Imagine for a second how boring life would be without color. If you’re stuck in a black-and-white picture frame in your cramped office space, your work will definitely take a knock. Different colors send triggers to our brains. For example, we’ve learnt from a young age to know that red is associated with danger and blue with peace and tranquility, we never lose this association as we grow older.
A quick science lesson on color
Colour travels through a wavelength and when it strikes an object, it will only absorb the particles that match its atomic structure and reflect the rest. This reflection is what our eyes see. Here’s a colour scheme flow chart on the correct reflection to choose from in your office space.
Red makes people want to move
According to Plascon spaces “In décor, red is best used in areas where activity takes place, since it is physically stimulating and promotes movement and action.” This explains why this colour is used in the Virgin Active gyms’ colour scheme. Red should be used in an office space where conversations and business negotiations usually takes place, but should be avoided in situations where you don’t want to make your employees feel intimidated, in a training room for instance. Do be mindful that red is an overpowering colour and could cause headaches, to avoid this tone down the office using neutral colours and accessories.
Yellow inspires creativity
Yellow is a colour that will instantly lift or bring cheer to a room and has a knack for opening up cramped up spaces like a dark dingy hallway. This colour stimulates open-mindedness and aids concentration, making yellow perfect for a room where training takes place because it helps employees retain information.
Let green put you at ease
Green has a calming effect on people, perhaps due to its association with nature. It stimulates growth, balance and harmony, but do be warned, too much green could make employees complacent, relaxed and too laid back at work. Add a complimentary colour such as red or orange to breathe life into the office and keep your employees on their toes.
Blue helps you concentrate
Plascon’s colour of the year happens to be Atlantic Beach. This is a deep blue colour, making it wonderful for offices as it promotes clear thinking and focus. Be light on the brush when painting because dark shades of blue can be unwelcoming and intimidating to the eye, keep the tone light and friendly for the sake of your employees. “What defines whether a colour is stimulating or soothing is not the color, it’s the intensity. A strong bright color will stimulate, and a colour with low saturation will soothe,” says Angela Wright a renowned colour psychologist. Turquoise for example, helps calm a nervous public speaker, which makes it perfect in a presentation room.
Why you should never go with hospital white
Nancy Kwallek a researcher from the University of Texas, did an experiment by giving employees the same tasks to do, but in three different coloured rooms. The result proved that the employee stuck in the white room, made more errors. Kwallek points out, “White doesn’t help us be productive, and most work environments are white.” Yikes!
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