIAL STORY

The reception and lobby area introduce the material story. We selected porcelain tile from Spec Ceramics, the I Cocci collection in the Cemento finish, used in both large-scale 36”x36” tiles and a Palladiana mosaic. This pairing creates the feeling of coastal pavers and natural stone, bringing a sense of the outdoors into the first steps of the journey. The large-format tile appears at the entrance under waiting area seating and is purposefully interrupted by an organic swath of the mosaic tile guiding visitors toward the main office space. The shift between tile scales helps communicate the transition from public to semi-public space while adding visual interest.

On the entry wall and as an accent at the reception desk, Emser’s Passion tile in the color Verde adds a handcrafted, organic quality that complements the natural and biophilic intent of the project. This material choice sets the tone for the palette and helps shape the welcoming character of the office.

SOFTENING THE WORKPLACE: ACOUSTICS AND COMFORT UNDERFOOT

In work areas, carpet is an essential tool for acoustic comfort. The Beaumont Range carpet tile collection from Interface appears across many office spaces, selected for its gentle texture and calming palette that pairs beautifully with the client’s desired coastal-inspired colors. The Eben pattern in the color Pebble grounds the open office and the Genius Bar, offering softness underfoot and excellent sound absorption in high-use areas. Mesa in the color Fog appears in the private offices, creating a serene, focused setting with exceptional acoustic performance. Ferris in Glacier offers a subtle shift in tone for smaller conference rooms and the workroom, helping these areas stand apart while remaining cohesive.

DEFINING ZONES THROUGH TEXTURE AND PATTERN

In the main conference rooms, we introduced Interface’s Granite Mountain collection, using Mountain Rock in Mineral Peak for the primary rooms and Bridge Creek in Mineral Edge along the exterior. This application creates a seamless transition from a heavy interior texture to a small-scale texture at the perimeter, subtly echoing the motion of crashing waves that draw visitors into the rooms. These gradations define each conferencing zone while maintaining a cohesive overall look.

MOMENTS OF DISCOVERY 

Just outside the conference rooms, “The Cove,” an informal collaboration area, features Shaw Contract’s Off the Grid carpet collection in the Beyond Tile pattern in the color Moss. Installed in an ashlar layout and formed into an organic edge, the carpet merges seamlessly with the surrounding wood-look LVT. This intentional “peek” of carpet offers a subtle moment of discovery, a glimpse of the collaboration zone ahead, while its biophilic tone and texture help guide visitors through the space.

DURABILITY MEETS WARMTH IN SOCIAL SPACES

In the cafe, flooring selections were crucial for creating a welcoming, durable and warm environment. We chose luxury vinyl tile from Shaw Contract that brings the look of natural wood while offering easy maintenance. Shaw Contract’s Inlet II in the Thatch color moves through the main eating area and adjacent corridors, adding warmth and visual continuity. In the stage inside the café, Shaw Contract’s Commingle in Sandy defines a gently curved raised area for all-hands meetings, while the tile-accented risers add a highly customized, crafted feel.

In the restroom, Spec Ceramics Autore in Trevi provides a refined, modern surface suited to high-moisture environments while maintaining the project’s overall material language.

FLOORING AS WAYFINDING: CREATING INTUITIVE NAVIGATION

Across the office, transitions between carpet, tile and vinyl reinforce the client’s focus on creating neighborhoods rather than enclosed rooms. Flooring serves as a quiet signal of a shift in activity, atmosphere or purpose. These transitions make the space intuitive and guide users gently through the environment.

SUPPORTING
WELLNESS PRIVACY & MAINTENANCE

Beyond aesthetics, flooring solutions support the client’s priorities around privacy, wellness and user experience. Carpet throughout the office softens sound, supporting confidentiality in conference rooms, focus areas and private offices. The LVT selections offer durability and ease of maintenance in the cafe and circulation paths, supporting a clean and healthy workplace. The natural palette of stone, wood-inspired finishes and coastal colors enhances the biophilic strategy that runs throughout the design.

A WORKPLACE ROOTED IN EXPERIENCE AND PLACE

The result is an office that brings together professional functionality and the relaxed character of Southern California. Flooring choices support the experience of comfort, clarity and connection that the client sought from the start. From the first step in the lobby to the curved pathways of the cafe, flooring helps tell the story of the space and reinforces the sense of discovery that was central to the vision. It is a workplace where employees feel grounded, inspired and able to do their best work, surrounded by materials that reflect the beauty and spirit of their San Diego home.

THE AUTHOR

Maegen Curry, NCIDQ, is a principal at ID Studios in Solana Beach, California, with more than a decade of experience in commercial interior design. Her project leadership spans workplace and professional services environments, where she is known for building strong client relationships and translating organizational culture into thoughtful, high-performing design solutions. Curry’s collaborative approach, strategic mindset and attention to detail are key contributors to the firm’s continued growth and creative leadership.