The colors you surround yourself with in the office can have a significant impact on your mood, focus, productivity, and overall mental health. When designing or decorating an office space, color choice should not be overlooked. The right colors can energize, inspire creativity, and make workers feel happier and calmer. The wrong colors can have the opposite effect, creating feelings of anxiety, irritability, or boredom. As more companies recognize the importance of promoting employee health, wellbeing, and engagement, careful consideration of office color schemes is becoming increasingly common. So what colors are best for mental health in the workplace?
The Psychology of Color
Color psychology suggests that different colors evoke different emotional and physiological responses. The mechanisms behind this are not fully understood, but are likely tied to effects on the brain and visual cortex, cultural associations, learned responses, and other factors. Here is a brief overview of some of the most common reactions to different colors:
Red – Associated with energy, passion, action, and danger. Red can raise blood pressure, pulse, and respiration rates. It’s stimulating and draws attention.
Blue – Often associated with calmness, relaxation, stability, confidence, and security. Blue has been found to lower heart rate and blood pressure. However, dark blues may communicate sadness.
Green – Tied to nature, growth, renewal, and environment. Green often represents health, luck, and tranquility and can improve focus. However, some find too much green overwhelming.
Yellow – Cheerful and uplifting. Yellow conveys optimism, though also impatience. It’s energetic, but not overstimulating.
Orange – Friendly, enthusiastic, and creative. Orange is energetic and vibrant like red, but warmer.
Purple – Sophisticated, imaginative, and wise. Purple can promote problem solving, but too much can overstimulate.
Neutrals (white, gray, beige) – Calming and stabilizing. These muted colors represent minimalism and purity. Too much neutral can feel monotonous.
Best Office Colors for Mental Health
When considering the mental health impacts, the most commonly recommended colors for office spaces are blues, greens, yellows, and neutrals. Here’s a closer look at the benefits of these hues.
Blues
Shades of blue – especially lighter sky blues, cerulean, and azure – have a tranquilizing effect on the mind and body. Research shows people are more productive in blue rooms due to enhanced calm, focus, and mental clarity. Blue is also associated with trust, loyalty, wisdom, and confidence. Lighter blues are refreshing while darker shades can be sophisticated, stable, and dependable.
| Benefits of Blue | Potential Drawbacks |
|---|---|
| Calming and mentally centering | Some shades are viewed as cold, sad, or old-fashioned |
| Lowers stress | Not as energizing as warmer colors |
| Enhances concentration | Dark blues may communicate depression |
| Linked to clear thinking and communication | Too much blue can be depressing or overwhelming |
| Promotes productivity |
Blue is one of the most universally favored colors and for good reason – it has wide-ranging positive impacts in the workplace. Lighter sky blues and cerulean blues are especially ideal for offices. Avoid using too much dark navy blue, as it can feel cold and stark.
Greens
Green is strongly associated with nature, health, renewal, and environment. Exposure to the color green has been found to boost employee health, wellbeing, and vision. Green offices report fewer employee headaches and more focus and job satisfaction. The color elicits feelings of balance, growth, safety, abundance, and resilience.
| Benefits of Green | Potential Drawbacks |
|---|---|
| Boosts employee health and wellbeing | Too much green can cause feelings of monotony |
| Reduces headaches | Olive greens can communicate sickness |
| Improves vision | Dark greens may be overwhelming |
| Increases focus and job satisfaction | |
| Promotes feelings of balance and resilience |
Green is versatile – from bright leafy greens to deep emerald hues. Lighter minty greens are uplifting, while forest and olive greens are stabilizing and traditional. Avoid murky olive or dark greens which can feel stagnant. Bright lime greens pair well with gray for a crisp, clean office look.
Yellows
Cheerful, friendly yellow boosts optimism and mental stimulation. Yellow captures attention without being aggressive, promoting openness and connection. Sunny yellow offices have been linked to enhanced employee engagement, positivity, idea generation, and concentration. However, some find bright yellows overwhelming when overused.
| Benefits of Yellow | Potential Drawbacks |
|---|---|
| Uplifting, positive color | Can feel overwhelming when overused |
| Energizing and mentally stimulating | Associated with impatience, criticism |
| Boosts friendliness, idea generation | Dark yellows can communicate warnings |
| Improves concentration | Bright yellows are not calming |
| Promotes employee engagement |
Warmer yellows (lemon, marigold, gold) are the most welcoming, while bright neon yellows demand more attention. Use yellow as an accent color with blues, greens, or neutrals. Bright pops of yellow can add energy, but limit highlighter yellow.
