Choosing the right color scheme for an office environment is an important decision that can impact productivity, focus, and overall wellbeing. The color palette of an office space affects mood, energy levels, and even performance. When selecting colors for an office, it’s key to consider which hues will create a relaxing yet energizing environment. So what is universally considered the most calming color for an office setting?
Some of the top considerations when choosing office colors include:
- Promoting concentration and focus
- Reducing stress and anxious feelings
- Increasing creativity and productivity
- Making workers feel comfortable and relaxed
With these goals in mind, experts agree that cool, muted blues and greens are the most calming colors for office spaces. Unlike warm reds, oranges, and yellows, these cooler hues are associated with relaxation, tranquility, andconcentration. Let’s take a deeper look at why blue and green are recommended for optimizing the office atmosphere.
Why Blue is Calming for Offices
Of all the colors on the color wheel, blue is generally considered the most relaxing and calming hue. There are a few key reasons why blue is the top choice for creating a soothing office environment:
- Blue has a naturally calming effect on the nervous system. It actually causes the body to produce chemicals that lower blood pressure and heart rate.
- Blue represents stability and reliability. It inspires confidence and focus.
- Darker blues are associated with productivity and concentration.
- Blue causes the brain to release dopamine, which improves positivity, attention, and performance.
- Lighter blues are refreshing and uplifting. They support mental clarity.
Studies back up these effects. Research has found that subjects exposed to the color blue show significant decreases in physiological arousal, including lower blood pressure and heart rate. This is the opposite effect of seeing the color red, which stimulates arousal. Exposure to different shades of blue has also been connected to improved attention span, memory retention, and better moods. Overall, viewing and working in blue spaces results in optimal tranquility, focus, and performance.
Best Blue Office Colors
When selecting a blue for office walls, decor, or furniture, lighter and mid-range shades tend to work best for promoting calmness. Some specific blue colors that are recommended for office use include:
- Sky blue – This pale, tranquil blue induces relaxation. It also stimulates clarity of thought.
- Light blue – Slightly darker than sky blue, this hue also encourages relaxed focus and creativity.
- Aqua – The pale green-blue tone of aqua is mentally uplifting. It also refreshes thinking.
- Blue-green – This mid-range blue-green inspires tranquility while reducing eyestrain.
- Baby blue – Light and playful, this pastel blue boosts approachability and morale.
Deeper blues like navy and royal blue can work well for offices combined with lighter accents. But used alone on walls, dark blues may feel too overpowering in an enclosed workspace. The most relaxing office environments tend to incorporate soft sky blues, aquas, and teals.
Why Green is Calming for Offices
Much like blue hues, green is also widely considered a psychologically calming color. Green evokes feelings of balance, growth, and rejuvenation. Here’s a look at some of the top reasons green is a soothing color choice for office spaces:
- Green is connected to nature, eliciting feelings of comfort, peace, and stability.
- Dark green is associated with abundance, prosperity, and focus.
- Green causes minimal eye fatigue, making it relaxing for vision.
- The color green aids concentration by neutralizing stimulus from the surrounding environment.
- Green can lower heart rate and blood pressure, releasing physical tension.
Research supports these observed calming effects. One study found that subjects exposed to green before a stress test had lower heart rates and blood pressures. They also reported feeling more relaxed and comfortable. Another study confirmed that participants viewing green walls experienced less eyestrain and fatigue than those viewing white walls. Overall, the color green has tangible physical and emotional relaxing benefits.
Best Green Office Colors
For the most tranquil office environment, lighter and muted greens work best. Here are some specific green hues that induce relaxation:
- Mint green – This cool, pale green is both refreshing and mentally settling.
- Seafoam green – The tranquil blend of green and blue relaxes the mind.
- Sage green – Slightly muted, this hue inspires clarity and stability.
- Lime green – This light, bright green stimulates energy in a subtle way.
- Jade green – Jade has a calming earthy tone that reduces anxiety.
While neon greens have an energizing effect, natural and muted greens create serenity. For offices, lighter greens like mint, seafoam, and sage are ideal choices.
