Remember in The Office when Michael, convinced he’d be promoted, names Dwight as his replacement—and Dwight paints the walls of his office black to, as he says, “intimidate my subordinates”?
How does your workplace’s color scheme impact its culture? “Companies should keep in mind that all colors influence us physiologically as well as psychologically, and that each color conveys its own unique message and meaning,” says Laurie Pressman, VP of the Pantone Color Institute. “Color sets the mood.”
In addition, a shade’s intensity, not only the color itself, will affect your response to it. Here are the emotions each color scheme tends to evoke.
Red
Passion and energy. Too much, though, can read as aggressive and cause anxiety.
Orange
Happiness and friendliness. But it’s best as an accent because people either love it or hate it.
Yellow
Cheerfulness. It stimulates focus and helps workers prepare for activity.
Green
Nature. Because it creates feelings of calm and serenity, it’s a good color to keep the office peace.
Blue
High energy (bright shades); serenity (light shades). Use these to spark creativity or soothe frazzled nerves.
Purple
Coziness (deep shades); pleasantness (light shades). These are good for quiet workspaces.
White
Clean, simple modernity (creamy shades). Avoid pure white, which is sterile and can cause headaches.
Brown
Stability and honesty. But tan-only color schemes are too bland.
Photos by Anyaberkut, Peshkov, KF4851, Ismagilov, Scovad, Pozitivo/Getty Images
