How to Choose the Right Colors for Your Office or Business

Choosing the Best Colors for your Office

Hannah DiamondUrbanGirl Office Supplywww.urbangirl.com

Why Color is Important

Color has an effect on many areas includingMoodProductivityEmotionsCreativityAppetiteConcentrationEnergyAnd more…

Which Color is Right for You?

Each of the following slides will give the pros and cons of each color. Not one color is the best for everyone. Your personality, in addition to the type of business, will determine the best colors.Color can be used as paint, decorative pieces, office supplies, or furniture. Use as much or as little as you wish.

Blue

Positive AssociationsLoyalty, trust, love, and tranquility. Traditionally, a bride wears “something blue” on her wedding day. We think of true blue love, blue skies, and the blue sea. Blue has been shown to increase productivity in offices, and to help students in school.

Negative AssociationsDepression (feeling “blue”), coldness, unemotional, unappetizing

Blue

Blue is best forBlue is the perfect color for an office because it is both calming and productive. It could help you get work finished without causing stress and anxiety. If you have a business in which you see clients, blue projects loyalty and trust, both positive attributes you would want your customer to feel in your office.Suggested for the financial industry, attorneys, real estate

Blue Office Supplies from UrbanGirl

Red

Positive AssociationsEnergy, excitement, strength, power, passion, speed, action, boldnessRed is dramatic, glamorous, associated with fame (the red carpet) and love

Negative AssociationsAnger, aggression, heat, overwhelming

Red

Show your clients that you are energetic and prepared to get things accomplished! If you want potential customers to know that you are efficient and punctual, red is the perfect color for your office. If your office is simply your own personal space to work, red still may be a good color choice. Red will motivate you and help you feel energetic and powerful. You won’t be nodding off and yawning as much if you surround yourself with a vivid color like red.

Yellow

Positive AssociationsNoticeable, bright, cheerful, enhances concentration, optimistic, fun, enrgetic

Negative AssociationsCowardice, sickness, jealousy, caution, childishnessBright yellow is difficult on the eyes and can cause fatigue

Yellow

Yellow should be used sparingly, as too much can be overwhelmingA few touches of yellow can give a sense of joy, optimism, and fun, but too much is hard on the eyesYellow is good for businesses aimed at children because it symbolizes funYellow is often associated with restaurants

Yellow Office Supplies from UrbanGirl

Green

Positive AssociationsSuccess, money, luck, nature, fresh, life, youth, growth, calmness, springJust like a green traffic light means “go,” the color green can help you stay motivated and productive.

Negative AssociationsGreed, envy, inexperience, sickness

Green

Green is good for hospitals because it is calm, refreshing, and relaxing.Green is the color of nature, so having green in any type of office can have a positive effect. Having an actual green plant is the easiest way to improve office décor and your own sense of well-being while at work.Green is good for a financial business because of its association with wealth and money.

Green Office Supplies from UrbanGirl

Purple

Positive AssociationsLuxury, wealth, imagination, femininity, creativity, inspiration, royalty, romance

Negative AssociationsPurple is a color of mourning in some culturesIndulgence, entitlement, cruelty, excess

Purple

Purple is best for an office in a creative field. It is perfect for artists, musicians, writers, etc.Purple is also great for children’s rooms or any type of business that involves children playing or creating. It inspires imagination and creativity.Purple is often seen as childlike and whimsical, so it is probably not appropriate for all businesses, except in small amounts.

Pink

Positive AssociationsLove, success, health, passion, feminine, romantic, calm, innocence, kindness, empathy,

Negative AssociationsWeakness, immaturity, silliness, naiveté, neediness, low self-esteem, passivity,

Pink

Pink is best for feminine businesses. It is often used for cosmetic and fashion businesses.Pink has been shown to have a calming effect, and is often used in hospitals and correctional facilities to calm down aggressive behavior.Having touches of pink along with a color with stronger associations, such as black, will project the kindness of pink without the weakness.

Orange

Positive AssociationsEnergy, fun, youth, health, action, friendly, cheerful, communication, gender-neutral

Negative AssociationsImmature, cheap, loud, obnoxious

Orange

Perfect for businesses aimed at children because it projects a childlike and fun quality.Orange is a highly visible color; it is used for traffic cones for this reason. It is great for eye-catching marketingOrange rooms are thought to stimulate conversation, so they are great for conference rooms. (The conference room at UrbanGirl is painted orange!)

Orange Office Supplies from UrbanGirl

Disclaimer

We are not scientists. We simply love color and office supplies. This information is provided for inspiration for interior decorating, and is not meant to be scientific. Please enjoy adding fun color to your workspace! Yes, we are trying to sell you something—colorful office supplies! Check us out at http://www.urbangirl.com where office supplies meet fashion.

Sources:

Color Design Workbook by Terry Lee Stonehttp://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/http://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/19/science/color-has-a-powerful-effect-on-behavior-researchers-assert.htmlhttp://www.urbangirlblog.com