Give your office a creative look with bold and bright colour furniture

By: Ashish Aggarwal, CEO, Indo Innovations When one thinks about office space furniture, they think about chairs and tables which are dreary, drab and uncomfortable. This assumption isn’t entirely untrue as typically, offices feature rows after rows of cubicles paired with the same black and white ergonomic chairs and tables. Coupled with the overly used neutral and lacklustre colour schemes which exude dullness, we all readily believe that office spaces have to be done in neutral colours to maintain its corporate and serious look. However, recent studies on the psychology of colours states otherwise. The misconception that offices can’t be creative or brightly coloured while maintaining a professional look is causing more harm than benefit. Even renowned psychologist Carl Jung emphasised on the importance of colours as stimulus in one’s life through his work. As the Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky once said – colour is a power which directly influences the soul, similarly in an office environment, the impact of bold colour is quite noticeable and powerful. Colours anywhere act as a stimulus and in an office space; a splash of a bright hue on the wall, floor, or desk can elicit a better, more creative and focused response from the employees. Colours can also amp the employees ‘confidence before a big meeting and even make them more detail-oriented! Today, many companies understand that the colour of their office has a huge impact on the overall mood, productivity and motivation of their employees. Moreover, as the workplace is becoming a strategic branding tool, colour if used correctly, can emphasise and highlight the firm’s corporate image. A multitude of firms are now striving to create workplaces that not only positively impact their workers but also reflect the brand in itself. Gone are the days when offices looked banal in their neutral and monotonous colour scheme, as more colourful and vibrant workplaces are increasingly becoming the norm. Infusing colours in the office space can also lend it a personality. However, it isn’t necessary to inject colours through walls or art, one can easily add colour to their office through the furniture. Furniture is what makes an office stand out. It isn’t only meant for serving a purpose; furniture can set the ambiance of a room. Additionally, it offers an aesthetic and enhances the natural floor plan. Presently, many modern office designs heavily feature coloured desk and chairs as well as unusually creative furniture to perk up their office and increase the productivity of their employees. Bright and bold coloured furniture makes an office look vogue and creative while maintaining its sanctity as a work space. Introducing colours through chairs, tables, shelves etc. also gives the office a quirky look. Furthermore, an office space isn’t modern just because of its amenities or the fact it uses facilities which are cutting edge, colour also adds modernity to traditional office settings.   To achieve that coveted look, one can start by refurbishing and changing up the structural design, adding prints and even employing clashing colours through the furniture pieces. A brightly coloured chair or table usually becomes the highlight of the room and stands out. Especially, in offices with small spaces with neutral and clean background, bright and bold primary coloured furniture can actualize wonders by creating a vibrant and fresh look. One can also use the colour coding method for storage & shelving as well as to mark off different areas of the work space. Colour scheming in the office not only adds a pop of brightness but also makes the workspace look more organized and distinctive. As for those who might be averse to making highly noticeable changes by introducing block coloured furniture in an attempt to make their office look more inviting and mode, small tweaks can also do the job. Minimalism, as a trend is huge in the world of fashion and renders a more modern and subtle but equally creative look. Accessories which complement furniture like vibrantly coloured seat cushions, storage cabinets, modesty fixtures and space dividers can too add a hint of freshness in the office. Just like the illustrious designer Marc Jacobs once said, “Colour is like the finishing touch on everything”. Similarly, even if it’s an office space, adding colour through furniture and fixtures can enhance its holistic qualities even more. Colours can make the bland and standardized setting of an office less of an eye sore and more visually appealing instead.