Colour in Your Design? Convince Your Client with Facts, Not Taste
Do you have a strong design proposal in which colour plays a key role, but hesitate to present it? You are not alone. Many designers fear the debate about taste and budget, allowing valuable opportunities for a better public realm to slip away.
Summary
Discover how to shift the conversation on colour from a subjective debate to a strategic dialogue about performance, safety and long-term value. This guide offers concrete, data-driven arguments to help you convince a client or municipality of the functional benefits of colour in your project. Learn how to turn the question “what does that extra colour cost?” into “what does this investment in colour deliver?”.
Stop Defending Colour — Start Proving It
Every designer knows the moment. The plans for that park or square are ready, the materials are chosen, and then the colour discussion starts. A brightly coloured bench, a subtle accent on a railing or a contrasting pavement zone can transform a design from good to remarkable. Yet the fear of client reaction often prevails: “Isn’t that too bold?” “Will the maintenance team approve?” “Can we afford it?”.
These questions stem not from resistance but from a lack of clear reasoning. You do not convince a client with a colour fan, but with a transparent business case. Below you will find three solid arguments to present your colour plan not as a cost, but as a smart, profitable investment.
Argument 1 : Frame Colour as an Investment in Social Safety
The perception of safety in public space is a top priority for every city, municipality and neighbourhood. Where a dark, anonymous alley feels unsafe, a bright, readable space invites people to stay.
Colour can be an unexpectedly effective tool for inclusive, accessible design.
- Visibility and Legibility : well-chosen colours and visual contrast improve the visibility of objects such as benches, bollards and kerbs. This helps not only people with visual impairments but enhances general spatial readability, especially at dusk.
- Positive Atmosphere and Social Control : a lively, well-maintained environment attracts more people. Increased activity leads to more informal social control, strengthening the sense of safety and discouraging vandalism.
- Functional Lighting : the light-reflectance value (LRV) of colours affects the efficiency of urban lighting. Light surfaces reflect more light, creating safer, brighter spaces with the same luminaires. Integrated lighting in coloured furniture can highlight contours and routes at night.
Knowledge that Makes the Difference:
Colour can measurably enhance safety, but which LRV values are required to include this argument in a specification or design brief? The whitepaper is your guide, complete with example values and references (e.g. ISO 21542) to strengthen your case.
Argument 2 : Translate Aesthetics into Measurable Use and Liveability
A clients seek results. A beautiful square is an opinion. A square that is demonstrably better used is a measurable success, and a direct gain in liveability. Colour is the catalyst that accelerates this process.
- From Transit Zone to Meeting Place : inviting, colourful seating and play zones encourage people to pause, rest and meet, turning anonymous corridors into dynamic social areas.
- Identity and Pride (City Branding) : consistent, thoughtful colour use, for example in wayfinding, reinforces the identity of a district, campus or municipality. It builds recognition and a sense of pride among residents and visitors.
- Behavioural Guidance Without Signage — Functional colour zones on the ground intuitively define areas for play, relaxation, sport or circulation, guiding behaviour positively without extra signage or physical barriers.
Knowledge that Makes the Difference:
Demonstrating increased use is a powerful argument. But how do you design a comfortable seating area that, thanks to a high Solar Reflectance Index (SRI), remains pleasant even on hot summer days? Download the whitepaper for a practical guide with specifications for thermally comfortable outdoor spaces.
Argument 3 : Turn Maintenance Concerns into a Plan for Smart Management
The most common worry from technical services is extra work: “Coloured furniture fades faster — what about graffiti and repairs?” This concern is valid only if maintenance is not considered from the design stage onwards.
- Designed for Repair, Not Replacement : modern street furniture is modular. Choosing components that can be replaced individually, such as slats or seats, turns repairs into quick, low-cost actions rather than full replacements, reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
- The Power of the Right Coating : a high-quality duplex system (hot-dip galvanising + powder coating) ensures long-term corrosion resistance, even in high-exposure environments. A lightly textured coating can visually mask small scratches.
- Predictable Management : a professional maintenance logbook recording all colour codes, batch numbers and coating details allows easy reordering or touch-up work years later, eliminating guesswork and reducing failure costs.
Knowledge that Makes the Difference:
Smart management is the key to sustainable agreement. How can you specify replaceability and coating quality correctly in your tender documents? The whitepaper compiles all practical guidelines, example clauses and maintenance references you need.
Ready to Win Every Conversation on Colour with Confidence and Data?
Stop defending your designs on taste; start underpinning them with facts. The whitepaper “Colour that Performs” is your complete guide to turning colour into your most strategic design tool.
Further Reading
- • Discover the mostCommon Mistakes to Avoid to protect your next project.
- • Follow ourStappenplan for a structured approach from context analysis to specification.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
By shifting the conversation from subjective taste to measurable performance. The Servibo approach presents colour as a proven investment in social safety, liveability and smart management. This you can find fully detailed in our guide Colour that Performs.
Strong arguments are built on data and functionality: improved safety through better visibility, increased use and meeting behaviour, and intuitive wayfinding without signage. The Servibo method links these benefits to measurable indicators explained in the whitepaper.
The ROI (Return on Investment) is primarily social rather than financial. Gains include a higher sense of safety, stronger community identity and greater space utilisation. Servibo’s vision translates these soft benefits into hard arguments that policymakers understand.
Colour increases safety through contrast and clarity. Light colours and smart contrasts (LRV values) make obstacles and edges more visible, especially at dusk. A more readable, lively environment attracts people, enhancing informal social control, one of Servibo’s key insights.
Assign a consistent accent colour to a specific route or function. This creates intuitive, language-free guidance. Servibo’s strategy establishes a clear visual hierarchy within the palette, that is illustrated with practical examples in Colour that Performs.
Start with a thorough context and function analysis before choosing any colour. This avoids arbitrary decisions. The Servibo step-by-step method, from context to specification, offers a clear framework, explained in detail in the guide.
Other Questions?
Do you have additional questions or would you like personal advice on the application of add-on benches in your city or municipality? Our team is ready to think along with you and recommend the right solution. Click below on Contact Us and discover how together we can future-proof your public space.