Put Color to Work in Your Office

A fresh coat of paint is a relatively easy way to give your office a fresh look. From the conference room to the cubicle, you can use color to enhance the productivity of your office.

If you are responsible for selecting the new paint color for your office, you should be aware of the effect color can have on people’s behavior. Which colors sharpen focus and increase productivity? There’s a psychology to color and understanding that psychology will help you pick the right colors for your new office.

This is an excellent video about choosing the right colors for your office.

Colors are divided into two groups – warm and cool. Colors in the red spectrum are warm. Warm colors have more energy and encourage social interaction. If you want more communication in your office, go with warm colors. However, warm colors increase alertness and in some cases, can be overwhelming. Studies show people tend to spend less time in rooms painted red than rooms painted blue. The color red can increase the heart rate and cause faster breathing and some people may find it too intense to get work done. Designers recommend using red only as an accent color. Warm colors are typically used in common areas like corridors, entrances and break areas.

Colors on the blue side of the spectrum are considered cool and include blue, purple and green. They are soothing and calm colors and can encourage concentration. Designers prefer cool colors for production and task oriented areas. People tend to stay longer and feel more comfortable in rooms painted with cool colors.

Blue

People are more productive in blue rooms. Blue can stimulate people to better performance. Take a look at Twitter’s new office. It’s no coincidence blue clothing is the recommended color for job interviews.

Green

Green symbolizes nature and helps create a relaxed mood. The rooms backstage where actors wait to appear on television are painted green because it calms the nerves and helps people relax.

White

For the last 3 years, white has been a very popular choice for office interiors. It’s light, neutral and matches with everything. White makes rooms seem more spacious. White is also the symbol of cleanliness and used throughout hospitals and medical facilities.

Red

The most emotionally intense color. Recommended as an accent color, red is the perfect choice for furniture and art.

Yellow

Considered the most optimistic color, yellow also enhances concentration. However, brighter yellows can be overpowering in task oriented areas. Soft yellows and butterscotch are better choices for the office.

Culture also plays a role in choosing the right colors for your office. Red might be a great choice for a high energy advertising and marketing office but overwhelming in a medical facility. Don’t forget to consider your unique workplace culture when choosing new paint colors.

If you’d like to learn more about putting color to work in your office, call or email Melanie Gross, our director of design services today.

816-777-1453 or mgross@teamoffice.us