A building that is designed to support health and well-being can create a space that offers comfort and inspiration, which is particularly important for those learning and working in an education environment and colour psychology plays a key role in this.
Inspiring learning, promoting social interaction and offering comfort are all elements that can be influenced by an interior design scheme. Textures, fixtures and fittings as well as colours all play an important role in creating the optimum learning and living environments within a daycare, school or university setting.
If you’re selecting a floor finish based on its colour you can visit our Product Finder and sort through our collections based on your colour preference.
Colour Psychology
Everyone responds to colour in a different way; culture, personal experiences and preference can have a profound effect on the way we react to a colour scheme, what may evoke a sense of calm in one person could irritate someone else.
Having said that there has been much research into colour psychology and the impact that colours can have on individuals so it’s favourable to acknowledge the findings and consider such principles.
Green
Green can initiate feelings of tranquillity, positivity and calmness. It is also known to be the easiest colour for the retina to perceive and has been noted to aid with long-term concentration. In fact, studies have also shown that green can enhance students reading abilities and is therefore ideal for quiet learning areas or libraries1.
When it comes to incorporating green into your flooring there is a whole colour palette of tones to choose from ranging from quite bright and citrusy limes to serene aqua. More subtle tones are offered by our Equinox Tones range including the colours of Dawn Meadow and Moss Bell or the more intense shades of green which can be found in our Evolution collection, including the colour 165 from the Forest range.
Blue
Blue can stand for simplicity, clarity and efficiency due to the spectrum of colours within this shade. While some see blue as being tranquil, blue light can be stimulating. Blue Tones have also been suggested to encourage people to think creatively.
Blues can also bring a calmer mood to an environment which can be helpful in classrooms where the subject matter is more complicated or where students find the information a little overwhelming.
An intense blue carpet may not work with all interior schemes, but a touch of blue can help achieve a calming and nurturing environment and various shades are available within the Equinox Collection including Marine from the Tones range or our Eton Basic colour 067.
Purple
Purple is a combination of energy and stability. It can stimulate problem-solving, intuition and creativeness and for younger learners, it can boost imagination.
Although there is a range of purple hues, the colour can be quite powerful so again a touch of this tone can be beneficial and is found in a number of our ranges including the popular colours of Chanterelle and Orchid Frost from Equinox Tones as well as Economix 297 and 298.
The above colours are classified as cool shades, whereas the following are considered warmer.
Red
Although Red can provoke the feeling of aggression it is also associated with alertness and again creativity. In large spaces when red is combined with other popping colours, it can create a highly stimulating environment.
However, for those suffering from anxiety the colour red can be very disturbing, so within school learning environments the colour should be used in a minimal and complementary way. Having said that all red colours add warmth and can make a room feel physically warmer than it actually is so could be beneficial to use within communal accommodation.
Although the red carpet is associated with celebrities and royalty it’s not just for the rich and famous. Tones of red can be found in a number of our ranges including Origin 595 and Equinox Evolve Rowan, to not only inject warmth into your scheme but to perhaps stimulate creativity.
Yellow & Orange
Yellow and Orange are the colours associated with the sun and can stimulate emotions of happiness and positivity. Such colours are thought to maintain attention spans and encourage creativity so tones of yellow and orange can be great for the learning environment. Orange, in particular, is believed to increase oxygen supply to the brain so is ideal in rooms where stimulation is important, such as exam halls2.
Mustards and golds are often grouped in with the colours of yellow and orange, tones of which can often be found in flooring solutions We have an array of mustard carpets including Honey Mustard, Poupon, Amora, mustard grey and Dijon (quite aptly named!)
Understanding colour psychology and using colours wisely can improve student and teacher experiences and increase desired behaviours, whether that’s to stimulate and engage or to calm and increase concentration levels, in a significant way.
Don’t forget to check out our Product Finder tool to select your next carpet based on its colour.
1 - https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/color-psychology-elearning-part2
2- https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/how-do-colors-influence-learning
