Understanding the basics of colour psychology can be helpful when designing your office space. Choosing the right colours for your office design will not only help you to get the most from your employees, but will also affect how visitors perceive and evaluate your business.
Thames Contracts has over 25 years’ experience in office fitout and refurbishment projects in North London and across the capital. We can provide the perfect solution for your needs, creating a design tailored to you. Here we look at choosing colours which will work well within the overall layout.
The Power of Colour
Office environments can influence many factors including energy, creativity and focus. Colour is a key element in this, and Thames can help and advise your business on the best way to use different shades in your workspace.
Getting input from staff over the new design, including choice of colours, will help to ensure people are enthused and positive about the office fitout. Not every person will respond to colour in the same way, but, generally speaking, colours are associated with certain attributes. White represents purity and cleanliness, orange can spark creativity and blue contributes to feelings of calmness and relaxation.
How colour is used in the workplace environment can be influenced by many factors, such as who will be using the space and the type of work conducted in each area. For example, in areas where you want to encourage teamwork, a splash of yellow could be a good choice due to its energising properties.
Green, representing nature, balance and growth, can help to create a calm atmosphere in areas where you want staff or visitors to feel more relaxed. Green also combines well with wood and other natural materials, such as plants or even “living walls”.
Colour Trends
Whilst colour trends change with time, greens, blues, greys and warm neutrals appear to be popular right now, and these are all very adaptable for different areas of an office. Pinks, oranges and browns have also been tipped as on-trend colours. At Thames we are aware of which colours are currently in vogue, and can help you to choose a colour palette which will look contemporary without quickly going out of date.
One effective design option is to choose a main colour and introduce others by adding co-ordinating accessories and furniture. If the walls and carpet are in neutral shades, such as whites and greys, you might choose chairs or soft furnishings in a brighter colour, such as a red, purple or orange, to give a contrast and add interest.
Stamp Your Identity
Colours used in an office are often influenced by company branding. Accent walls are increasingly popular, and these offer an opportunity to go all out and utilise even the brightest colour from your palette, contrasting with paler shades.
Branding elements can also work particularly well in a reception area or a meeting room. Here, you will be looking to create an initial impression of the personality of your business, while also creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Brand colours, shapes and logos can be incorporated into a bespoke reception desk, and also chosen for chairs, carpets or other design elements.
Shedding Light
Neutral tones such as shades of white or grey help to lighten up your office space, together with maximum use of natural light. The use of glass partitions can also help to organise your space and create a modern office environment.
Having carried out a vast number of projects of this type, we have a solid reputation in this field and can advise you on the best choice of office partitioning. Including company logos in the glass manifestation can also work together with brand colours within the design.
There is scope to have a lot of fun with colour in the office environment. Using colours can not only express your company brand and put across a message, but create a space which will enhance the productivity and efficiency of your employees.
Thames Contracts will project manage your office design from end-to-end. We start by meeting with you to discuss your requirements, agreeing a timeframe and budget. If you are located in North London or another area of the capital, Dartford, Hitchin, Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City, Potters Bar or Watford or the surrounding areas, and would like to find out more about our office refit services, click here.