Calming Color Combinations for Offices
Monochromatic green or blue office spaces clearly inspire relaxation. However, combining green and blue together generates an even more tranquil environment. Color pairing produces a harmonious, productive ambience. Here are some recommended relaxing color combos:
- Light blue walls + sage green accents
- Seafoam green walls + sky blue furnishings
- Mint green walls + aqua blue decor items
- Lime green accents + baby blue furniture
- Aqua blue walls + mint green plants and pillows
Incorporating neutral calming colors like beige, gray, and ivory along with green and blue creates a professional yet tranquil space. Just make sure brighter neutrals don’t overwhelm the main relaxing hues.
Calming Colors for Office Furniture
The largest surfaces in an office are walls and furnishings. Making sure these large areas reflect relaxing colors helps induce overall calmness. Some of the best furniture colors for reducing office stress include:
- Sky blue chairs or sofas
- Seafoam green lounge chairs
- Light sage desks or bookshelves
- Baby blue cabinets or cubicle partitions
- Mint green ottomans or side tables
Incorporate these relaxing furniture colors throughout communal areas and individual workspaces. Lighter blue-green upholstery optimizes relaxation while remaining professional.
Using Tones and Shades for Flexibility
Varying tones and shades of blue and green allows flexibility in creating the perfect tranquil office environment. Some tips:
- Use darker hues in small accents against light blue walls to add depth.
- Add light sky blue pillows to deep aqua couches for contrast.
- Choose vibrant lime green plants for subtle pops of energizing color.
- Blend light and mid-range blue-greens together for peaceful variation.
Whether going for an airy, light ambience or grounded earthy atmosphere, playing with different shades produces a multi-dimensional calming effect.
Calming Office Ceiling and Floor Colors
Don’t forget to coordinate ceiling and floor colors for a completely relaxing space. Recommended options include:
- Pale sky blue ceilings with light grey carpeting
- Sage green floor tiles with off-white ceilings
- Seafoam walls extending to ceiling and Berber office carpeting
- Medium blue-green walls with wood laminate flooring
- Aqua accent wall with neutral wall-to-wall office carpeting
Matching wall, ceiling, and flooring colors enhances the immersive tranquility. But if budget doesn’t allow, focus first on getting wall colors right, then coordinate floors and ceilings.
Should You Avoid Warm Colors in Offices?
While cool blues and greens are considered universally calming office colors, how do warm reds, oranges, and yellows impact work environments?
In general, warm colors:
- Increase energy, productivity, conversation, and appetite
- Inspire creativity, collaboration, and socialization
- Can increase stress and agitation when overused
Rather than dominate office walls, warm tones work best as accents. Ways to integrate energizing warm colors:
- Yellow throw pillows on mint green lounge chairs
- Red desk lamps or tabletop décor items
- Orange window treatments on seafoam walls
- Paint hallway connecting areas bold red or yellow
Adding splashes of warm hues creates energy balance. Just use them sparingly to prevent overstimulation.
How Lighting Impacts Office Color Calmness
Proper lighting enhances the relaxing effects of soothing wall and furnishing colors. Some tips:
- Use soft white bulbs to prevent colors from feeling too stark.
- Install dimmers to control brightness as needed.
- Position floor and table lamps for a calming glow effect.
- Add natural light with skylights or light tubes if possible.
- Avoid overhead fluorescent lighting which can feel harsh.
Experiment with lighting in different sections of the office to create distinct tranquil atmospheres. Task lighting keeps work areas energized without glare.
Calming Office Views and Nature Accents
Along with cool color schemes, creating a visible connection to nature lends to office relaxation. Try:
- Hanging sky blue curtains framing views of serene outdoor scenery.
- Positioning mint green desks near windows and potted plants.
- Placing a live moss or flower wall along lime green accent walls.
- Adding a seafoam painted mural depicting an ocean or forest scene.
- Decorating reception areas with sage green succulents or flower arrangements.
