What is color psychology, and why is it something you should keep in mind while designing your office space for rent in NJ and how are you supposed to put color psychology into practice (if you do)? This article will answer all those questions.
Let’s start with what the term ‘color psychology’ means. From Wikipedia:
“Color psychology is the study of hues as a determinant of human behavior. Carl Jung has been credited as one of the pioneers in this field for his explorations into the properties and meanings of colors in our lives. Color influences perceptions that are not obvious, such as the taste of food.”
So, color psychology is simply the study of how certain colors impact human behavior. Different colors have different meanings and connotations, and cause psychological effects that vary depending on cultures and personal preference.
Benefits of color psychology
Why should you consider using color psychology? If it varies based on culture and personal preference, it may sound almost like a pseudo-science. However, not only is it emphatically not a pseudo-science, but it has some very solid effects on customers and staff. Some of them are below:
- It can change people’s perception of the temperature
From Forbes: “Warm colors, such as orange, red and yellow can cause people to think the temperature in the room is warmer than it actually is. Cool colors, such as blue, green and light purple cause people to estimate the temperature is colder.
Business owners can use this to their advantage by saving on heating and cooling costs. For example, if you live in a cold environment, painting an entryway a warm color may cause people to think your establishment is a few degrees warmer than actually is. This may allow you to keep the temperature at a slightly lower setting.”
You can also use this to make people feel more comfortable in different areas of your office space for rent in NJ.
- It can evoke emotional responses
While different colors have been found to evoke emotional responses in a majority of people, these aren’t always universal truths, because the emotional responses may vary depending on the person’s culture and personal preferences and experiences. Many people associate yellow with cheerfulness and optimism, but if you use a shade of yellow someone associates with an unpleasant medicine or a dirty bedsheet, their response may be negative.
Other examples include energy and passion for red, and friendliness for orange. This information can be used to evoke suitable responses in people. For example, you could paint the walls in the break room a bright, happy orange to encourage friendliness and conversation.
- It can spur creativity or boost productivity
Green reminds people of nature or regrowth, and sparks creativity. So, if you want your employees to be creative and come up with exciting new ideas, use green to your advantage. It is also a serene color that is most pleasing to the eye.
Blue, on the other hand, keeps people awake and alert, and boosts productivity. It is also the most widely liked color around the world. This may be in part because when our ancestors saw blue – like a clear blue sky or an expanse of clean water – it was a good sign. If you want to use a color that satisfies most people in your office space for rent in NJ, consider going with blue.
These are some of the ways you can use color psychology to your benefit. We will now look at how to use color psychology to your advantage in your office space.
Inside your office space for rent in NJ
There are many ways colors can be used to influence people, but the two main ways are by using specific colors on the walls in your office building, and by employing carefully-chosen colors in your brand’s logo.
From Space Refinery: “Blue is a great color if you want to boost productivity. It is believed that it affects the mind. In the research above, offices that focus on blues tend to have stable and calming atmospheres, the perfect recipe to help your workers stay focused and complete the task at hand.
We don’t recommend that you coat your entire office in blue if you want to increase productivity, because in all honesty, that wouldn’t be very productive and would probably stress your employees out more.
Instead, incorporate aspects of blue into rooms where you want your employees to be their most productive.”
You can use blue in work spaces, meeting rooms, research areas, and other areas where you’d like productivity to be high.
Regarding green, Space Refinery says: “There’s a reason why many medical offices focus on greens and whites. Green is a peaceful color that doesn’t cause eye fatigue and is often associated with creating balance between the mind, body, and your emotions. This often results in boosted creativity.
Incorporate green office color schemes into your office in areas where people work long hours and are expected to be creative. It’s important that the colors you choose benefit your employees, especially if they are expected to work in a specific location for long periods of time.”
Your logo and product
Your logo defines your brand’s identity. It can tell people a lot about your brand, and if you choose the right colors, it can create positive associations and become a lot more recognizable. Let’s talk a little about color psychology in marketing – or more specifically, in logo design.
From Canva: “A logo’s color can say a lot about a brand. For established brands, a color can be intrinsically linked to the business’s identity. Think of Starbuck’s famous white and green coffee cups or Cadbury’s iconic purple wrapping. And for new brands, their logo color is an attempt to position their business with their desired customer.”
Canva explains the link: “The link between color and brand identity is strong. In the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, researchers Lauren Labrecque and George Milne explain that “like a carefully chosen brand name, color carries intrinsic meaning that becomes central to the brand’s identity, contributes to brand recognition, and communicates the desired image.”
In their research on color differentiation in the marketplace, Labrecque and Milne highlighted how certain industries frequently use particular colors.
They found that blue is used in over 75% of credit card brand logos, and 20% of fast food brand logos. Red, meanwhile, is found in 0% of apparel logos—but over 60% of retail brands.
For consumers confronted with advertising thousands of times a day, these visual cues can be an unconscious message about what they’re being sold, and by whom.”
However, different colors may remind people of different things. While one may find red exciting and appealing, another may associate it with blood. Interestingly, red sports cars cost more to insure, because when humans see red, their reactions become fast and more forceful. This is also why red is used as the color for emergencies.
The article continues to explain: “There are, however, strong associations with particular colors in the mind of consumers. These flow both ways—the association between orange and energy might not be inherent to the color itself, but instead is a result of the fact that it’s so often used by brands who want to convey this message. Consumers see this color and know, subconsciously, that there’s a subtle message being conveyed. In this way, color psychology becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
There is also a physiological aspect to color. Think about when you see a fluorescent sign: Sometimes the color can be so bright that you have to squint. There’s no denying that certain colors are bold and eye-catching, while others are more subtle and gentle on the eyes.
Companies use this to their advantage—for example, the McDonald’s logo is frequently seen in food courts or at a Drive-Thru on the road. In these situations, the bright yellow of the golden arches acts as a siren call.”
Color psychology isn’t black and white, but it is worth a try at your office space for rent in NJ. The biggest factor is that it doesn’t require a lot of work. All you need to do is understand the concept, decide what responses you want to evoke, and choose a color that does exactly that. The painters will do the rest.
Finding the perfect office space for rent in NJ
The Blau & Berg Company’s real estate specialists collaborate, network and have market knowledge to service your New Jersey office space requirements.
From a 1,000 sq. ft. office facility to a Class A 100,000 sq. ft. space in Short Hills, NJ, the Blau & Berg platform is simple – focus on being in front of people. Partnering with clients to provide in-depth market support, realistic timeframes and budgetary guidelines is key.
The company’s affiliates allow them to target local markets with global reach. Through research, marketing and canvassing, the firm achieves the optimal results for every client. The office sales and leasing group offers comprehensive strategies that incorporate short and long-term needs to maximize overall business objectives.