Psychologists have long confirmed what we all experience—that color affects how we feel. Put yourself in a drab space with colorless surroundings, and you’ll find it harder to generate great ideas. Try to rest while facing a red accent wall, and your mind resists relaxation.
Designers and business leaders can promote productivity and employee wellbeing by choosing office colors that fit the work mode of a given space—whether it’s social connection, creative collaboration, or focus and rejuvenation.
If you’re exploring office paint colors or selecting new furniture colors, consider how three trending shades—greens, yellows and pinks—can support workers by influencing the mood of the space.
Every workplace needs areas for relaxed, face-to face conversations. These lounges and in-between spaces encourage colleagues to get to know one another by fostering a sense of trust and reassurance.
Today’s trending colors of teal and pale green are well suited to spaces for social connection because botanical shades signal calm and openness.
“The serenity of nature’s greens can quickly bring about a sense of balance and harmony,” said Laurie Pressman of the Pantone Color Institute. Not only that, but researchers have linked green to “broader thinking and creativity,” according to Inc.com.
Here’s one example of a social space that benefits from green’s calming, connecting potential:
The Sistema Lounge System by Coalesse is a sculpted modular seating line from Viccarbe that can be personalized with your own materials or your choice of options from the Coalesse Fabric Database. Pictured is a mid-back sofa in Designtex Mateo 3895-501 (Fog) and a high-back sofa in Designtex Mateo 3895-502 (Spruce)—beautiful, botanical greens that promote harmony and conversation. Custom-colored metal legs are available through the Coalesse Color program.
Because creative collaboration drives the innovation that businesses need to thrive, creative spaces are the nerve centers of the modern office. Of all the colors in today’s trending palette, yellow is perhaps the best office color for collaborative spaces. That’s because yellow—the color of sunflowers and desert poppies—communicates energy, positivity and optimism.
The yellows in the Coalesse color palette are drawn from sun-drenched landscapes, making people “feel welcome, warm and excited to be a part of an environment,” said our global design director, John Hamilton. This excitement translates into inspiration—the fuel for creativity.
“Yellow is a great choice in areas where your creatives work,” according to a Space Refinery article on office color psychology. A case in point: The lounge chairs pictured here, featuring a mix of brighter and subtler yellows.
SW_1 Lounge Seating with mid-height back and broad seat encourages a comfortable posture that’s perfect for collaborative work. Here the swivel chair is upholstered in Gabriel Mira 15101 with knit panel in 5K75 (Goldenrod). Metal base color is endlessly customizable with the Coalesse Color program (Pantone 7752 shown).
As workers move from task to task and meeting to meeting, they crave solo spaces where they can take a quick break—spaces for focus and rejuvenation. A good color for enclaves and quiet corners is pale pink, tastefully rendered to bring warmth and soul to the workplace.
Psychologically speaking, light pink carries a surprising element of calm. Yet at the same time—because of its relationship to red—blush pink also conveys a focused energy. This combination of qualities makes pink a standout color trend for rejuvenation stations like the one below.
The versatile Lagunitas Lounge System creates a cozy alcove anywhere in the office. Here, a three-seat lounge configuration features cushions and high-back screens in 5KH7 (Blush), providing a calming, focused respite. Lagunitas screen panels also come in knit fabrics, in 17 colors.
Want to learn more about our custom color options? Explore the Coalesse Color program, or request surface materials samples at our Materials Request page.
