As workers return to the office en masse after summer vacation, it’s a natural time to reflect on whether our workspaces are living up to their potential. And while some spaces may need a full rethink, many can be easily refreshed with the help of new furnishings. Below, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite contract furniture collections launched this year, all of which improve comfort and productivity — without sacrificing style.

In the era of hybrid work, the office’s role has evolved from a place to get things done into a social hub. The Conversa Modular Lounge, by Union Design for KFI Studios, can accommodate both. With 14 seating modules to choose from, you can create nearly endless configurations — from sofas and sectionals to benches, cluster arrangements and curved setups. Plus, they can be easily reconfigured as needs change. Its soft, monolithic forms can be upholstered in graded-in textiles or the customer’s own material, allowing you to customize the collection to your space. The seating modules can be ganged together with table units in two different sizes, which also work as standalone pieces. Power options can be mounted on the sides of the seats or tabletops for convenient device charging, while the pieces’ hollow construction allows for easy cable management.

Conversa is also designed to pair seamlessly with KFI Studios’ other product lines, such as the freestanding Calm screens, whose recycled PET felt composition helps control acoustics while also carving out private nooks or more secluded collaborative spaces. The collection can also be layered with Atmos pillows for added comfort — and a pop of colour or texture.

Save for its scale, you’d never know it was a conference table. Sculptural and sophisticated, this design by Deborah Moss for Nienkämper feels more akin to a showpiece dining table than a work surface. Available in seven standard shapes with rounded corners — rectangle, soft rectangle (6” radius), boat, soft boat (6” radius), racetrack, super ellipse and closed vista — there is a style to suit any space, be it an executive boardroom or a casual meeting room. The brand‘s collection can be further customized with a range of standard finishes, including veneer and PLam, interlayer glass and stone. The interior of the base, as well as the underside of the table, rail, bracket and surface power cutouts, can be painted in an accent colour.

The contrasting two-tone design accentuates the table’s curves while adding visual interest. Sleek in appearance, the Moss Conference Table’s functionality is carefully hidden away, with discreet wire management for a tidy workspace; an easily removable panel in the base offers quick access to concealed cables.

This extensive kit of parts by Global Furniture Group has all the tools needed to set office workers up for success. Teams can optimize existing spaces with individual pieces or mix and match from the available offerings — including tables, media and whiteboard carts, storage solutions, accessories and more — to create customized workspaces that suit their needs. Dynamic and adaptable, much of the collection is conveniently mounted on casters, allowing the pieces to be moved around throughout the workday or more permanently relocated as needs change. Integrated power ensures that no matter where you work, you can always stay connected.

Whether looking to carve out collaborative zones or casual lounge areas, the Collaborative Spaces collection pairs seamlessly with Global’s Evolve Structures to create micro-environments in open-plan offices.

Given its relaxed and laid-back appeal, it’s no wonder that Pedrali’s Lamorisse seating collection was originally designed for outdoor use. In 2023, the company introduced a wood version that can work both indoors and out and followed up that launch with a lounge chair and two-seater sofa this year, conceived especially for hospitality and workspace settings. Lamorisse’s plush cushions are enveloped by its lightweight frame, balancing comfort and strength in equal measure.

But the collection doesn’t sacrifice practicality for style: the cushions can be removed and the frames easily stacked and stored away. The benefits of the detachable design are twofold, allowing the upholstery to be refurbished without replacing the entire product, and enabling recycling of the components at end of life. Lamorisse’s sustainable ethos extends into its material composition, which includes FSC-certified wood and water-based coatings made mostly of plant-derived resins.

With its latest collection, Humanscale brings its ergonomic expertise to the informal “third spaces” — like huddle rooms, cafés or open offices — where work is happening today. Suitable for both office and residential settings, the Trea Lite Task Chair (designed by Humanscale Creative Director Todd Bracher, and also available as a high task stool) is a standout among the launches.  The latest addition to the Red Dot Award-winning Trea family of seating, the minimalist design prioritizes comfort and productivity in equal measure. The chair features a contoured shell that cradles the body to support the lower back and natural hip rotation; its waterfall seat edge, meanwhile, reduces pressure on the back of the knees. In lieu of complicated adjustment dials, the chair features an intuitive hinge mechanism that allows for a seamless 12-degree recline, engineered to move with the user throughout the workday.

With three interchangeable base options — four-star, four-leg and cantilevered — and versatile swivel and height adjustment options, Trea can be customized to fit any work setup. Not only does the modular design make it easy to upgrade and maintain the chair’s components, reducing its environmental impact, Trea is also Living Product Certified, meaning its manufacturing process is climate-, water- and energy-positive.

For more contract furniture collections, visit our Spec Sheets section.