The power of color in design
BLOG COLOR IN DESIGN
In the world of interior architecture, color isn’t just an aesthetic choice. It’s a spatial tool that shapes how we feel, behave, and move through a space. For architects and designers, understanding the psychological and emotional impact of color is essential to creating environments that support wellbeing, clarity, and identity.
"Colors act on the soul, they can excite sensations, awaken emotions of ideas that rest or agitate us and cause sadness or joy."
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Theory of Colours (1810)
Color as an emotional and functional tool
From Goethe’s early theories to today’s scientific studies, color psychology consistently shows that color influences mood, focus, and even physical health. Warm tones can energize a space and encourage interaction, while cooler hues like green and blue promote calm and clarity. This is especially important in schools, hospitals, and offices.
Beyond mood, color also shapes how a space functions. It guides movement, improves accessibility, and subtly influences behavior. Color-coded way-finding floors in hospitals or strong wall-to-floor contrasts in dementia-friendly designs are just a few examples. Understanding these emotional and behavioral associations is key to creating spaces that feel as good as they function.
Flooring: the foundation of interior color design
Flooring is one of the most important surfaces in any room. It grounds the design and plays a big role in how a space feels and functions. Because people interact with the floor more than any other surface, it becomes a key way to turn color theory into something real and practical.
We believe flooring is an essential part of every interior color palette. A soft green floor in a hospital corridor can support both healing and way-finding. A vibrant red floor in an active zone, such as a school breakout area or a creative workspace, can stimulate energy and encourage movement.
When combined with the right material, color can help create calm, signal safety, or boost energy. Flooring also defines different areas, improves acoustics, and helps guide people through a space using both color and texture. That’s how it supports spaces that are functional and emotionally engaging at the same time.
Color in practice: the Dynamics of a Building
To apply color psychology with purpose, Forbo Flooring developed the Dynamics of a Building framework. It breaks interiors down into five core space types, each with distinct emotional needs and design goals.
Receiving
These include lobbies and reception areas. As the transition between outdoors and indoors, they benefit from natural colors — green, blue, and yellow — that reflect nature, sky, and sunlight. These tones build a sense of calm and connection, especially when paired with glass to maintain visual links with the outside. Receiving areas are also perfect for expressing brand identity through color, helping the space feel both welcoming and recognizable.
Moving
Corridors and transitional spaces should support orientation and flow. Color guides people naturally, especially when used alongside signage, floor markers, or simple symbols. Vibrant accents can highlight routes or signal different levels or departments. In large buildings such as schools or hospitals, this makes way-finding easier and more intuitive.
Connecting
Interaction, collaboration, and informal breaks happen in these areas — from lounges to shared breakout zones. Color zoning can subtly
define these spots without walls, especially in open-plan layouts. A layered palette combining warm tones with cooler hues creates a balanced environment that encourages both conversation and comfort.
Concentrating
Workspaces, study zones, or consultation rooms call for calm, low-stimulation palettes. Soft greens and blues promote focus, productivity, and a sense of peace. These tones minimise distractions and help people stay mentally centered, which is particularly valuable in professional and educational settings.
Recharging
Lounges and wellness areas offer moments of pause. These spaces benefit from soft, nature-inspired colors like pastels, turquoise, and neutrals. These tones reduce stress and promote emotional recovery, especially when combined with tactile materials and soft lighting. Color helps signal that this is a space for slowing down and taking a breath.
This framework helps designers align color choices with purpose. The result is spaces that are not only well organized but also emotionally in tune with how people feel and function.
Color as a design philosophy
While trends in interior color evolve, the connection between color and wellbeing remains strong. Goethe viewed color as a mirror of emotion, and that philosophy still shapes how designers work today. Color is no longer just about aesthetics. It's also about supporting human needs, improving accessibility, and designing for health and inclusion.
Flooring plays a major part in this. As one of the most continuous and visible surfaces in a space, the floor carries the color palette from one zone to the next. It defines transitions, supports navigation, and sets the emotional tone. Whether you're designing for a hospital, office, school, or public space, the colors you choose for flooring express identity, guide movement, and influence the way people feel.
Want to dive deeper?
We’ve captured all of these insights, along with practical examples, scientific references, and design inspiration, in our whitepaper 'Designing with Color'. Developed in collaboration with color expert Mélanie Bernard, it offers a comprehensive guide for architects, designers, and anyone exploring the connection between color, space, and wellbeing.
Read or download the whitepaper here
