How to create a better office environment with furniture, supplies, and products

There's this new study that recently came out in the AP. Well, less of a study, more of market research. I've been sitting on this research for a few days considering where to go with it. Having finally picked an emotion I'm semi-ambivalent.

This article points out that women owned small businesses are growing at almost double the rate of all small businesses in the U.S. Because of this office supply retailers supposedly need to change their focus to include more women inspired touches for the office. The article goes on to explain that some of these women inspired changes include desks and chairs to fit a woman's smaller frame and more storage nooks and crannies in furniture for "purse" storage and other personal touches.

Thankfully before the article delivers the next message about women in the office place they state this disclaimer, "While women's design preferences can't be lumped together, experts say they have definite tastes and, unlike their male counterparts, look at their furniture as an extension of their image."   

Sadly, and this is where the article lost me, they go on to quote Kim Roffey, a strategist at Kurt Salmon Associates, who says, "Women really want to personalize their space. Men are looking for more functionality...when men buy an office chair, they focus on whether it rolls under the desk and provides good back support...women look at those factors, but at the top of their mind is how it fits with the look of the room."

I don't think that's true. Anyone remember my ergonomic chair speech the other day? Office Depot hooked up with design guru Christopher Lowell -- who while amusing to watch on TV never seems to come up with anything I'd put in my home or office.

Lowell designed the whitewash antique beach themed line of office furniture at Office Depot. (picture to the right) I've seen it in person and I'm not impressed. It reminds me of my bedroom set when I was three years old. All it needs is a Holly Hobbie canopy and you're good to go. 

Office Max also recently struck up a partnership with two companies to create women inspired office supplies; Sharper Image and Broyhill. Strangely (not what I expected) women found the Sharper Image brand more intriguing than men did. Both the Sharper Image and Broyhill lines are already available in Office Max stores.

The picture to the left is the new sharper image collection. I really like the design elements but it doesn't look very functional.

Not much storage and there's a lot of sharp looking corners. I guess if you get sick of your furniture you can hop on that scooter in the background and take off. (seriously, what's with the scooter?)

My favorite part of the whole office was the chair -- Oddly, Office Max didn't have any specs on it though. If I find some I'll update.

My conclusion: I'm all for market research; swim in it for all I care. But I hope that these companies take a good look at women across the board -- not just a sampling of a specific suit-wearing at the office subset women.

I want furniture that fits my frame and I absolutely consider ergonomic safety important (yes, even above looks). I also like a little extra storage. I doubt I'm the only woman in the world to feel this way and I'm not sure that men I've known haven't wanted the same things. Can we have multi-gender furniture in various sizes that's ergonomic and attractive? Are stores perhaps going to be split into blue and pink isles? 

What do you think? Is there any common ground between the genders where office furniture and decor is involved? Or do we need completely separate office stuff?