Office Design Gets a Splash of Color

As the return-to-office mandate takes effect, companies are redesigning their offices to program specific vibes… and color is a major part of the equation.

The Big Picture: Workers have gotten used to the comfort of home offices and seeing the unique set-ups of colleagues on Zoom, but many employers allege that remote work doesn’t allow for the optimal amount of collaboration and productivity. By designing offices to lean into specific desired outcomes — like more creativity or focus — where we work within an office can take on a new meaning.

Behind the Shades: The presence of certain colors can make a significant impact on our brains, per WSJ.

• At first, companies were designing their spaces with more nature-based colors (like browns and greens) that give people a sense of calm, according to Kelly Jahn, professor of interior design at Rochester Institute of Technology.
• But now, companies are looking to bold, saturated colors to imbue a singular vibe or feeling in workers.
• That’s because, according to Joseph White, director of design strategy for MillerKnoll — the world’s largest office furnishings firm — “saturated colors have the capacity to change our respiration, our blood pressure, and even our body temperature.”
• One trend will be “color drenching” a room —  making the walls, ceiling, furnishings, etc., all the same color or hue. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, says color drenching can lower inhibitions and promote brainstorming.
• On the flip side, executives are increasingly turning to darker colors in their offices to promote hierarchy and privacy.

Final Coat: Here’s what you’re probably wondering: what colors correspond to which vibes? Studies have found that pale blue and pale yellow rooms can lower heart rates, while brighter, more vibrant versions of those colors improve reading and comprehension. Other research shows that sage green encourages reflection, while orange promotes social interaction. Conversely, red isn’t great for analytical thought. Don’t be surprised if future offices have LEDs for walls that change color based on whatever mode employees need to be in.