Neutrals
Neutral white, beige, and gray spaces feel soothing, fresh, and light without being distracting. Neutrals make ideal base colors when paired with pops of brighter accent colors – especially in open office spaces. Off-white promotes the feeling of a “blank canvas” and keeps things simple and flexible. Too much white can feel stark and sterile, so warm things up with natural wood tones.
| Benefits of Neutrals | Potential Drawbacks |
|---|---|
| Calming, centering, and soothing | All neutral can feel monotonous |
| Minimalism promotes focus | Stark white is not cozy or warm |
| Feels clean, fresh, pure | Lack color stimulation |
| Makes a flexible base palette | Beige can communicate boredom |
| Natural wood tones add warmth |
Neutral backgrounds keep things airy and mentally focused, then layer in pops of color for visual interest. Natural wood tones add warmth. Avoid large expanses of bright white, which can feel harsh and clinical.
Best Office Color Combinations
Strategically combining colors allows you to balance the benefits of multiple hues. Here are some of the most effective office color schemes for mood and mental wellbeing.
Blue and Green – This cool, tranquil combination elicits feelings of stability, renewal, and expansive creativity. Different shades can be layered for depth.
Blue, Gray, and Yellow – Crisp and sophisticated, this pairing adds pops of optimism. Yellow accents blue’s focus and gray’s tranquil base.
Green and Brown – Rich wood tones ground bright greens in nature. This earthy palette promotes organic harmony, growth, and wellness.
Yellow and Gray – Fresh, modern, and uplifting. Gray minimizes yellow’s overwhelming effects for enhanced concentration.
White and Wood – Clean, warm, and flexible. The durability of wood prevents stark white from seeming too clinical.
Aim for two or three coordinated colors. Monochromatic looks can get dull, while clashing palettes feel messy and overwhelming. Know when to stop adding new hues.
How to Add Pops of Color
With neutrals or lighter shades as a base, utilize accent colors to add energy, creativity, and mental stimulation. Here’s how to do it right.
– Paint or wallpaper feature walls – Use blue, green, or yellow on a single wall to create an enticing focal point without going overboard on color.
– Add bright colored artwork – Vibrant geometric patterns, abstract prints, or nature photography enliven neutrals. Go for energizing yellows, greens, and blues.
– Use accessories – Toss pillows, area rugs, curtains, and desk objects allow easy pops of accent colors like citrus yellow, sky blue, or forest green.
– Paint architectural elements – Jazz up beams, columns, doorways, or accent walls with bold shades. Just paint within the lines.
– Add plants and greenery – Fresh trees, succulents, and potted plants instantly boost mental health. Go for leafy greens, flowering purples and pinks, and natural wood planters.
– Use colored glass dividers – Hanging privacy screens in yellow, green, or blue glass (or acrylic) provide translucent pops of color.
– Make bold furniture choices – Chairs or couches in oranges, reds or greens can be energizing. Just don’t go too bright or overwhelming.
Colors to Generally Avoid
Some colors should be used quite sparingly in offices to prevent negative psychological effects.
Black – Sophisticated in small doses, black symbolizes power. But too much black can elicit feelings of heaviness and oppression.
Gray – Calming gray works better as an accent than the main color. Large gray spaces may sap energy and feel depressing.
Red – Stimulating red boosts brain activity, but also anxiety and agitation in excess. Use red sparingly.
Purple – Once associated with royalty, purple conveys luxury today. But as an accent, since too much purple can feel overwhelming.
Brown – Warming brown works well with other natural tones. But lots of brown tends to feel dated and muddy.
Orange – Citrusy orange adds a burst of enthusiasm when used minimally. Too much is overstimulating and distracting.
These colors work best in small doses – especially vibrant shades like crimson red or citrus orange that provide strong visual stimulation.
Tips for Color Selection
Here are some best practices to keep in mind:
– Consider room size and ceiling height. Bold colors suit spacious rooms, while muted tones work better in tight quarters.
– Observe how natural and artificial light changes colors in the space throughout day. Some hues shift more than others.
– Survey employees about existing color likes, dislikes and sensitivities. Get input and feedback before choosing new colors.
– Know when to stop adding new colors. Limit to two or three colors in each room or things start to look chaotic.
– Test colors on walls before committing to an entire space. Paint large samples to view in natural light.
– Be aware of cultural color associations. For example, white represents death in some Asian cultures. Do your research.
– Use brighter colors and patterns to define specific functional zones in open offices.
– Avoid stark black/white contrasts which cause visual strain. Use neutral whites, beiges and grays instead of true white.
Conclusion
The thoughtful use of color in office spaces can enhance employee mental health, outlook, focus and performance. When designing productive, inspiring offices, the right color choices matter. Cooler blues, invigorating greens and sunny yellows emerge as ideal choices. Balanced with warming wood tones and mute neutrals as accents, these colors create professional, motivating environments. Carefully selected palettes drive the desired energizing or calming effects. Avoid monotony and sensory overload by judiciously blending two to three coordinated hues. With deliberate color use, companies can promote productivity, collaboration, creativity and wellbeing.
