Atmospheric office images for a better working environment

Find original office art at the Student Art Market

Enhance your office with original works by art students – not just aesthetically. Art in the workplace improves your staff’s ability to concentrate and boosts their motivation, resulting in a more sociable working atmosphere with fewer stress factors. You can find out more about how art has a positive influence below.

Art for the office – more than just aesthetic enhancement

Of course, an appealing piece of art brightens up a bare wall and allows us to express our style and personality. Yet many people are unaware that investing in office art is worthwhile for more than just aesthetic reasons. A wall hanging in the office has numerous positive ‘side effects’ that go far beyond simply being a thing of beauty. Artwork for the office leads to improved concentration, greater motivation, a more sociable working atmosphere and reduced stress amongst your staff, and is also a sound investment. In this article, you’ll discover the reasons behind this and the easiest way to start building an art collection for your office.

Focused, creative and motivated at work

Art in the office offers not only purely aesthetic benefits but also cognitive and creative advantages. Artwork in the office and at the workplace, for example, fosters creativity amongst staff. Vibrant colours, dynamic shapes or detailed drawings provide fresh inspiration for innovative ideas. This is because office art encourages people to break out of routines and everyday life and view problems from a new perspective.

Furthermore, office artwork has a positive effect on motivation and the ability to concentrate. Having pictures in our office environment improves our emotional state and stimulates different parts of the brain, making us more motivated to perform. Studies have shown that looking at art activates the prefrontal cortex. This area of the brain is responsible for processing information, making decisions and solving complex problems. Office wall art therefore enables us to work more effectively and with greater ease by boosting creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Consequently, office art also improves staff motivation.

Social and emotional benefits of office art

Artwork for the office not only looks attractive and boosts our creative problem-solving skills, it also supports our emotional and social regulation. Office artwork has positive effects, such as improved collaboration, increased well-being and a positive working atmosphere. The design of the workplace should therefore not be left to chance.

Research shows that looking at art can trigger the release of the ‘happiness hormone’ dopamine and activate our reward system, putting us in a good mood. Office art helps us to reduce negative emotions such as sadness or anxiety and to amplify positive feelings such as joy or euphoria. Furthermore, viewing art engages the limbic system, which is also responsible for emotions and memory. Office art therefore stimulates positive emotions, resulting in increased well-being and improved memory function. Stimulating positive emotions also helps to reduce stress. In the long term, this promotes good health and helps to prevent burnout. Designing the workplace artistically and incorporating office art creates an appealing, calming atmosphere in which we work more effectively.

Another reason to hang pictures in the office is that it encourages greater willingness to communicate. A piece of art on the wall is a quick conversation starter, which facilitates dialogue amongst colleagues and leads to stronger social bonds within the team. This lowers the barrier to asking colleagues for support when you’re stuck on a project, and everyone benefits from each other’s expertise. As a result, work can be carried out more efficiently and with better results. The importance of decorating the office reception area and workspaces with office art should therefore not be underestimated, as it helps to benefit from improved collaboration and a positive working atmosphere.

Subtly conveying corporate identity

In addition to the positive cognitive, social and health effects that office art has on staff, artwork in the office can also help to create a certain atmosphere and convey values. In a pleasantly subtle way, this visualises the corporate identity. Stylish office art enhances the working environment and lends the office spaces character and personality, making employees feel more valued.

The most obvious way in which artworks convey meaning is through their motifs. Serene landscapes, dynamic body movements or abstract forms trigger strong associations in all of us. However, the colours and materials used in office art also send a message. The colour red, for example, attracts attention and is associated with strength and passion. However, it can also evoke feelings of anger or aggression. Blue, on the other hand, radiates calm, objectivity and level-headedness. For many, yellow lifts the spirits, whilst green symbolises hope, security and a connection to nature. The choice of materials also plays a role in the impression conveyed by office artwork. A photograph framed in wood conveys a sense of classic composure, whilst a multi-layered collage suggests a greater willingness to take risks and a spirit of innovation.

Personal interpretations naturally vary subjectively depending on the viewer and their individual experiences and preferences. Nevertheless, there are psychological associations with motifs and colours that have been shown to be similar for many people. Ultimately, when selecting images for the office, the key considerations should be the corporate values they represent, what resonates most with staff, and whether they help create a pleasant atmosphere.

Designing an office with art – where should I start?

Paintings for the office should be chosen carefully. It is important to bear in mind the values the company stands for and the atmosphere you wish to convey. For a young start-up focused on innovation, modern motifs and abstract works might be a good choice, such as those by Leonel Perez, Eva Lause or Ollie Gandul Reyes. For an employer where social, human interaction is central, paintings featuring bright, friendly colours or human figures might be appropriate – for example, by Julia von Solemacher, Felix Dörrenbecher, Pauline Pete or Frederick Reifsteck. Ultimately, the office artworks should reflect and represent the company’s style. Furthermore, the artworks for the office must suit the specific layout of the space and the lighting conditions.

Finding the right office artworks is easy with our online gallery, the Student Art Market, as the works can be filtered according to specific criteria such as subject, technique, artist or size. Our artists are promising talents who are at the start of their careers. So, by making a purchase, you’re not only supporting young artists but also gaining access to a wide selection of originals in a variety of styles at fair prices. The artworks are therefore also suitable as investments with high potential for appreciation (find out more about art as an investment HERE). If you’re unsure which artworks would suit your office best, we can provide you with a free art consultation. This means nothing stands in the way of adding artistic flair to your workspace, and you’ll soon be able to see for yourself the positive effects of these artworks.