business interiors – how businesses use green

When walking into a business interior that uses the colour green, you start to relax, feel most restful, like you are back in nature. It also symbolises eco-friendly, natural ingredients and being kind to the earth.  For brands that want to show their natural side or to be seen as being green, then green is the ideal colour.

Positively, green communicates harmony, balance and reassurance. Businesses that don’t even use green as their brand colour can use it as part of their interiors colour palette if this is the mood and atmosphere they want to create. After all it’s all about creating a space that attracts your ideal customers.

It is also important to bear in mind that too much green or the wrong tone can have an effect on the mood you create. There is a vast difference in energy between the dark, heaviness of khaki and the refreshing, lively lime green.

The last thing you would want to is create an unpleasant shopping experience for your customers.

The Body Shop is known for its dark green branding colour and this popup shop uses this green as part of the interior colour palette. It aids in maintaining brand awareness on a subliminal level.

McDonalds isn’t a brand that usually springs to mind when you think of a green company, yet you may have noticed green being used for their store exteriors and interiors.  So what subliminal message is being conveyed through using green? Do they want to appear more environmentally friendly? Do they want their customers to know they no longer have to rush in and out, it’s now a place to rest, linger and relax?

In this example, this office has created a work environment that brings the nature and light in from outside. They have also used a lime green on the wall which adds in vitality and energy. You don’t want your staff to become so restful and relaxed they don’t work. It will be interesting to see how over time the yellow flooring works as yellow is the colour of the emotions and whilst it is the colour of happiness, too much can bring out feelings of  irritation and annoyance. There may possibly be enough yellow in the lime green.

How do you respond to a brand that uses green as their primary brand colour? How does it make you feel?

To find out more about the effects colour has on your brand download my free e-book 7 mistakes most business owners make with their branding colours.

You can read other articles on the colour green.

Images:
dbadirectory.org.uk and greenbusinessguide.co.za.