This story appears in the
January 1996 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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The color blue has a long-standing reputation as the bad boy of
the color spectrum, everybody's favorite synonym for sadness.
Well, here's some news that clears the falsely accused color of
all charges: If you're a small-business owner and you've
got the blues in the workplace, you most likely have productive,
serene employees.
Decorating experts have long known that the colors of an
office's interior affect employee performance. "Color
psychology is not pure science, but [after making over many
businesses' color schemes], we have received feedback from
customers who say productivity has improved, absenteeism is down
and morale is up," says Linda Trent, director of color and
design marketing with Cleveland-based paint giant Sherwin-
Williams.
Overwhelmingly, "blue is universally the most popular color
family," says Trent. She recommends using the color, along
with shades of green, in areas that are either extremely hot or
notoriously noisy. "People associate blues and greens with the
sky, water, tranquility and coolness," explains Trent, making
them shoe-ins for work areas that need a shot of peace and
quiet.
Color isn't the only thing that affects the way employees
feel in the office. Issues like lighting and space play a big role,
too. Establishing a balance between all these elements is the key
to a visually harmonious working environment.
Contact Sources
The Color People, 1522 Blake St., #300, Denver, CO 80202,
(303)534-4600;
Sherwin-Williams Co., (800) 4-SHERWIN;