The Psychology of Space: How Workspace Impacts Focus
We spend nearly 37 hours a week in offices – and, like an environment, these spaces profoundly influence our wellbeing and productivity.
Architecture, lighting, layout, and even colour palette don’t just set the scene – they literally shape our mental performance. When you’re in a beautifully and thoughtfully designed workspace like Grafter, you’ll find your capacity to concentrate, create, and thrive expands.
Let’s explore how you can use your premium workspace to your benefit each and every day.
Lighting: Daylight Is Your Cognitive Ally
We all know that access to natural light supports alertness, mood and even creativity (this VR‑and‑EEG study that confirmed brain engagement increases measurably under optimal daylight conditions). So, how can you best use natural light to your advantage when it comes to the workday?
Tips for your workspace:
Position your desk near a window – even indirect daylight helps.
Choose warm, daylight‑balanced LEDs if you’re in a room without external light.
Visit Grafter’s brightly lit lounge space with big windows for those afternoon energy dips (or better yet, take an afternoon phone call in one of our sundrenched courtyards!)
Layout: Balance Collaboration and Focus
Open-plan offices were once hailed as a productivity game-changer…but you’ve probably experienced what recent studies reveal: noise, distraction, and burnout can overwhelm the benefits of an open-plan layout.
It’s important to have access to the team-at-large, but modern “activity-based” working environments might be best for collaboration and productivity. Flexible workspaces and coworking hubs have this concept built in, combining quiet zones with space to connect and collaborate to offer flexibility that supports different cognitive needs.
Quick wins for focus:
Use Grafter’s phone booths or book a small meeting room for deep focus work.
Schedule collaborative days in shared lounges and focus days in quiet areas.
Equip yourself with noise-cancelling headphones – your mind will thank you!
Ergonomics and Spatial Organisation
Ever wonder why you aren’t exactly focused after working through that 4-hour proposal in an uncomfortable café chair? Ergonomics could have something to do with it.
Poor chairs and cluttered desks lead to fatigue, sore backs, and broken concentration. Luckily, opting for ergonomic office set ups can improve efficiency by up to 17%!
You upgrade your standard office furniture with a moderate investment…or opt to work from Grafter, where each of our private office suites is fully-equipped with ergonomic chairs, sit-stand desks for better back support, and lockable pedestals to keep your space decluttered.
Colour and Interior Psychology
Colours aren’t just aesthetic – they alter mood and focus. According to colour psychology, blue tones tend to enhance calm and concentration, while warm shades like yellow can foster energy and sociability.
You can use colour to you and your team’s advantage. Try to incorporate these shades in your workspace:
Try blue-toned stationery or backgrounds for deep-focus tasks.
Use warm tones in shared areas to energise conversation and creativity (or, stop by our inviting co-working lounges!).
Rotate small décor items according to task (e.g. vibrant for brainstorming, calming for planning).
Biophilic Elements: Bring Nature Indoors
There are a number of reasons your weekend hike feels a little less stressful than your Monday morning meeting. And one of those is the presence of natural elements.
Biophilic design is the integration of plants, water features, or natural textures in interior design. Design that taps into our innate affinity with nature boosts creativity, reduces stress, and sharpens focus.
Integrating plants, water features or natural textures taps into our innate affinity with nature. Biophilic design boosts creativity, reduces stress and sharpens focus.
At Grafter, we incorporate live greenery for fresh thinking throughout our buildings – especially in our landmark Smyth House, which features central atrium hanging plants and skylight.
Acoustic Control and Quiet Computing
While we all enjoy a space that allows us to connect with our colleagues, constant chatter can slash focus. Different tasks (and different employees!) require different environments.
Provide opportunities for everyone’s best work with a variety of private, quiet areas such as sound-dampened phone booths or meeting pods. Consider scheduling dedicated office “quiet hours”, when mutual silence is encouraged.
If you really need to have that chin wag, Grafter’s kitchens and co-working lounges are ideal for casual connecting away from focused work.
Sense of Control & Personalisation
Having some say over your space improves wellbeing and productivity – a University of Exeter study reported 32% more output when workers customised their environments.
Make your desk your own:
Bring a photo or small plant to personalise while respecting shared space.
Use a backup monitor or lamp if permitted.
Reserve a "favourite spot" in the lounge where you'd like to work regularly.
Proximity & Social Connection
One of the biggest benefits of a flexible workspace is creating a schedule that works for your routine, your business, and your lifestyle. We all love a #wfh day (there’s something so satisfying about ticking off work tasks and the laundry), but carving out time for face-to-face connection and collaboration fosters social bonding.
Tip: Pop in to your coworking space once or twice a week to maintain team vibe, pitch ideas face‑to‑face, or even mentor a neighbour over tea.
Workspace design isn’t one-size-fits-all. Whether you’re writing code, crunching numbers, facilitating workshops, or coaching colleagues – the shape of your space should match the shape of your task.
Try experimenting with light, layout, acoustics and colour; observe what boosts your flow and what drains it. A well-designed workspace isn’t just a venue – it’s a space that can support your best success.
We’ve carefully curated our Grafter buildings to blend productivity, collaboration, and creativity through intuitive architecture and interiors – because excellent design isn’t an afterthought. It’s central to purpose-driven work. Book a tour and discover the space that speaks your way of working.