Utilizing Colour For Your 2021 Office Space
When it comes to colour, everyone’s a critic, and that can be intimidating if you’re planning to spruce up the workspace with a new design aesthetic. The importance of choosing colour as it relates to the office space can’t be overstated, otherwise it can throw off the entire vibe. Employees thrive on colours that inspire and motivate, rather than distract and annoy. Here’s a few things to consider when utilizing colour within your workspace for 2021 and beyond.
Consider The Purpose
Colours are meant to inspire and evoke different emotions depending on which are used. That means choosing the right colours for particular areas of the workspace is of paramount importance. Choosing inappropriate colours can severely unbalance that feel, creating an eyesore that does more harm than good. Companies should always choose colours that best fit their company culture and style.
Utilize Colour The Right Way
If your company has a strong branding motif with official colours laid down in the guidelines, it can be wise to stick with them. However, secondary and tertiary colours can also be applied, provided they compliment your branding selections. When in doubt, it’s wise to consider reaching out to a professional office design firm that understands the importance of utilizing colour within a workspace.
Remember to focus on dominant colours first, and how they behave against the backdrop of your office space. Every colour should feel like an accompaniment, rather than an anomaly. If your branding contains a strong citrus orange, for example, you may wish to think twice about using it as the dominant colour of your walls. Instead, opt for traditional white walls with splashes of orange to create a healthy balance that is easy on the eyes.
Fill In Those Blank Spaces
Just like at home, colour can dress up a space and inject a vivid and enticing aesthetic to every room. There’s no need to go overboard with a bunch of colours, either. Oftentimes, a single colour is enough to complete a room without the need for secondary colours. Less is more, in this case.
Which Colours Should You Use?
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to the use of colour in a workspace, but there are a few unwritten rules every company can (and should) abide by before making a decision. Greens and Blues are designed with relaxation and tranquility in mind. They are soothing colours that do not overwhelm, giving employees a sense of focus. Blue has even been shown to reduce blood pressure and heart rate. It’s important to stay away from darker blues and greens, as these can have a negative emotional impact.
Yellows and Oranges elicit images of the sun, the outdoors, and the bustling activity of daytime. It instills feelings of warmth and positivity in people, but they can also be overwhelming if used in excess. It is important to remember that Yellow is commonly associated with things like caution signs, which means using it to spritz up the office requires a bit of forethought.
Red is designed for maximum overdrive in order to excite and motivate employees, but it should be used only under the right circumstances. High-energy areas of the workplace can benefit from the use of red in order to motivate and inspire, but it’s rubbish in a section designed for concentration. Be mindful of how it is to be applied.
White is quickly becoming a go-to favorite colour in 2021, thanks mostly to a back-to-basics approach. It is widely regarded as a solid foundational colour from which to add secondary and tertiary colours into the mix as accents. It’s important to remember that white is not designed to be exciting, and it can give off a very sterile impression if used in abundance. Adding green elements to a white workspace (such as plants and other forms of biophilic design) can create a fresh and vibrant atmosphere.
Sensyst knows the value of aesthetics as they relate to function within the workplace, and it’s our job to craft the most stunning and versatile spaces in the business. If you’re curious about how colour can change your workplace for the better, reach out to us! We’d love to work with you to redesign your office for a fresh new year.