The Importance of Colour and Biophilia in the Workplace – Designing with Feeling and Function
During Clerkenwell Design Week 2025, Umbrella and Wagstaff hosted a thoughtful and energised panel, titled “The Importance of Colour and Biophilia in the Workplace.” The conversation was part of the official CDW programme and was moderated by Design Insider’s Editorial Director, Alys Bryan.
Panellists Emma Bestley, Co-Founder and Creative Partner of YesColours; Dirk Wynants, Founder of Extremis; Pål Eid-Hviding, Head of Marketing at Fora Form; and Sam McCarthy, Head of Major Projects at PlantPlan, brought diverse expertise to the table—from product and planting to psychological design theory and commercial strategy.
Together, they explored how colour and biophilia—far from being decorative afterthoughts—are becoming vital tools in shaping workplaces that support engagement, performance, and inclusivity. Against a backdrop of hybrid work and growing wellbeing awareness, the conversation unpacked the emotional, environmental, and strategic value of these design elements, drawing on real-world examples from furniture, planting, architecture, and product design.
Reframing the Why Behind Colour and Biophilia
Biophilia and colour are no longer “nice-to-haves” in commercial design—they’re central to making offices that support engagement, creativity, and wellness.
“Biophilia has shifted from aesthetic to functional,” said Sam McCarthy. “It’s not just about adding plants. It’s about how we use greenery to shape zones for focus, for calm, for interaction.”
For Emma Bestley of YesColours, the emotional and physiological impact of colour was first revealed during lockdown, when clients sought help to transform their sterile home environments into nurturing workspaces. “We saw people cry when we helped them pick a colour for their living room-turned-office. That’s how deep colour goes—it grounds you.”
Wynants stressed that our brains are hardwired for this. “We’ve gone from Homo sapiens to Homo ‘office-ens’ in two generations. But our biology hasn’t caught up. We crave connection to nature, variety, safety—just like we always have.”
From left to right: Alys Bryan, Editorial Director, Design Insider; Sam McCarthy, Head of Major Projects at PlantPlan; Dirk Wynants, Founder of Extremis; Pål Eid-Hviding, Head of Marketing at Fora Form
Designing for Psychological Safety and Inclusion
So what does inclusive, emotionally intelligent design actually look like?
“Choice is critical,” said McCarthy. “People need the ability to move through different zones—quiet corners for restoration, social nooks for connection. Biophilia supports that choice subtly but powerfully.”
But it’s not just about zoning. The subtleties of colour and finish matter too. Bestley emphasised the importance of reflective value: “Too much light bounce from a wall or a too-saturated tone can overstimulate someone—especially if they’re neurodivergent. We’re researching this constantly.”
Furniture, added Eid-Hviding, must be matched to both task and temperament. “You can offer people three seating options, but if they all support the same posture or energy level, there’s no real choice. Function must support emotion.”
Dirk Wynants offered a succinct reminder: “Inclusive doesn’t mean bland. It means intuitive. Create a space where anyone can find their rhythm—then you’ve got something.”
From left to right: Dirk Wynants, Founder of Extremis; Pål Eid-Hviding, Head of Marketing at Fora Form; Emma Bestley, Co-Founder and Creative Partner of YesColours
The Science Behind Colour—and Its Surprising Heroes
While greens and yellows are long associated with nature and positivity, Bestley highlighted a less expected champion: lilac.
“Soft purples are incredibly effective in creative spaces. Yahoo Japan used lilac tones in their innovation labs and reported a 65% boost in creative thinking. We’ve used similar tones in branding agencies to great success.” She added: “Pastel palettes are expressive without being overwhelming. You get emotional clarity without the fatigue.”
Eid-Hviding echoed the importance of tailoring colour to context: “For our new chair Bud, we had to rethink our whole palette. It was too subdued. We needed colours that felt like joy—greens, yellows, reds. That’s when the product came alive.”
Biophilia Beyond the Aesthetic: Movement, Texture, and Time
Plants bring more than greenery. They bring movement, sound, tactility, and change.
McCarthy explained: “We use dense plants like bird of paradise to create restorative zones. Lighter, open plants encourage collaboration. And don’t forget texture—mimicking a walk through nature, not just decorating with leaves.”
He stressed that dynamic lighting also plays a role. “Circadian-responsive lighting systems that change throughout the day can support hormones, energy, and mood. They’re still expensive—but they’re coming.”
And biophilia isn’t just about looking alive. It is alive. “Plants grow. They need care. That’s a feature, not a bug,” said McCarthy. “They show that the space is cared for too.”
Design Lessons from Outside the Office
The conversation turned to lessons borrowed from other sectors—particularly education, residential, and even healthcare.
Bestley cited YesColours’ work on secondary school staff counselling rooms: “We always ask teachers and students what colours feel safe. The answer is never grey. It’s always soft yellow or green—colours with empathy.”
Wynants added that evolutionary instincts offer surprising clarity: “In nature, we seek shelter, height variation, a sense of lookout. That hasn’t changed. Designing comfort is partly about mimicking these primitive instincts—just updated for today.”
McCarthy shared a playful example of applying emotional safety in office design: “One client let staff pick a different plant each day from a central ‘plant library’ to put on their desks. It gave them control, and a little joy—without disrupting the overall design vision.”
Collaboration Is Key: Designers + Suppliers
What makes biophilic and colour-led design work? Strong collaboration.
“Early engagement is essential,” said McCarthy. “Too often we’re brought in after the layout is finalised—then we’re asked to place plants where they can’t survive.”
Bestley agreed. “Our conversations with designers are emotional before they’re aesthetic. It’s about trust. Let’s start from how people want to feel, and we’ll get to the palette together.”
Eid-Hviding added a product-side perspective: “In contract furniture, your brand identity is secondary. What matters is helping the client’s people feel they belong. That takes humility—and flexibility.”
Let’s Talk ROI: It’s Time
One of the most grounded parts of the panel? Return on investment.
“Yes, it’s emotional—but it’s also measurable,” said Wynants. “Lower sick days. Better retention. Higher productivity. You don’t need to guess anymore.”
Bestley added: “When we surveyed users post-project, the emotional response to colour was profound. They felt better, stayed longer, were prouder of their space. That’s ROI—even if it’s hard to quantify.”
PlantPlan is now developing a digital tool for designers that aligns budget, square footage, and biophilic impact metrics—giving clients the data they need to invest with confidence.
“Design is becoming data-driven,” said McCarthy. “We all know biophilia and colour make people happier. Now let’s prove it.”
Final Thoughts: Designing for Feelings, Not Just Functions
As the panel closed, each speaker shared what colour and biophilia enable them to do in their work:
Emma Bestley:
“We’re not just using colour—we’re designing how people feel, every day. That’s powerful.”
Dirk Wynants:
“We’re not designing furniture. We’re designing emotional landscapes.”
Pål Eid-Hviding:
“Our job is to make identity felt—to help people belong.”
Sam McCarthy:
“People don’t want to be mandated back to the office. It’s up to design to nudge them there—with feeling.”
This rich, cross-disciplinary conversation affirmed that workplace design is no longer about desks and walls—it’s about psychology, experience, and emotion. From colour psychology to biophilic functionality, the panel called for a human-centred, data-aware, and emotionally intelligent approach to design.
This discussion is also featured in our Clerkenwell Design Week Trend Report, sponsored by Vescom, available here.
Let’s not just design spaces. Let’s design how they feel!
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