Hello Yellow: Work space in Kerala by Humming Tree

Our concept was to have an office space that has a design language of contemporary art galleries. We did not want to make something having complex aesthetics. The office has linear planning of about 1010 sq.ft, a small workspace, with an amazing sun-kissed reception area facing west. Next to it is the waiting lounge with Prussian blue couch dividing the small workspace consisting of 4 workstation table. Ahead of it is the cabin for the manager and a beautiful, mirror reflecting the conference room bringing the outdoor greens in making the most of pleasant ambient daylight, which in turn saves a lot of electricity.

Working with a concept of having this mustard yellow on all 3 dimensions was a huge tough call and one needs to be bold when making decisions. However, our fav, blue Jeff Koon’s dog, in the reception, balances out the color perfectly, making it look like it’s just straight out of a storybook.

As soon as one enters the office, they receive a punch of reception area with all it’s 3 dimensions dipped in yellow, this gives a visual delight, a sense of happy summers. Moving in, the palette slowly shifts between blacks, whites, and a glimpse of green giving the workspace depth. Overall space just elevates the mood as we happen to say “Hello Yellow!“

All of the above colors go hand in hand in interior design schemes, we wanted to somehow break the vibe of yellow, which can be overpowering at times and have control in the color palette. Office interior design is not just about furniture and ambiance but it is much more than that. We have to deeply understand how all of these colors could co-exist together creating a uniform balance within the interiors.

So everything in this office is light, airy, bright, and uplifting. Conference being the favorite one primarily because of the natural daylight streaming in with lush green being reflected on either side. Most of the meetings happen here round the clock so the green helps to relax one’s mind in being zen. This also motivates a positive mindset.

The conference table is custom built with pearl white tabletop. We also have these amazing lights which are dynamic and are called angled lights centered above the conference table – (Kindly see the attached GIF). It is our other customized lights, made to that exclusive 40cm length, which can be adjusted according to different angles, in a single click creating interesting patterns in the room. The jet black color detail is love. The passage leading to the conference room is adorned with some really cool mid-century photo frames on the wall and cacti.

Cacti fill the whole space really nice and different, setting a good color palette. San Pedro cactus is our bae for the season, we always like to experiment with the interior landscape of a place. Very few designers use cacti out here in India as a potential element in design & we love to give new elements a try. We have used tropical plants in most of our previous projects and when we studied about San Pedro, we found it is locally available in Kerala. One of the most beautiful landscape elements we have come across, easy to grow, and maintain. It also looks amazing in interiors and creates a perfect contrast to yellow walls.

They were very sure and clear from the beginning that they did not want to see any junk or paperwork or mess. So we have concealed rectangular storage cabinets in the workstation as a solution, which in turn looks minimal and neat.

The initial layout had a lot of walls and was literally covered, so we had to break open a few verticals to sweep the light in. We have provided huge glass openings to allow ample daylight and minimize the use of power during the day. These openings have large over hangings to reduce extreme heat gain or direct sunlight providing amazing workspace experiences for the team. We understood that mature scaling and sensitive spaces are important for any organizations.

The main idea was to allow the greens into space and we have the south wall cladding entirely with a mirror which helps reflect the rich green from outdoors to the indoors and also making space look a lot bigger than it actually is. What’s more, the client intended to fill the room with greens and we have both walls acting as greens literally. The whites and yellows harmonize with the greens, creating an ever-changing colorful landscape. We have used cacti of various heights throughout the interiors to create contrast which in turn adds an edge to the background. The display TV unit has been extended and made a part of the design to accommodate the setup box cleverly.

Speaking of decors, this office clothes in old mid-century art photographs which often indicates what was fashionable at this time. The famous American artist, Jeff Koon and his sculpted dog popularly known as, Jeff Koon's dog designed in stainless steel with the mirror-finish surface, sitting on the reception table speaks of art & vibrancy. The Eames crow on the conference table is designed by Charles and Ray Eames and is known primarily for its elegant shape and dark color.

The entrance in the workspace follows the standard layout of a reception and a colored ceiling. The other side is stripped back vinyl flooring with everything exposed and a complementary color couch, and marble wall hanging plates featured on a white finished wall adds to a perfect craft. This creates a pleasant, fresh & crisp feeling office on one face and then an edgy and contrast feeling office reception on the other.

We love everything about Eames, as designers, I believe everyone looks up to them for their timeless pieces & unique iteration. So we thought it would be perfect for us to have one of their designs out there.

The Takeaways

A - Boring plain walls with no art? Life is just too short for that!

B – Go Bold or Go home! Office spaces with unique interior features will always add spark to the conversation and give the overall experience a distinct vibe that makes feel both employees and guests feel special and connect with the business better.

C – Always & always dip greens and landscape out in office spaces like 10/10, it not only adds charm but has lot of positive benefits.

D – Lastly, make sure there is something unique feature designed in any of the spot in the office so people talk about it and this becomes a good branding for the office itself.