Choosing Artwork for Your Office Space

Did you know your office has a distinct personality? Take a moment to observe your workplace. If you listen closely, you’ll notice it has a voice. What message is your office conveying? What is its overall tone? To create a positive first impression, your company should greet visitors in a pleasant voice, with a radiant smile. Within seven seconds, clients form an opinion of your office environment.

Attractive office art has a dual purpose. It both invites clients and heightens staff productivity. Thoughtful design ensures a comfortable atmosphere for all who enter your workplace. Here are six elements to consider for an office that eloquently speaks your company’s language.
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Theme

Artistic design should sync with your company’s work, reflecting its philosophy and style. A theme can portray your type of business or its goal. For example, if your field is advertising, your theme might be imagery, expressed in dramatic photography. If your line of work is insurance, your goal is security. This is conveyed by geometric shapes that tightly fit together. Medical offices aim to offer comfort, imparted by serene landscapes. An architectural firm could showcase building photos.

Mood

What emotion do you want to evoke in visitors? Do you wish to foster tranquility, trust, or enthusiasm? Traditional pieces suggest reliability. They often feature history, geography, and culture. Metal wall art and sculpture elicit respect for your business.

What do you feel when you see a floral still life? You probably notice yourself becoming calm. Now visualize a couple in a public garden, strolling arm-in-arm. Suddenly, you’re sentimental. A city skyline glowing with light infuses you with energy.

Abstract art can draw multiple emotions, depending on the shapes and colors used. Triangles, rectangles, circles, and squares are structured forms. They suggest organization, promoting confidence in your company. Shapes found in nature, such as those resembling clouds, invoke serenity. Spirals signify transformation and progress, inciting anticipation.

Location

Now, focus on strategic placement. First, consider your lobby or reception area, where visitors encounter your company. Showcase your logo in an eye-catching format, and make your theme evident. Then, set the mood. Flower arrangements are welcoming. A sculpture lends a sophisticated air. A water feature can either be soothing or compelling, depending on its size and sound. Make waiting time memorable for your clients.

In shared work spaces, art should have broad appeal. Near employee workstations, it can serve as a focal point for eyes to rest. In high-traffic areas, artwork suggesting movement enhances productivity. An Exeter University study showed that employees enveloped by beauty are 15 percent more efficient than those in sparsely appointed offices. They also have fewer health complaints.

In your lunchroom, use pieces that encourage conversation. Familiar objects in warm colors invite friendliness. A conference room is an incubator for great ideas. Coax creative thinking with traditional pieces such as landscapes and still life paintings. In a formal environment, light installations and kinetic pieces inject a dynamic note. Remember to include hallways and restrooms in your artistic design.

Throughout your office, try to incorporate variations on the same theme. As employees and clients move through the rooms, they’ll have a sense of continuity concerning your message.

Color

Studies reveal that 60 percent of your response to a room is influenced by color. Try to incorporate shades that suit the work occurring in a given space. Here are hues with positive effects:

● blue – improves focus
● yellow – enhances thinking ability, elevates mood
● green – calms
● orange – promotes creativity and confidence

NOTE – Employees vary in their reaction to red. Revving energy, it can potentially distract, agitate, and frustrate some employees. Used sparingly, it can increase motivation.
Here are additional design guidelines:

● Reception Areas – To reinforce your company brand, colors can emphasize those of your logo.
● Workstations – Within individual work spaces, art is a matter of personal preference. However, close to a cubicle, paintings in soft hues are soothing.
● Training and Lecture Rooms – Artwork that highlights turquoise facilitates communication. It eases the nerves of public speakers. Splashes of yellow help trainees retain what they’re learning.
● Conference Rooms – Touches of blue and green hone concentration and collaboration.

Presentation

When displaying your artwork, consider its dimensions. Center a large piece across an expansive wall or above sizeable furniture. You can also cluster small works together for a large display. Be sure to keep a consistent space between frame edges, generally two to four inches. Petite prints and paintings are best featured on narrow walls or over small items of furniture.

Above a sofa, artwork should measure at least two-thirds the width of the couch. A small composition will tend to be ignored. For a conservative presentation, hang pieces of similar sizes in a straight row. For a less formal display, design a collage. Group several works of various sizes, placing the largest in the center. Then, expand outward with the other items, achieving balance with even spacing.

A common gaffe is positioning artwork too high. Where people stand, situate the midpoint of a piece at average eye level, generally 54 to 58 inches from the floor. Where clients and employees sit, pieces should be 46 to 50 inches from the floor.

Furniture

Whether you prefer clean lines or fluid designs, our commercial office furniture will suit your purpose. Our styles include minimalist, modern, contemporary, traditional, retro, and eclectic.

We design all office areas, including lobbies, conference rooms, private offices, and workstations. Glass walls are ideal for open floor plans, brightening your indoor environment while office cubicles with higher panels reduce distractions. We have a wide variety of furniture systems to complement them.
Our product line is comprehensive, including desks, chairs, credenzas, tables, file cabinets, and accessories. Take your pick of either neutral or vibrant colors. Upholstery is both durable and comfortable. You’ll be impressed by the quality and affordability of our décor.

In the workplace, beautiful art forms promote creativity, productivity, and camaraderie. They also help to reduce stress. Office design services will create the optimal work environment for your clients and staff. Let’s collaborate and compose a brilliant masterpiece!
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