Colour, according to the report from Children in Scotland and the International Futures Forum, “has a significant effect on mood and atmosphere”.
Yellow, beige or off-white can stimulate learning, while light blue, green and lavender can be calming. Some vibrant colours can be “overexciting and have a negative effect”.
Good lighting has “a powerful effect on the atmosphere of a space”. Natural daylight is preferable but window blinds are important for viewing whiteboards and computer screens.
High-frequency fluorescent lighting is recommended but down-lighting is not because of the shadows it casts.