Week 12: Commercial Interiors/ History of Women in Interior Design

 

Commercial Interiors & Women in Interior Design

This week we talked about the role of women in interior design and commercial interiors. Commercial interiors were designed for work and public use. This includes offices, baks, corporate buildings, etc. The need for these spaces grows as cities and businesses expand throughout the years. Interior spaces like this need a lot of efficiency for productivity and communication. Women have always played a big role in interior design, but they often struggled to be recognized professionally. Over time, many female designers helped shape the industry and bring new ideas about design.


One of the most important things I learned was about how space is organized in commercial interiors. Taylorism was an early system that focused on productivity and workflow. This led to the development of open-plan offices. Later, burolandschaft created more organic and collaborative offices. From the women in design lecture i learned how important figures like dorthy draper helped shape interior design as a profession. She created bold and colorful interiors that were used in large-scale projects like hotels. Even though many women dominated the field, they faced a lot of comparison issues to men. Designers Petra Blaisse and Clodagh show how the field has expanded to include ideas like textiles, landscape, wellness, and sustainability. 





Favorite Examples


Johnson Wax Headquarters: open interior, and unique. Doesnt feel like  atypical office layout.



Action Office II system: shows how furniture determines how the space functions. Made offices flexible to adapt to different needs.


Greenbrier Hotel: designed by Dorthy Draper. BOld colors and patterns make a memorable space.




Current Applications

Gensler modern office: use open floor plans 


Herman miller cubicles: organized office space, but still open


Lever House: glass office tower with commercial interior


Hospitality interiors: reflect dorthy drapers ideas



wellness-focused interior: considers mental health, inspired by claudogh


One Step Further:

For my one step further, I chose to focus on Petra Blaisse. What stood out to me about her work is how she blends interior design with textiles and architecture. She uses a lot of large curtains and materials to transform spaces. I love how her designs are not just static but also change based on how the space is being used. Her work is also known for connecting interior and exterior environments. This makes the spaces feel more interactive. 




Reflection

I found this topic to be fascinating because it connects design to the real world. Commercial interiors are not just about how a space looks but how it can function for large numbers of people. I also loved learning about women in interior design and how the profession developed over time. It made me realize the importance of interior design and how it shapes out everyday environments. 

Comments

  1. Makayla OlarApril 11, 2026 at 2:14 PM

    Allyssa! I love the example you chose of the Johnson Wax Headquarters. I think the open office space is more functional, and I love the circular columns. I think this space is a perfect example of open-plan offices, and I loved how you mentioned their importance in your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Professor VanderNoordaaApril 12, 2026 at 9:02 AM

    Allyssa,
    I loved reading this post and hearing your perspective on things. 50/50 points

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ruth HernandezApril 12, 2026 at 9:35 AM

    Alyssa, I loved reading your blog this week. I personally love the Johnson Wax Headquarters you featured. Great job!!

    ReplyDelete

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