Choosing The Right Office Paint Color
While choosing home interior paint colors might be a matter of taste and preference, what works in your living room may not be the best choice for a commercial office setting. Color in the workplace space can go much further than offering a certain aesthetic; some shades may actually help boost employee productivity or worse, increase their anxiety.
The easiest choice to make when faced with a range of paint color options is white paint, but that’s not always going to be the best choice for your office. Studies show that white paint is uninspiring and unmotivating, despite the fact that it may seem “fresh.” Going all-white is also asking for trouble in the form of scuffs, marks from furniture, dust, and handprints.
That said, how DO you choose the right color? Our commercial painting pros have gathered their best tips and tricks for picking the right interior paint colors for your commercial office — read on.
Commercial paint color impacts mood
Famous research took a deep dive into the psychology of color, and how each can impact our mood. Even today, this system helps many indecisive decision-makers understand how to choose the right paint for their project.
- Blue stimulates the mind and boosts productivity. It can help keep employees focused when performing repetitive, automated tasks.
- Red is good for physical jobs, like construction work. It invokes a sense of urgency and can stimulate energy levels to help combat fatigue.
- Yellow is a great choice for creative settings, as it can stimulate emotions, evokes happiness, and brighten spirits.
- Green — the color of money — promotes balance, calmness, and reassurance. These are all great moods for offices in the finance industry.
When you combine the colors above, the impact can be two-fold. Orange offers the happiness of yellow and the passion of red, while purple boosts both energy (red) and productivity (blue).
Narrow down commercial paint choices
Now that you have a basic understanding of how color can impact your commercial office setting, think about these suggestions. Keep in mind that each paint manufacturer offers a range of options, and the lighting in your building could also shift the appearance of color.
- Teal or aqua: Combining the best of both blue and green means you’re boosting productivity and creating balance at the same time. Ensure that there’s a good balance between the two colors and think carefully about brightness and intensity.
- Brown: A great accent to rich wood office furniture, brown can be a strong and powerful color. It can range in warmth and intensity, and instill a sense of old-world charm in spaces like the offices for lawyers or law-makers.
- Pastel yellow: A lot of creatives love the way yellow can get the juices flowing, and choosing a more muted shade of yellow gives off a certain sunniness without being too bright or jarring. It can also be considered a great neutral backdrop for another office decor.
- Off-white: Okay, so we did say to stay away from white, but when you warm it up or cool it down it can become far less sterile and a clean appearance for offices and employees who want to promote stylish minimalism.
- Grey: Also considered a neutral, grey paint in your commercial office can be a modern and subtle touch that can evoke different psychological responses. It also comes in a spectrum of shades from warm to cool.
Think about the intensity of your paint
It’s okay to choose bright, intense colors like vibrant orange or deep berry purple, but it may not be right for all four walls in your commercial office. Instead, opt to paint one accent wall or even a geometric design (stripes are a bold choice) and use a complimentary neutral for the other walls and trim paint. This is certainly a case where more isn’t always better.
Work with experienced commercial office painters
A team of experienced painters will help you choose the right color, finish, and design, and they’ll also ensure the work is done exactly to your specifications. Your employees are your best asset, and even small moves like choosing the right paint color for your commercial office can drastically boost their performance — and your bottom line.
Ready to help your employees work to their best potential? Get in touch with our team! As a family-owned union company, our reputation with construction contractors, residential and commercial property managers, hospitals and direct owners has been built on service and trust. We do the job right, on time and on budget. Every time.
