Adding Color to Your Work Environment

I have worked in the industry for more than 20 years at various companies, academic institutions etc. Mostly I worked in a life science laboratories. I can’t remember at any of these labs had any spark of color. Mostly they were industrial, dull, un exciting, boring, and un inspiring spaces which housed an array of dull looking instruments. Most of the colors of the instruments and other components were grey, black, white, or some variations or combinations of the same. Especially in a dark rainy day all the plain surroundings makes you gloomy, sleepy, un inspired. I always wondered why the instrument manyfacturers can’t add a splash of color scheme to their design. Who came up with the idea that all the laboratory interior and the color of the instruments has to be neutral colors?

Pipette Stand

Pipette Stand

Origin of Colors.

Sir Isaac Newton in 1666 discovered that when light is passed through a prism it separates into visible colors. Each color is composed of a single wavelength and cannot be separated further into other colors. Additional experimentation also showed that light can be combined to form additional colors. For example, red light mixed with yellow color creates orange. Some colors such as yellow and purple when combined together cancels out and form white color.

Psychology of Colors

Besides being pleasant to look at, vibrant colors and color combinations have psychological impact. Colors in the red spectrum: red, orange, and yellow are considered as warm colors. Colors in the blue spectrum, blue, purple and green are considered as cool colors. Warm colors invoke feelings of warmth, energy, excitement, awaken from monotony and alertness. While cool colors invoke feeling of calmness, serenity, and sadness.

Petri dish Storage Tower

Petri dish Storage Tower

By incorporating vibrant colors to your work environment, you can change your mental disposition and attitude. Especially the energized feeling from the colors may trigger new ideas, enthusiasm, and may help you with new projects. This was the concept we had in mind when we designed a number of useful and colorful items for the laboratory environment. We have designed few items such as: Petri dish Storage Tower , Pipette Stand , Plate Storage tower etc. We have found that these products lights up our lab environment, and make us energized. Hopefully this will help you too.

About James Maliakal

I am James Maliakal, writer of this blog and is with Pioneer Scientific. I have 12 plus years of experience working in the research lab in academic and leading life science companies. From my years of experience, I have designed and developed unique products which made my work a little easier and efficient in the lab. I have authored and published in peer reviewed journals. Pioneer Scientific is a leading manufacturer and distributor of innovative products, high quality laboratory instruments, and research tools. Contact me to know more.