The office environment — where the average worker spends 8 hours per day — must be carefully crafted while office renovation to maximize the productivity and well-being of staff. From the layout to the colour scheme, the quality of the workplace is dependent on various things. 

The colours used in your office interior design significantly impact your client’s and employees’ moods and actions, who will subconsciously react to their surroundings. Therefore, companies need a well-studied colour plan to create a palette that suits the culture, the type of people working there and the branding. Instead of focusing only on creating a colourful space, attention needs to be paid to creating the right stimuli for what the company hopes to achieve. 

Selecting the right combination may be tricky; while certain colours boost productivity, some have the power of boosting negative behaviours. In this blog, we will discuss the general psychological theories you may apply when choosing a colour scheme during office space planning. 

The Colour Psychology 

A University of Texas study has concluded that beige, white, and bland grey offices lead to feelings of depression and sadness in female employees. Simultaneously, purple and orange offices caused similar feelings in men. This proves that different individuals react in unique ways to different visual stimuli. It is best to follow the general colour psychology theories to create an environment appealing to everyone — or at least the majority. 

With that said, the colour selection in the general office space, where employees spend most of their time, should be such that it creates a friendly, refreshing environment and boosts productivity. Orange, for instance, can inspire creativity and blue exudes calm (but cannot wholly be adhered to). 

When selecting the colour scheme, there are a few important factors regarding each colour combination that office interior designers need to consider. So, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most striking combinations with their effects on different people. 

Orange And Yellow 

Positive, bright, and exhilarating! Both of these colours are connected to optimism, happiness and increased mental energy. 

Yellow is particularly a colour known to spark innovation and creativity. This makes it an ideal shade for areas used as collaborations. However, yellow may also be overpowering when used inappropriately. It is best to use it with a lighter, subdued tone or as an accent on office system furniture. 

Similarly, orange, an eye-catchy colour, can encourage feelings of success and determination but can become agitating if overused. A fun way to add a subtle touch of orange is to put up interesting office wall art in the desired tone. 

Purple And Mustard 

Purple represents ambition and loyalty. 

There are no negative effects of using this shade, and it contrasts easily with a variety of colours, making it very versatile. It is used to create a feeling of luxury and calmness. 

When combined with mustard, the colours perfectly balance out each other, creating an aesthetic ambience. To keep the tones on a warmer side, try using a reddish-purple tone. 

Green And Blue

Blue and green can create a calm atmosphere in your office, especially if pastel shades are used. 

Blue is associated with stability and can promote positivity. This makes it ideal for large, open-plan offices. 

Green is less harsh on the eyes. So, it can be used to reduce fatigue and eye strain. A simple way to introduce green into your office interior design is to add pot plants. 

These shades, when combined together, stimulate mental focus and increase efficiency. 

How To Introduce Colour To Your Office?

There are two things to consider, main colours and accent colours. 

Accent colours allow you to add colour in a more subtle way. When dealing with colours that are emotive, too much of it may over-stimulate and rile tempers. The solution is to feature them as accents where the colour is clearly visible but not over-powering. 

On the other hand, main colours are a way to add colours in office design as the main feature to make a bold statement. Fabricks walls are a great way to do so and they can also help your office’s acoustics. They are available in various colours to suit any business. 

Colours For Meeting Spaces And Conference Rooms 

The right colours in an office can have multiple positive effects on your office and staff. 

Offices have at least one room designated for brainstorming sessions, conferences, and meetings. This specific nature makes such rooms different from the rest of the workplace. Therefore, it should be ensured that the colours used here help in improving focus and communication without being overly distractive. 

Light shades are perfect for conference rooms. Turquoise, for example, is perceived as the tone that boosts creativity and communication. 

Yellow is the colour of optimism which can create areas of focus in the room. There is also some evidence that it can enhance the retention of new information. This makes it a great choice for meeting spaces. 

Colours For A Reception Area And Waiting Room 

A reception area and waiting room usually make up the smallest part of an office but play a critical role in creating a good first impression if the right colours are used. 

Your office should appear inviting but also maintain professionalism. Utilizing your brand colours (shades used in the brand logo and marketing materials) in the reception can help to emphasize the brand identity. 

Lighter shades are much more inviting than the darker brand colours such as grey, navy blue, and black. So, depending on the specifics of the brand colours, you can use them as accents. 

Beige is a cliche option but can be pulled off if you plan to highlight brighter accents with a muted background. Just like pastel peach (warm and inviting), soft greens and corals are also good choices. 

Create A More Productive Workspace With The Right Colours!

Colours play a vital role in the office. They can influence our emotions in both positive and negative ways. Therefore, it is beneficial to consider the psychology of colour in office design to create a productive and positive working environment. 

Check out our office interior design portfolio to avail our design services for creating the right balance and colour combinations throughout your office. 

Contact us now to get started!