Art & Decor Trends

Five Points to Making Office Artwork Boost Productivity

Creating a warm and inspiring environment can help boost productivity at the workplace. Hanging paintings on an otherwise blank wall space is one of the simplest ways to achieve this. However, in a setting occupied by people with different preferences, determining the kind of artwork to display can be quite a challenge. Consider the following points when choosing office artwork:

Color of Office Art and Wall Décor

Color plays a great deal in making one feel calm or creative, inspired or energized. Individual workers would like to be given the freedom to choose the color of canvas artwork to display in their respective workspaces or cubicles. However, for common spaces like the lounge area or conference rooms, neutral colors such as earth tones and soft hues should be agreeable for most.

Theme of Artwork

A family of three or four can easily agree on the theme of artwork to display in a family’s living room, but not the same can be said in an office with ten colleagues or more. It is good enough that the choices are varied: landscape paintings featuring sketches of prairie or ocean, still life such as a vase full of flowers, images capturing a certain emotion, or an abstract play of two tones. Any choice would be acceptable as long as they do not run cluttered or are heavily tinted. On the other hand, hanging a Baroque painting in an elaborate frame that would look out of place in a modern minimalist office setting is an undesired approach.

Consider the Company Culture

In most offices that I work with, I try and get a feel for the general company culture that the owners and managers are trying to set in the workplace. If it is a company that focuses on core values such as ethics, longevity, and tradition, I advise going with Pierre August Renoir paintings, Claude Monet Art or Paul Cezanne oil paintings that along with ornate frames and heavy oils achieve a sense of tradition and class that is appropriate and aligned with the desired company culture. In contrast, if the company is pursuing a company culture based on innovation, ingenuity, and young a heart out-of-the-box way of thought, I would recommend Salvador Dali, Rene Magritte, and Mark Rothko to adorn their walls.

Choose Interesting Art Pieces

The idea of hanging paintings on canvas is to make the office space a pleasant place to spend time. It would make a great addition if you choose interesting pieces as well to spark conversation among office workers. Oil painting reproductions of classic Monet paintings, a self-portrait of Van Gogh, or avant-garde Picasso paintings can stimulate the senses.

Can’t decide what to place on the walls? Seek professional help!

It is not uncommon due to inside office politics to get stuck in deciding which art is right for your office space. By the time you consult with all of the office employees, you have a mixture of wants and tastes that you may just reach a dead-end and place the whole project on hold. Don’t let this happen! If you feel stuck with a wall art project seek professional help! Get an interior designer and educate them about your company culture and explain the color scheme of your walls and company logo. They should help you decorate your walls with magnificent art.

Some companies like overstockArt.com that sell hand-painted oil paintings offer a free décor consultation service just for these reasons. Call them up and they will help you get up and running with this project and you will have interesting, invigorating art hanging on your wall in no time.

In conclusion, there are many things to consider when looking for hand-painted art for your office. So many opinions to consider along with color schemes and company culture that you might hold off on such an endeavor. My final and most important advice to you is an observation I had throughout my years of working with offices – decorating the interior and helping businesses find the art that fits best on their wall, has always brought a positive boost for office morale and productivity. So don’t overthink it! If something doesn’t fit or you change your mind you can always exchange one oil painting for the other, but all in all, get art on your bare walls! It makes a ton of difference in the workplace.