Most of us have seen a fair share of boring office decor. The generic prints or trite watercolors in faux wooden frames that grace plain walls above neutral colored chairs our couches are sights that may not offend but fail to impress.
Luckily, it is easy to improve upon the typical scenery in an office. Even just adding one original painting in the waiting room is enough to generate excited chatter over the watercooler and will make a valuable impression on potential clients or prospective partners who visit. Your employees will thank you for improving office aesthetics; according to The Guardian, hanging attractive artwork in the office can boost productivity and lower stress. The following are seven things original paintings in your office will say about you and your company.
Success
If you can afford to hang original artwork in your office, you must be doing something right. This, at least, is what a visitor is likely to think. He or she might wonder, “If this is the kind of artwork he hangs in his office, I wonder what he has in his home.”
This can be meant, of course, in a negative sense with the example above, but if you hang stunning original artwork, your visitor is likely to imagine a luxurious home, an impeccably manicured garden, and a summer place in the Hamptons. The bottom line is that hanging fine original artwork in your office communicates success and can foster respect for your company.
Sophistication
An original painting says that you are sophisticated, educated, and are refined. This is a particular advantage if your company sells high-end products or premium services for affluent clients. Fine artwork says that you are someone they could have an intelligent conversation with over a five-course meal in a French restaurant, and establishes a rapport with educated and well-traveled clients.
Priorities
Great art demonstrates that you are not just interested in making money and recognize that things of the mind and spirit are also worth paying attention to. You will seem like a well-balanced person who establishes the right priorities in your life rather than just working and measuring revenues.
Human Touch
A common perception of art is that it tends to humanize and allows us to make sense of our perceptions and emotions. Original artwork tells the viewer that you care about how people feel. This includes your customers, partners, clients, and employees. Art conveys the notion that you are someone who can be trusted and who deals with people fairly.
Aesthetics
Compelling artwork shows that aesthetics is important to you and your company. This message is crucial if you are in advertising, design, or another field that emphasizes visuals or the arts. The fact that you care enough to put fine artwork in your office reflects the effort you put into the aesthetics of your finished product.
Global Vision
Artwork that depicts underrepresented cultures demonstrates a commitment to a global vision. If your company is expanding into new markets or provides services to stimulate emerging economies, original artwork from around the world reflects your commitment to broadening your scope.
Impression
Fine art work on your walls shows that you care about the impression you make. If your company is an advertising firm, this is important and is certainly useful in other industries as well. A potential partner wants to know if they can count on you to project a positive image and your concern for the impression your art makes supports that.
It is easy to take the paint-by-numbers approach to designing your office (well, maybe not literally), but consider instead investing in original artwork and making it the focus of your office. In a study by Cass Business School, 80% of employees said art has some influence on how they feel at the office. Investing in artwork in the office is a powerful investment, and the impression you make will be worth it.
