Offices in the Washington, D.C. area have a reputation for being bland, soul-crushing places. Step into the right office though, and you'll discover that stereotype is woefully out of date for a lot of startups and other companies, as our Office Envy series highlights. Whether designed by an internal team or farmed out to firms like Wingate Hughes or Swatchroom, we've seen a lot of great offices this year. Check out some of the favorites from this year below—
ThreatConnect
Arlington, Va.-based cybsersecurity startup ThreatConnect has a very clear theme at its office. From large murals to a life-size Han Solo frozen in carbonite, the office is a Star Wars paradise. If you look closely, you can see the faces of some employees superimposed on the characters too.
Optoro
Optoro only recently moved house to a downtown office designed by Wingate Hughes. Lots of glass walls and a minimalist aesthetic combine with an amazing view and plenty of greenery in the kitchen and lounge area.
Beekeeper Group
Another Wingate Hughes creation, the office of public relations and government advocacy firm Beekeeper Group is very on-theme. The honeycomb vibe runs throughout the downtown space and is built out with wood from an old Virginia barn.
MakeOffices Clarendon
Co-working space chain MakeOffices opened several new spots this year, including in Clarendon, its largest so far. The 40,000 square feet has room for dozens of companies and offers perks like four beers on tap, massage chairs and plenty of snacks.
WeWork K Street
The fifth D.C. spot for WeWork, the K Street office is a little unusual for the chain of co-working spots. Located in the heart of the lobbying and advocacy area, the two-floor spread trades in some of the quirkiness of WeWork designs for a more sedated look of a nice lawyers office. That said, a close look at the whiskey room makes it clear it's not another generic conference space.
LifeFuels
LifeFuels' Reston office looks more like a tropical island. That's on purpose as the space was inspired by a trip where co-founders Jonathon Perrelli and Maxim Wheatley traveled to Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands. The office goes for that island resort feel of their trip.
Industry Dive
Digital media startup Industry Dive has an office with some history. You can find traces of LivingSocial and Sweetgreen from their time in the office, and an Albanian flag hints at where Industry Dive used to be located.
GetWellNetworks
Health tech startup GetWellNetwork has a lot of well-heeled clients, which means its office has a lot of great perks. Roving robots, ping-pong tables, coffee on tap and an open office design to encourage collaboration are all part of the setup.
Snagajob
Online hourly job marketplace Snagajob had a very good year, starting off with a $100 million raise in February. The company has been around for a while, but its office is as startup-esque as you might want, including an aluminum slide between two floors and an open kitchen with beer and coffee on tap in its Arlington headquarters.
Social Tables
Event planning software giant Social Tables definitely has the pinkest office in town. The downtown space has hosted dozens of events since it opened this year, which is fitting considering the industry it operates in. Pink isn't the only color you'll see in the office, though. Greenery in the kitchen and colorful relaxation nooks all get plenty of natural light from the big windows. However, the pink you see when you step off the elevator will always stick with you.