Bringing the outside indoors with light blue and green nature elements produces an immersive zen atmosphere. Carefully curated views generate tranquility.
Should You Set Office Color Themes by Department?
Custom color schemes can reflect the work and energy level of different departments. Accounting or IT spaces may benefit from activating warm colors like orange. More creative departments could be set in sky blue for optimal imagination. Though for maximum office-wide relaxation, consistent blue-green color themes are ideal for all spaces.
However, if assigning departmental colors, adhere to the following for a cohesive feel:
- Use the same office carpet and ceiling colors throughout.
- Select accent chairs, lamps, and accessories in department color themes.
- Paint hallway connecting areas a neutral beige or light grey.
- Limit bold warm colors to department entries and logo wall murals.
Keeping flooring, ceilings, and connecting spaces consistent prevents jarring transitions between areas. Carefully balance pops of color.
Should Office Color Schemes Change Seasonally?
Adjusting office colors seasonally helps stimulate productivity during different times of year. Cool blue and green palettes work well year-round for their relaxing properties. But you may modulate intensities with the seasons as follows:
- Use more vivid aquas and greens in winter to boost energy.
- Incorporate light sky blue accents in summer for an airy feel.
- Shift to deeper blues and sage greens in fall for cozy energy.
- Try sandier seafoam hues in spring to uplift moods.
Keep wall colors constant for consistency. Update with throw pillows, plants, accessories, and lighting attuned to the season for continued freshness.
How to Transition an Office to Calming Colors
For companies moving from a stark white or beige office to tranquil blues and greens, follow these tips:
- Repaint walls a pale sky blue or mint green as the base color. This shifts the overall feel to relaxing.
- Introduce new cool-toned furniture, carpet tiles, and decor items gradually over time as budgets allow.
- Update lighting fixtures with new bulbs and fixtures to complement the colors.
- Keep some existing warm-toned wooden furniture or neutral fixtures for balance.
- Limit new warm accent colors to reusable items like pillows and lamp shades.
Phasing in soothing elements prevents disruption and large upfront costs. Just focus first on blue-green wall and large furniture pieces for most impact.
How Office Workers Can Personalize Their Calm Spaces
While maintaining a consistent office-wide relaxing color palette, allow employees some flexibility to customize their personal spaces:
- Offer a selection of pre-approved blue-green desk accessories like calendars, trays, pens, and notepads.
- Allow workers to display a couple photographs, artworks, or small plants.
- Encourage employees to adjust task lighting brightness and direction.
- Permit workers to use a personal lumbar support pillow or cushion.
- Provide space for personal sound-blocking headphones.
Accommodating individual needs amidst soothing surroundings boosts comfort, morale, and productivity.
Key Takeaways on Calming Office Colors
The most relaxing office environments incorporate an overall cool blue and green color scheme. Key points to remember:
- Light to mid-range blues like sky, aqua, and baby blue create relaxation.
- Green hues like mint, sage, and seafoam also calm the mind.
- Use blue-green shades on large surfaces like walls, seating, and desks.
- Add tranquil paintings, nature views, and plants.
- Use warm tones like yellow and red minimally for energetic accents.
- Vary shades and tones for added visual interest.
- Incorporate proper lighting to enhance the colors.
- Refresh color schemes seasonally for continued stimulation.
Surrounding office workers in serene cool hues optimizes comfort, focus, and performance. A calming atmosphere leads to happier, more productive employees. Carefully selected blue and green colors create workspace zen.
Conclusion
In summary, expert opinion and research conclusively show that cool blue and green colors are the most psychologically calming choices for office environments. Specifically, lighter sky blues, aquas, seafoams, mints, and sages reduce stress, eyestrain, heart rate, and blood pressure. These tranquil blues and greens inspire clear thinking, stable emotions, and relaxed focus which translates to greater workplace efficiency. While warm reds, oranges, and yellows can stimulate creativity and socialization when used as accents, dominant blue-green color schemes optimize office calmness. Following the recommendations in this article will help companies paint their office spaces in relaxing hues for happier, healthier, and more productive workdays.
