Say goodbye to salmon: New Media shows its true colors.

It's a moveable feast design-wise all over Silicon Alley and other New Media territories. In addition to unconventional office build-outs, interior architects and designers are working with new and portable materials. The way these companies function, today's 5,000 square-foot office may be

Moreover, gone are the muted tones that traditionally reflected the dignified office culture of Wall Street, where many of the towers are being refitted for Silicon Alley. The salmons, mauves and russets that defined corporate success for the past two decades are considered passe this industry. No more of the mahogany-finish wood paneling, either, because it is not transportable. The new age of corporate culture is decidedly un-corporate by traditional design standards.

Monochromatic color schemes in muted hues have been replaced by soothing earth tones, such as creme and taupe, which provide compatible back drops for the bold accent colors that are typically used in this hip, youth-oriented market. In addition, many offices feature exposed brick walls, often painted, that lend texture and warmth to open space, and it's a great effect.

The furniture we design for this market or locate through manufacturers -- is both functional and flexible, and each workstation is made adaptable in several modes. We build compartments to hide the extensive wiring systems inside desks and chair rails for both practical and aesthetic purposes. Plus, the desks are often designed in elliptical, bullet shapes that can be transformed into small conference tables in moments. The chairs, naturally, must be ergonomically perfect.

New Media has, for the most part, relinquished the paper culture, so massive filing systems are rarely included in office plans. Nor are individual, enclosed offices. Instead, we add portable glass walls for partitioning, which can instantly transform open space into a private office or conference room.

And the conference rooms bear little resemblance to those bastions of top management that were once regarded as the mainstays of corporate culture. The ones in the New Media offices have tables made out of high-tech stainless steel or varied hued laminants. Furthermore, it is not unusual to encase small wiring outlets inside a conference table for video conferencing and include pop-up monitors.

Countering the rest of the New Media ultra hip image, however, are the MIS offices, which remain relatively traditional by design. Virtual computer labs, they are the hub of almost all businesses today, but especially in the New Media sector. For some MIS offices, we have installed permanent walls and high-rated, anti-static carpeting.

Another consistent feature of New Media build-outs are open ceiling decks punctuated by brightly painted ducts in accent colors. The effect is accomplished by removing the drop ceilings, which reinforces the appearance of expansive space. In lieu of carpeting, which can result in static shocks from the computers and other electronics, linoleum is the industry-wide flooring of choice, and it's often in faux finishes that replicate the look of wood or other natural materials. As in the MIS areas, if carpeting is requested for acoustic or aesthetic purposes, we use high-rated, anti-static products.

Despite the contemporary and sometimes funky designs, New Media companies accessorize in a fairly conventional fashion. Large-scale mirrors and Ansel Adams-type photography abound. On two occasions, we have retained art consultants for serious art purchases.

Which brings us to the point that there are shared tastes and styles in all corporate or un-corporate cultures. Just as New Media companies have relinquished cumbersome filing systems, so have many of the top law firms, where law libraries are starting to move toward paperless storage systems. The things we are learning through our New Media design experiences have provided us with new ways of looking at the more established industries, and with a fresher approach.

Not every firm in this new century will eschew salmon-accented wallpaper for purple ceiling ducts, but most will organize their filing systems more efficiently and more compactly. Many firms will purchase more ergonomically correct seating, if only to encourage better performance among employees. And office styles will continue to change in every industry. Ultimately, it comes down to good spatial design and an amalgamation of classic concepts and new presentations.