A well decorated workplace does wonders for your productivity and happiness, whether you work from home or at the office. A cold, grey and plainly decorated space doesn’t really spark inspiration, does it? No, you should try to create a homey vibe, where people feel comfortable. You can create that vibe by adding plants or a rug, but even better: photos on the walls! I’ll give you some great tips & tricks to create that warm and welcoming office space that inspires you to get creative or helps you keep focussed.
How does art affect a workplace?
Research suggests that workers are impacted by art in the workplace in more than one way. The results show that art:
- promotes social interactions
- ilicits emotional responses
- facilitates personal connection-making
- generally enhances the workplace environment
- fosters learning
Decorating your walls with pretty pictures is a great idea, it seems. You could play it safe and try to please most people with neutrally colored, abstract work on the walls, but how much does that really do for your space, its atmosphere and the people’s moods? If you really want to make a difference for the better, think about the themes and colors you’ll use. Did you know they can help increase productivity and creativity? Let’s explore some ideas for really changing the atmosphere in your workplace? Remember, all of this applies to both your company’s office space as your work-from-home office.
What types of photos fit your place of work?
Selecting the photos for your walls is of course a very personal process. But did you know different colors can have great effects on the atmosphere, productivity and creativity? I’ll give you a few ideas on how to use themes and colors when decorating your workplace.
Choose a subject that fits the company
Do you sell aquariums? Well, how about some photos of beautiful sealife on the walls? If you choose photos that fit the company’s products or goals, that reminds everyone of what the company does and what it is that they contribute to the company. It can help everyone stay focused. Makes sense, right?
This photo on the wall? Download it here 
This photo on the wall? Download it here
Make the office more personal using photo prints!
Is your company all about the people and do your workmates feel like family? Or are you looking for ways to become more like that? Maybe portraits of the employees can help spark up conversation. Even more so if those photos were taken at a fun activity. “Do you remember when we were playing that game and you took that photo?”. Could be fun! Another idea: let everyone send you photos of their pets or kids, so they all bring a little piece of ‘home’ to the office. You could even make it a fun guessing game of “who’s cute doggy is this?”. More casual conversations guaranteed!
Show your company’s accomplishments
Is your work focused on helping people? Or are you working on specific goals in another way? Show your accomplishments in the workplace to inspire people. For example: are you working on developing educational programs? Photos of proud people graduating could definitely help motivate people to keep up the good work!
Download this photo for free here
Photos on the wall are not only for professional photographers!
If you’re not that great with a camera, no worries! Luckily, there are many people that are, and you can benefit from their work. Ever heard of stock photos? Those are photos sold by photographers. Photographers usually make money by doing a photo shoot for a person or a company. But … most photographers make tons of photos when they are off duty as well. They sometimes upload those photos to stock photo websites. Even though they took the photos during their ‘own time’, they can still try to sell them. Some even upload their photos to stock websites that give the photos away for free. And that doesn’t mean the photos aren’t any good. Passionate photographers sometimes just like sharing their photos with the world, even though they aren’t getting paid for them. So, to all of you who aren’t professional photographers: You can use those (free or paid) stock photos to decorate your walls with! There is more about stock photos in this article >
Which colors should you use in the work place?
Colors influence the way we feel, and how we experience a space. Let’s see which effects different colors have on your workplace! These examples are meant to inspire you and if you like the photos in the images, we have added the links to the free downloads below each image!
Green
Green inspires and helps you be more creative. The color works in the brainstorm room and rooms where people use computers. Green brings tranquility and harmony to a space. Here are some examples of green photos that might work for you.
Stock photos used:
Trees from above: download for free here
Snake: download for free here
Circuit board: downloaden for free here
Blue
Blue makes you calm and even lowers your heart rate. The color radiates confidence and improves efficiency and focus. Blue is perfect for meeting rooms and waiting rooms.
Stock photos used:
Blue barrels: download for free here
Sea: download for free here
Welder: download for free here
Yellow
Yellow is fun and energizes. The color helps you focus, innovate and get creative. The color helps with your brainstorm sessions, works great near the drawing table and in the workshop. Don’t overdo it, because too much yellow makes people feel restless. Use yellow as an accent color.
Stock photos used:
Lemon: download for free here
Toy car on the beach: download for free
Architecture: download for free here
Red
Red is active, raises your heartrate and helps you think quickly. Use red as an accent color. Whatever you do, don’t overdo it. Too much red can make people aggressive and restless. Red as an accent color though, adds warmth and passion. Red works in places where people are active or work night shifts and need to stay alert.
Stock photos used:
Car: download here for free
Red wall with vent: download here for free
Building: download here for free
Orange
Orange gives you energy, just like yellow does. Energy is great, but don’t paint the entire room orange. Too much orange can make you hungry and make you feel restless. Orange can spice up a long and boring day.
Stock photos used:
Umbrellas: download for free here (the photo on the right is a crop of the photo on the left)
Tiles: download for free here
Leaves: download for free here
Oranges: download for free here (the photo on the right is a crop of the photo on the left)
White
White is the color of purity, cleanliness and safety. Too much white wouldn’t be great though. It can even lead to more errors in the workplace. White can be used to boost other colors, or soften bright colors around it.
Stock photos used:
Cat: download for free here
Shells: download for free here
Architecture: download for free here
Gray
Gray can feel a bit sad, and that’s not what you want in your place of work. You can you gray, however, to give other colors some more pop! Just don’t use too much gray to keep it light and airy.
Stock photos used:
Cityscape: download for free here
Horses: download for free here
Volcano: download for free here
This is how you give your workplace a refresher
When you (re)decorate your workplace using photography, choose themes and colors wisely.
- Choose a theme, for example based on what the organization does. Choose or take photos with themes matching the company. Or motivate the employees by showing the great results you all worked so hard for.
- Make your workplace feel like home. You could make the workplace more homey by hanging photos of employees, their pets or their kids. That is a great way to give personality to the space.
- Choose photos according to the space’s function. Will people use the space to work on creative projects, or is it a room to focus in?
- Last but not least: choose photos that you like and swap them around whenever you get bored of one. If you want to swap photos, all you need is a new Xpozer Print. The Frame can be used again and again. The old Print can be stored in the compact triangular box. A great package deal to start with is the Xpozer 4Pack. The 4Pack has 4 Prints + 1 free Frame. Swapping Prints is done in a minute, and keeps your walls fresh! To the 4Packs >
