An open-plan office with a wall of windows to the left

Transform offices with Dulux Professional Colour of the Year

With ‘hybrid working’ now commonplace, employees are looking for a new kind of working environment that won’t compromise their wellbeing. These colour schemes, using the Lush and Raw palettes, combined with Dulux Professional Colour of the Year Wild WonderTM, can bring value to office buildings while creating inspiring, sustainable and supportive spaces that feel connected with the natural world outside.

Today, we are more conscious than ever about looking after our mental health1 , so we need a working environment that feels supportive and uplifting. Feeling connected with nature has been shown to help employees feel less stressed and to boost wellbeing2 , and using colour schemes that remind people of the natural world could enhance this connection.

Inspired by the colours of forests and woodlands, the natural greens, greys and lilacs in the Lush palette bring a fresh, familiar feel. Calming and soothing, they can act as a natural counterpoint to a sterile, tech-heavy environment. 

The Raw palette also takes inspiration from nature, with tones echoing the shades of raw materials and harvested crops – wood, straw and wheat. Studies have shown that the use of biophilic design contributes to an increase in productivity and overall wellness . Together, these enriching tones create a springboard for creativity and innovation. 

To bring value to office buildings with an environment that feels supportive and enriching, here are four colour schemes using Dulux Professional Colour of the Year, Wild WonderTM, with the Lush and Raw palettes.

1GWI, 2021. 34.6% somewhat agree and 28.1% strongly agree with the statement ‘I’m more conscious about looking after my mental health now than before the pandemic.’

2Pouso, S., Borja, Á., Fleming, L., Gómez-Baggethun, E., White, M. and Uyarra, M., 2021. Contact with blue-green spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown beneficial for mental health. Science of The Total Environment, 756, p.143984.

A welcoming office space

 

Biophilic design incorporates nature into the built environment to help create restorative and connective spaces. The colours in the Lush palette – inspired by the tones of forests and woodlands – could help achieve this. Here, walls painted in a soft green, combined with Wild WonderTM, feel subtle and soothing, while the furnishings help to bring the comfort and familiarity of working from home to an office meeting room. 

Which colours?

Old Time Olive - 60YY 33/130 G3.12.56
Wild Wonder - 50YY 49/191 G0.16.68

Biophilic design acknowledges that we are genetically connected to nature and that a human-centred approach can improve many of the spaces where we live and work… In an office environment, this is shown as quantified improvements in productivity, wellness and a reduction in days absent due to illness. The Biophilic Office, BRE Group. 

The paneled walls of an office meeting room are painted with a soft green and Wild Wonder.

Bring comfort to an open-plan office

 

The Lush colours used in this open-plan office provide the perfect natural counterpoint to technology, making the space feel cosier and more approachable. A wall painted in a dark mushroom shade adds warmth, as well as defining the desk area, while adjacent and opposing walls painted in shades of green and Wild WonderTM bring a sense of natural richness and creativity to the space. 

Which colours?

Silver Lichen - 20GY 46/067 J0.05.65
Wild Wonder - 50YY 49/191 G0.16.68
Old Time Olive - 60YY 33/130 G3.12.56
Mouse Tail - 52GY 24/050 K0.05.47
Cocao Pod - 38RR 15/026 AN.02.35
Spun Mohair - 82YY 67/046 G8.03.79

The walls of an open-plan office space are painted with a dark mushroom grey, alongside shades of green and beige

Add warmth to an office lobby

 

The enriching tones of the Raw palette can bring warmth and energy to any office space. Here, different earthy tones – from peaty brown to soft clay – help to differentiate the floor levels, while a staircase painted in Dulux Professional Colour of the Year, Wild WonderTM, creates a welcoming and invigorating feel. 

Which colours? 

Brave Ground - 10YY 30/106 E7.10.53
Wild Wonder - 50YY 49/191 G0.16.68
Shifting Sands - 30YY 67 084 F4.06.78
Malted Caramel - 90YR 36/203 E2.17.58
Sweet Cinnamon - 30YR 16/162 C3.16.38
Precious Peat - 70YR 09/086 D6.13.24

A office painted in varying shades of brown with spiral staircase.

An inspiring office exterior

 

Exterior walls and window panels painted in colours from the Raw palette help this building feel grounded and inspiring. The mix of soft, warm shades creates a subtle contrast, emphasizing both the building’s unique characteristics, while also reflecting the natural light.

Which colours?

Sweet Cinnamon - 30YR 16/162 C3.16.38
Malted Caramel - 90YR 36/203 E2.17.58
Wild Wonder - 50YY 49/191 G0.16.68

An office exterior painted with panels painted in shades of brown
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