How the right colour palette can shape workplace performance
Colour may seem like a purely aesthetic choice, but in the workplace, it plays a far more strategic role.
According to Nowy Styl’s latest colour insights report, the shades we surround ourselves with can guide behaviour, improve focus, lift creativity and even support workplace wellbeing. When used judiciously, colour becomes an organisational tool – one that can help teams feel more comfortable and connected.
Designing for how people work
Colour zoning is one of the simplest ways to create clarity and flow in an office. Brighter, contrasting tones help employees intuitively navigate a space, while consistent colour cues can support neurodiverse staff or anyone who prefers visual prompts over verbal ones. Even subtle shifts in palette can signal whether a room is designed for quiet concentration or collaborative energy.
Three colour families, three different outcomes
Nowy Styl groups workplace colours into three core emotional zones:
Energy
Reds, oranges and yellows are bold and can spark action. These hues express creativity and energy, making them ideal for project rooms, informal breakout areas or workshop spaces. Pieces like Brainy sit comfortably within these dynamic settings, adding both function and personality.
Calm
The cooler colours, such as blues, greens, greys and whites, steer the nervous system into balance. These soothing tones encourage deep focus, lower stress and support longer periods of concentration. Cool colours create spaces where serious thinking happens such as meeting rooms, individual work zones or quiet libraries. The clean, refined lines of Vapaa align well with these cooler, more composed palettes.
Relations
Warm neutrals are popular for a reason. Pinks, browns and beiges contribute to a sense of comfort and belonging. These colours are ideal for social spaces, lounges and cafés where connection matters. Here, soft seating or modular pieces contribute to a sense of community.
Natural vs digital – and why we need both
Many commercial environments would benefit from introducing more natural colours and finishes. Earthy greens, linens and timber finishes help ground teams that now spend many hours surrounded by screens and interfaces. Collections like Genaya sit neatly at this intersection, pairing contemporary forms with soft, welcoming materials.
A more intentional workplace
Choosing the right colour palette can support how people feel and work. And when it’s purposeful, offices become easier to navigate, more enjoyable to use, and encapsulate the identity and culture of the organisation.
To explore the complete colour framework, including all palettes and furniture references, download the full Nowy Styl Colour Report.
DISCOVER NOWY STYL ➜
Nowy Styl is one of Europe’s leading furniture designers and manufacturers. A company and a brand, it has been producing chairs since 1992 when brothers Adam and Jerzy Krzanowski started the company in Poland with seven employees and three models of chairs.
Delivering furniture by car all over the country, within a year they had over 100 employees, and by the year 2000, the company had sold its first million chairs. From football stadiums to cutting-edge interior spaces for Toyota, ABB, Siemens and Deloitte, today Nowy Styl’s portfolio of chairs and office furniture is sold in over 70 countries.
