5 Tips to decorate your office (making your employees happy too)!
The most famous and current scientific researches show that a working environment furnished with taste, criterion, attention and creativity is able to make employees happier, positively influencing also their productivity. In this regard, the studies of Dr. Craig Knight of Exeter University (Exeter, UK) claim that the art in the office, generating the reduction of stress and the increase of good mood, is able to increase the work activity even of 15-30%. It should be noted, however, that not all types of artwork are suitable to achieve the aforementioned result, in fact, there are some tips to follow to learn how to create an office furniture decor that positively affects workers.
1. The value of colors
It is widely accepted that colors have an influence on our mood and our ability to interact and connect emotionally with other people. This is even the direction of an alternative medicine methodology, color therapy, which uses color to alleviate certain mental and physical health conditions, attributing to each shade a specific healing ability. Therefore, it is good to carefully choose the color of the works of art within our working environment, because they must be able to stimulate positive feelings, in line with the objectives, social and productive, of our activity. Taking some concrete examples, blue and its shades, tones that convey calm, inner peace and relaxation, would be perfect for embellishing the walls of very stressful workplaces. The yellows, reds and oranges, on the other hand, increasing energy, vigor and hunger, are excellent, both for the environments of bars and restaurants, and for those of more energetic and dynamic activities. Speaking of indigo, this is a powerful and stimulating color, capable of developing greater dream activity and increasing imagination, perfect qualities for creative work. Finally, green, the nuance of nature, stands out, like blue, for its ability to relieve stress and relax, bringing balance and harmony to body and mind.
Sibylle Werkmeister, Blue wave, 2018. Acrylic on canvas, 150 x 119 cm.
Farouk Ferrah, The néon stone, 2020. Digital photography on aluminum, 60 x 40 cm.
Elena Gering, The way, 2021. Oil on canvas, 50 x 50 cm.
2. The richness of style, techniques and formats
The style of the works of art chosen to decorate your office must adapt, both to the existing furniture of the latter, and to the spirit and image that the company wants to give of itself. In this sense, abstract art is very versatile and matchs to a wide variety of workplaces, but it is perfect for offices with a clean and modern atmosphere, where it can best express all the positive energy emanating from its vibrant colors. The sympathy, dynamism and color of Pop art and Street art, but also the extravagance of Surrealism, are perfectly suited to the estro of the most creative offices. Landscapes, especially made with the gentle and calm tones of pastels and watercolors, are instead recommended in anxious workplaces, such as, for example, doctors' waiting rooms. As for the elegant and classic oil paintings, these might be perfect for the offices of professionals, such as lawyers and notaries, because they convey a sense of elegance and rigor. On the other hand, sculptures made of sparkling materials, such as golden, silver or copper ones, are perfect to liven up most offices, sadly and traditionally marked by the presence of boring brown, black or white colored furniture. Finally, about formats, large paintings and series of paintings, charged with strong power of attraction, interest and dynamism, are recommended for larger walls, while small format sculptures can liven up the environment even being simply placed inside empty shelves.
Bridget Bradley, Persona II, 2021. Acrylic on canvas, 76.5 x 61 cm.
Yoann Bonneville, Améthyste IX, 2021. Acrylic on canvas, 80 x 80 cm.
Jacques Villares, Lake Louise, Canada, 2018. Watercolor on paper, 35 x 45 cm.
Volodymyr Tsisaryk, Jason and the golden fleece, 2016. Sculpture, bronze on metal, 58 x 24 x 16 cm.
3. The importance of topics
The perfect work of art for your office is not only characterized by a careful choice of color, style and format, but also by the topic of the paintings, sculptures and other techniques, that is essential for the creation of an adequate furnishing. In fact, when the subject of the work is similar to the work carried out, to its ideology or its spirit, this, in addition to acquiring an added symbolic value, also becomes a means to increase the employees' sense of belonging to the company. An example of this could be a sculpture of a dancer in a dance school, a still life painting in a restaurant, drawings of human anatomy in a doctor's office and a portrait of an animal in a vet's office. However, regardless of the subject matter of the work, which may be more or less similar to the business, it is important that it conveys only positive values and sentiments, ready to enhance and encourage the work of employees.
Kristof Toth, Wild dance, 2021. Sculpture, bronze on stone, 38 x 14 x 10 cm.
Anastasia Isakova, Still life, 2019. Acrylic / Oil on cardboard, 60 x 49.5 cm.
Katya Ivleva, Chicken and cockerel, 2022. Oil on canvas, 50 x 50 cm.
4. The rule of mixing different works of art
Starting from the assumption that the works chosen to decorate an office should convey emotions and positive values, be in harmony with each other and with the decor, it is good to add that, when possible, mixing styles, techniques and formats, can make the work environment even more interesting, cheerful, fun and creative. In fact, it is often pleasant to combine more traditional works, such as figurative realist paintings, with the colorful creativity of Pop art, Street art or abstract art. The same can be said for sculpture, where it can be pleasant to mix works that, while immortalizing the human figure, do so following different artistic currents. Finally, the juxtaposition of various printing techniques and the succession of different types of drawing would also be interesting.
Aldo Falchi, Elisabetta, 1977. Sculpture, Bronze on object, 50 x 16 x 13 cm.
Jesús (Xuxo) Vazquez, Las Tres Gracias, 2009. Sculpture, bronze / cast on metal, 23 x 28 x 9 cm.
Elia Alunni Tullini, Siamo solo prodotti, 2021. Sculpture, resin, 63.5 x 13 x 13 cm.
5. The need to create a space that benefits everyone
The last, but most important, piece of advice is that the work should positively affect not only employees and clients, but also employers. This is why it is important to furnish your office in a way that respects also your personal tastes and interests, so that you can benefit from your working environment.
Continue to gain inspiration for your office furniture by browsing through the collections: Paintings \ for office & Sculptures \ for office
Olimpia Gaia Martinelli