Watson Specials: Thoughtful Modifications, Clearly Expressed
Good design often comes from working with what’s already proven, and adjusting it with care.
Watson Specials is a studio-based, collaborative process for modifying standard Watson products to solve real-time customer needs. Specials gives designers the opportunity to better support how a space functions, looks, and feels through thoughtful and intentional product modifications. Today, roughly 35% of Watson projects incorporate some level of modification, often tied to dimensions, functionality, or configurability.
Because we manufacture our products in-house, design and production stay closely connected throughout the process. Modifications can be developed with a clear understanding of how they will be built, tested, and processed through the factory floor. It keeps the process practical, and the outcomes intentional.
It often helps to see how these ideas take shape beyond the process itself. The studios featured here show a cross-section of how customers have adapted familiar Watson products to better support their spaces. Some changes are structural. Others are quiet refinements. All are grounded in real project needs.
Recycle Center
Adding mobility to a fixed solution
Difficulty: Medium
The standard Recycle Center was adapted with casters and easier-access storage, allowing it to move where support is needed throughout the day. The result is a flexible piece that works equally well as a café helper, cafeteria support, or general bussing station.
Why it’s a studio favorite:
Mobility extends the usefulness of the product without changing its core purpose.
From standard to studio:
A stationary footprint became mobile, expanding how and where the product can be used.
Tia Office
Extending the work surface
Difficulty: Medium
This studio builds on the familiar Tia Office by extending the work surface to better showcase the range of available surface options. The proportions were adjusted carefully to preserve the system’s balance and clarity.
Why it’s a studio favorite:
It demonstrates how modest dimensional changes can meaningfully affect how a workspace feels and performs.
From standard to studio:
A larger surface area provides more room for work while maintaining Tia’s composed presence.
Miro
Improved sightlines for shared viewing
Difficulty: Easy
Miro was modified to support better video conferencing visibility. Adjustments to the structure improve sightlines, allowing screens to be viewed comfortably from more angles within the room.
Why it’s a studio favorite:
The change responds directly to how people gather and share information today.
From standard to studio:
A small structural adjustment improved shared viewing without altering the table’s overall character.
Recycle Center
Supporting space division and privacy
Difficulty: Easy
In this studio, the Recycle Center was adapted to help define space and provide visual separation. It can also be used to finish an end-of-run layout, with integrated planting adding a natural element to the environment.
Why it’s a studio favorite:
One product supports multiple spatial needs without introducing additional elements.
From standard to studio:
A utility product became a spatial tool.
Haven Perch
Refined to better align with its surroundings
Difficulty: Easy
Haven Perch was adapted with a top shape that more closely aligns with the surrounding architecture and furniture. The seating experience remains unchanged.
Why it’s a studio favorite:
Small refinements can help a space feel cohesive and intentional.
From standard to studio:
A subtle form adjustment improved visual alignment within the room.
Zo Office
A more finished visual presence
Difficulty: Mid–High
This Zo Office studio focuses on visual refinement. Added privacy and cleaner integration help conceal wire management and height-adjustability components, making it well-suited for front-facing environments.
Why it’s a studio favorite:
The studio balances performance with a calmer, more resolved appearance.
From standard to studio:
Functional components were integrated more discreetly for a polished overall effect.
Tia Credenza
Integrating technology with restraint
Difficulty: Medium
The Tia Credenza was adapted to support technology by incorporating a monitor mount and screen. The solution allows for presentation and collaboration while maintaining a soft, unobtrusive background.
Why it’s a studio favorite:
Technology is present without becoming the visual focus.
From standard to studio:
A storage piece evolved into a composed technology solution.
Where Ideas Take Shape
Watson Specials adapts existing products so they align more closely with the needs of a space and the way it is used. The result is a solution that feels considered, functional, and resolved.
More importantly, it reflects our commitment to working closely with our customers, meeting them where their projects begin and helping carry ideas forward into creating spaces that help people do their best work.
If you have a space, a challenge, or even an early thought, we would be glad to start the conversation.
