Colour wheel spins a few yarns

The designer’s oh-so-familiar environment of high tech blacks, greys and brushed aluminium is out, and that’s official.

According to consumer psychologist Dr David Lewis, who has participated in a survey for office product manufacturer Avery Dennison, the colour favoured most by Londoners is terracotta, representing individuals who may not be seen as imaginative by their colleagues.

Stereotypes flourish. Female office workers yearn for subtle greens and soft blues, the colours associated with loyalty and caring.

Blokes, on the other hand, just ache for onyx and dove grey, the colours associated “with status-conscious individuals – those who expect to be admired for their elegance and style”.

Red triumphed in Yorkshire and the north east, suggesting the regions are restless and eager to get ahead in life. Welsh people enjoy romance and cuddles by a blazing fire, if their choice of fuchsia is anything to go by.

But what about those who want plain cream or white offices? It simply doesn’t appear to be an option.