Colour Theory in Office Design: How Pod Interiors Influence Mood, Calm and Concentration
- Fluid Furniture
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Colour is one of the most powerful tools in workplace design.
Beyond aesthetics, colour directly influences mood, energy levels, and the ability to focus. In modern offices, where acoustic pods and enclosed spaces play a growing role, interior colour choices can significantly shape how those spaces are used and how people feel within them.
At Fluid, colour is treated as a behavioural tool. Whether we’re planning Cat A+ spaces, hybrid-ready offices, or flexible fit-outs, pod interiors and furniture finishes are carefully selected to support concentration, collaboration, and wellbeing.
Why Colour Psychology Matters in Workspaces
Colour psychology explores how different hues affect emotional and cognitive responses.
In office environments, these responses influence:
Focus and attention span
Stress and fatigue levels
Perceived comfort and safety
Willingness to collaborate
Long-term wellbeing
A systematic review of workplace colour studies found that colour can influence mood, alertness, and task performance, particularly in enclosed or visually concentrated environments such as pods and booths.
In practical terms, this means colour choices inside pods have a stronger behavioural impact than in open-plan areas, where visual stimuli are more dispersed.
Cool Palettes: Supporting Calm and Deep Focus
Specific cool colour palettes, such as soft blues, muted greens, and cool greys, are strongly associated with calmness and sustained attention and have been shown to reduce stress responses compared with high-contrast or neutral environments.
Research in environmental psychology shows that cooler tones are linked to:
Lower anxiety levels
Reduced mental fatigue
Improved sustained focus
These characteristics make cool palettes particularly effective in:
Phone booths
Focus pods
One-to-one meeting pods
Quiet zones for video calls
The IPSOS survey of more than 10,000 workers has found that office workers lose 86 minutes a day due to distractions, reinforcing the importance of visually calm, low-stimulation environments for focused work.
Explore acoustic office pods & booths in a wide variety of colours and shades:
Warmer Palettes: Encouraging Interaction and Comfort
Warm colour tones, such as terracotta, muted oranges, and warm neutrals, are linked to feelings of comfort, openness, and social connection.
Studies into workplace behaviour suggest that warmer environments can:
Increase perceived approachability
Encourage longer, more relaxed conversations
Reduce formality in small group settings
These qualities make warm palettes more suitable for:
Small meeting booths
However, research also shows that overly saturated or intense colours can increase cognitive load if overused, particularly in small spaces. This is why Fluid specifies warmer tones selectively, often balanced with neutral finishes and softer lighting.
Colour, Acoustics, and Cognitive Load
Colour does not work in isolation. Its impact is closely tied to acoustics and overall sensory load.
Studies show that:
Noise can reduce productivity by up to 66% in open-plan environments
Visual overstimulation increases mental fatigue
Combined visual and acoustic comfort improves perceived focus
This reinforces the value of combining acoustic performance with appropriate colour palettes, particularly in enclosed pods where both sound and visuals are intensified.
Fluid’s pod solutions are specified to manage both acoustic absorption and visual calm, reducing sensory overload during focused or extended work sessions.
Designing Pod Interiors Around Behaviour
Effective pod interiors are designed around behaviour first, and then aesthetics. In Fluid projects, pod specifications typically consider:
✔ Intended use (focus vs collaboration)
✔ Average duration of use (short calls vs extended sessions)
✔ Colour temperature and contrast
✔ Acoustic materials and sound absorption
✔ Visual transition from surrounding workspace
This ensures pods feel intentional and psychologically supportive, rather than visually disconnected or overstimulating.
Flexibility Without Lock-In
Behavioural needs change over time. Colour preferences, team dynamics, and working patterns rarely remain static.
A CIPD report highlights the importance of flexible environments that can evolve with changing behaviours and hybrid models.
Through Furniture as a Service (FaaS), Fluid enables organisations to:
✔ Introduce pods with specific interior palettes
✔ Test colour schemes in real working conditions
✔ Adapt layouts and finishes over time
✔ Avoid waste from premature replacement
Read more: The Smarter Way to Furnish Your Office
Why Leading Brands Trust Fluid
Fluid has partnered with SEGA Europe, Frontier Economics, King Games, and other global organisations to design future-ready, flexible, and behaviour-led workplaces.
By choosing Fluid, you can:
✔ Use colour strategically to influence mood and concentration
✔ Create calmer focus spaces and more effective collaboration zones
✔ Reduce distraction through combined acoustic and visual design
✔ Keep interiors adaptable through rental and circular furniture models
✔ Align workplace design with wellbeing and ESG goals
Planning your next Cat A+, flexible, or hybrid-ready workspace in 2026?
Get in touch with our team for free, expert advice on pod interiors, colour strategies, and furniture solutions designed to support how people really work.
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