In New York City’s SoHo neighborhood the headquarters of a cereal company are worthy of being shown on social media apps such as Instagram. And that’s the point, according to a new article in the New York Times. 

Magic Spoon’s conference rooms have bright fruity themes and decor. 

"Their space also reflects what designers, executives and workers describe as a trend that’s not entirely new, but is now becoming the go-to among certain start-ups, tech companies and other moneyed employers vying for young talent. It’s what might be called the Envy Office — what happens when companies try to combine the comforts of a living room and the glamour of a vacation. These spaces — often characterized by colorful walls, upholstered furniture and carefully curated coffee table books — lure workers in with plenty of opportunities to fill their social feeds with photos taken at the workplace,” according to the article. 

“It’s taking cues from home, from hospitality, from Pinterest,” said Jordan Goldstein, a co-managing principal at Gensler, one of the world’s largest architecture firms, where clients have lately been asking for greenery and soft seating. He cited in the article "as an example, the new headquarters of Marriott, which Gensler redesigned to incorporate banquettes, library nooks and a tree growing through the middle of the lobby. Gensler has also recently redone offices for Barclays, Pinterest and LinkedIn in this style.”

"Companies now want their office design to be visible not just to employees, but also to everyone on social media, which Ms. Duffy said was about “retaining employees by hyping this fun, enjoyable, hyper-social workplace, said Brooke Erin Duffy, an associate professor of communication at Cornell University.”