Design inspiration can come from all directions. Here are some of the ways that our SHYFT designers get inspired and keep up with or influence design trends.
Professional organizations
Staying active in various professional organizations like NCIDQ, IIDA, ASID, and AIA keeps designers connected to the broader design world. These groups bring a wide range of industry professionals together to network, share ideas, and celebrate innovative design within the community. SHYFT encourages our employees to stay involved in these organizations so we can share information from many points of reference with one another and remain up-to-date on relevant design knowledge and trends.
Continuing education
Both manufacturers and professional organizations offer continuing education opportunities for designers. Not only do these sessions keep designers up-to-date on current trends, they also allow us to stay knowledgeable about proper product selection and installation methods. The SHYFT team stays in touch with local representatives from many top manufacturers to keep our design libraries and product knowledge current.
Trade shows
SHYFT supports employees in attending trade shows to stay on the forefront of design. National events like NeoCon, the Hospitality Design Expo + Conference, the AIA conference, as well as local trade shows are full of new concepts and networking opportunities to expand our list of resources.
Life experiences
Inspiration also comes from our own life experiences. Cities, communities, travels, and the daily spaces we encounter all influence and expand our design thinking. Additionally, like many people, we count on Pinterest, Instagram, and other online resources to show us interesting spaces and details.
To remain up-to-date on design trends, it’s important to pull from many resources, but contributing to these resources is also important. The SHYFT team uses a variety of references to guide and influence our design process by combining many unique concepts to create new and interesting spaces. We use our projects and experiences to influence future spaces and create design knowledge to contribute back to the community.
Staying up-to-date on design trends is just one way to create a better way to a better space.