"Ancillary Continues to Dominate Design Days and NeoCon!"
06/16/25 Edition Stephen Says Column

Dear Stephen, 

I’m finally coming down from the buzz of Design Days and NeoCon in Chicago this year. It was a great trip. I work for a major Steelcase dealer and was obsessed with their new showroom in Fulton Market! In past years, as a #Steelcase dealer, I spent a lot of time in the Merchandise Mart. This year, I spent a lot of time in Fulton Market because that’s where Steelcase moved their showroom to and I was very impressed with nearby #MillerKnoll, #Teknion, #Allsteel, #HNI, #Humanscale, #Allermuir, & #Kvadrat. . . WOW! Fulton Market ended up being a way different experience than I expected. I have to admit, it was really refreshing.   

I did also spend a day in the #MerchandiseMart because, as a Steelcase dealer, we very much love their #Halcon subsidiary. They have a beautiful showroom on the tenth floor. I always check out the competition so naturally I spent a lot of time in the #Haworth showroom on the third floor of the Mart, as well as #Davis, #Stylex, #Dauphin and #9to5seating. Our dealership hosted a couple of major A&D firms and the takeaway for everyone was that ancillary product is dominating the furniture world.

I see, as a dealer, since we’re front and center with most end-users, that all of our clients want their employees back to work either every day in the office or some type of hybrid format. Today, in an effort to get employees back in the office, U. S. based companies are creating public spaces starting in the lobbies of their buildings. Lobbies have turned into areas filled with beautiful art, often scented, reminiscent of walking into a beautiful hotel lobby, with lounge furniture everywhere. Then, when I take the elevator up to the customer’s space on another floor I’ll often see beautiful communal tables and great lounge areas, fancy kitchens, ‘pantries,’ coffee machines that make cappuccinos and espressos, sparkling water, you get the idea. Think #StarbucksReserve.

I’m sure you were everywhere during NeoCon and Design Days; do you see ancillary’s ascension as the trend? How does this jobs and companies?


Signed,
Blown Away by the Windy City

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Dear Blown Away,

Yes! What you’re saying about the new product is so common today. If you haven’t heard, ‘ancillary’ A.K.A. ‘resimercial,’ often defined by the cozy couches and area rugs you see in lounge areas to make people feel like they are working in their home, is all the rage today. Companies today are creating these ‘homey’ environments to lure employees back into the office. Anything to get people back to work! Including things like oat milk in the refrigerator. . .  

You’re right, there isn’t an office space anywhere these days that does not have some kind of communal table or a fabulous pantry or kitchen – in fact, all offices these days have lounge areas. It’s of particular interest to me because as I’ve grown my business over the years, before moving into my own space, I spent time in a Regus office space which is like a high-end WeWork.

Even years ago, these places had great resting rooms, every snack imaginable, great coffee & espresso machines, napping pods, you name it – and now this is in everybody’s permanent office! If anyone cares what I think, new offices are still missing soft-serve machines which I know would have me coming in every day. And since you mentioned scented lobbies, those have never been a favorite of mine.  

There is a sense of irony that the permanent office is copying the design of what was once a temporary office solution for small businesses (in the case of WeWork). People used to look down on a WeWork, and now every company wants to feel like one. If you’re at a furniture dealer or a manufacturer, you can monetize this trend by sharing with your customers, A&D firms and end-users alike, how your products you represent have resimercial application. Which, you therefore, can sell to offices across the board.  

This is not just furniture items but think about things like carpeting, wallcovering, fabrics, lighting – even acoustics. The sky is the limit when it comes to ancillary in public areas and shared workspaces.

As I’ve said in this column before, it’s all about ancillary. If you’re a manufacturer today and have not picked up on this trend and broadened your new product offerings to include more ancillary product, you’re doomed!

Meanwhile, most residential and luxury brand companies have been smart enough to upgrade their products to the standards of commercial use. Including, #BBItalia, #PoltronaFrau, #Cassina as well as #RH, #DWR, #RoomandBoard, and #CrateandBarrell. These companies all have a separate outside commercial sales force. (And those are great sales jobs too!) Everyone wants to capture this growing resimercial trend.

To answer your question, yes -- ancillary and resimercial are taking over the interiors industry today in all product categories. This trend will continue because everyone wants their employees back in the office. Making the office feel like home, or even better a luxury hotel, seems to be the way to do it.

Signed,
Stephen

Stephen Viscusi is the founder of www.viscusigroup.com, an executive search firm that specializes in the interior furnishings industry. Hires made through The Viscusi Group are guaranteed a one-year free replacement. Please share your story or comment on this article and send your workplace questions to stephen@viscusigroup.com. Or give us a call at (212) 979-5700 ext. 101.

© Stephen Viscusi 2025
 
#Ancillary #Resimercial #DesignDays #NeoCon #Chicago #FultonMarket #MerchandiseMart #Steelcase #MillerKnoll #InteriorDesign #Teknion #Allsteel #HNI #Humanscale #Haworth #PoltronaFrau #RH #CrateandBarrell #RoomandBoard #Luxury