November 27, 2025
Banish the Office Winter Blues With A Suntory-Style Redesign
As northern winter looms, many of us are dragging our feet through a murky commute to the dingy office. A place that does nothing to boost the mood, whatever the camaraderie and work ethic. But this corporate-driven blandness part of the employee experience doesn’t have to stay like that.
Design studio Area calls the approach for its new offices at Suntory Beverage & Food’s new 27,000 square foot headquarters at ARC Uxbridge, “dopamine décor.”
Inspired by dopamine dressing, the design uses colour, light and texture to stimulate the brain’s reward system so people feel more energised and positive in the spaces where they work.
Be Bright Like Lucozade
The Lucozade meeting space channels the energy of sport and performance, wrapped in bold colour and dynamic graphic lines. Ribena’s room, by contrast, offers a tactile, nature-inspired setting, complete with a green wall and rich purple textures that reference the drink’s fruity roots.
“Workplace design has moved beyond function and flexibility. It is now about emotion,” says Jordy Dent, Creative Director at Area. “Dopamine décor is our way of combining colour psychology, light and texture so people genuinely feel better during the working day, especially through the darker months.”
- These spaces are designed to spark creativity while connecting teams to the company’s iconic brands, and ‘living joyfully’ philosophy.
- Coral and citrus tones drawn from the drinks portfolio, replacing the familiar grey, minimalist palette we often see in offices today.
- Daylight flooded collaboration zones to support circadian rhythm and focus, biophilic materials and tactile finishes that create a more sensory, calming environment.
“Colour and light have moved beyond aesthetics,” adds Dent. “They’re part of how we feel. Dopamine décor reminds us that good design should lift our mood, not just serve a purpose.”
While your brand colours might not be as cheery as Lucozade’s, there’s nothing to stop your business splashing out on some colour (in moderation) as part of a well-thought out or cleverly-planned redesign.
Avoiding the SAD Times
As darker months set in, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and low mood are increasingly part of the workplace wellbeing conversation, helping to boost the employee experience.
Dopamine décor offers a design-led response combining aesthetics and neuroscience to encourage a more positive atmosphere during the winter period and beyond.
