Why Colour Has the Power to Influence May 18, 2022| Experts In this interview, we sit down with Bisley Creative Director, Jeanine Goddard to discuss the importance of choosing the right colour for your workspace and how the use of colour has changed over the past decade or so. Why is colour so important when it comes to our workspaces? Colour is so vital because it has the power to influence. Although choosing the right colour is a very personal thing, there are some general rules to consider – the most important being how the colour chosen makes people feel and work within that space. The colour you decide to use will depend on the industry your business operates within – what works for a financial institution probably won’t work for a retailer. It also depends on the type of work that will be happening within that space – is it an area dedicated to loud, collaborative sessions or purely a quiet space, where people can concentrate on getting their tasks done? It’s all about research, understanding and communicating with your employees, and adapt as required. Why do you think that lilac and coral are having their spotlight moment in 2022? Although corals and lilacs can be seen all around us at the moment, our new colour introductions do not just simply follow trends. We take a deep dive into our colour palette and try to recognise what’s missing, what our customers would like to see, and adapt quickly. The coral we have chosen is a lovely, earthy colour but is pale enough to be chosen as a neutral or a backdrop. It gives a warm feeling which is inviting for all sorts of environments, and it ties in with all the wonderful rust and brown colours that are having a resurgence as we reimagine the 70s trends. We feel that the coral we have chosen takes the shade to a new dimension, as it is easily transitional, regardless of the space. To complement our coral, we have chosen a beautiful, ethereal shade of lilac. It’s a much less saturated purple hue compared to the regular lilacs we’re currently seeing, again making it a great neutral alternative. I’d say the resonance of this slightly otherworldly, somewhat muted colour is a lot to do with a careful re-navigation between digital and analogue worlds, as we return to offices and increasingly switch back from screens to real life. I first saw this lilac colour in Spring of 2020, when we were freshly thrown into lockdown – a reaction to being thrust into a completely digital world. You may have noticed that lilac is dominating fashion and homeware, however, it hasn’t quite filtered through to our industry – until now! How has the use of colour in the workspace changed over the past 5-10 years? Before the pandemic struck, there was already a general movement in increasing the number of collaborative spaces being offered within the workplace. However, the pandemic has really sped up this process and we’re now seeing colour being introduced in all sorts of offices and spaces. Colour has and will continue to evolve, so it really does depend on the type of space you’re working with. If you’re looking to create a more homely or collaborative space, then you would look to introduce brighter, more saturated colours such as oranges and yellows. It also depends on who has asked for the space to be rejuvenated. Some people are more daring than others to experiment with colour and clashing prints and textures, while others may prefer more muted, toned-down shades, such as navy, black, or grey. Has the pandemic and hybrid working had an impact on this? Of course – we are now starting to get used to being out and about after such a long time being indoors. People are now looking to come into the office to share ideas and to collaborate so having the right environment, including colour, lighting, and homely textures is vital to encouraging employees back into the office. What are the main implications/impact of using different textures/textiles? It’s fairly simple – introducing things like texture and textiles creates a more homely and comfortable working environment, encouraging employees to stay and work creatively. Naturally, having steel or timber cabinets with glass tops and white desk surfaces creates a very cold and sterile workspace. If you’re looking to encourage people back into the office, you really should work to create a homely, welcoming, and warm space. How would you approach the use of colour in a space if you were designing a workspace from scratch - any colours for certain areas? Colour affects us all in different ways – we all have different memories and attachments to certain hues, so our choices will naturally vary. However, there are some colours that should be used for certain types of working. For example, blues and purples are normally used to promote calm and relaxing spaces. In spaces that are designated to focus and concentration these colours don’t distract from your task. Yellows and oranges are brilliant for promoting innovation and creativity. They encourage new ideas and thoughts, harnessing positivity and growth. How would you guide brands on finding the right colours for them - are there any principles they should work to/avoid? When it comes to brand identity, I would avoid what I would perceive to be fashionable colours because a brand can be around for decades, meaning the branding needs to stand the test of time. Trendy colours come and go, and this can make logos look dated very quickly which means expensive rebrands will need to happen frequently. You need to imagine your logo in a range of scenarios – from internal email signatures to lorry liveries, your logo and brand needs to stay relevant and reflective of your industry. For example, blue is good for banking and financial organizations and exudes security. However, if you’re a young start-up, you could use bolder, fresher colours to ensure that you stand out from the crowd, while building your reputation. What is the biggest mistake designers can make with colour, texture, textiles? In my opinion, the use of too many bright, bold colours in a room can be overwhelming and almost cause the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve. To avoid this, I’d use one or two dominant colours for the accent, and then create a scheme around this. I think many designers can be a little scared to introduce textures and patterns – don’t - it’s almost impossible to overdo texture in any setting! What do you think the next 5-10 years will look like in terms of using colour in the workplace? What trends can we anticipate? This is the ultimate question! Unfortunately, none of us can predict or forecast the future of colour trends, not even trendsetters. Many things can impact which colours are fashionable, from world events to fashion influences, so it really is a difficult challenge. Looking back over the last 15 years or so, I can absolutely see how workspaces have evolved. There are definitely many more areas dedicated to collaboration and I think this will only continue. We’ll likely see a reduction in the number of desks within the office and employers will have to keep adapting spaces to appeal to the different ways we now work.
