Why Nature Works: Insights from Branded Spaces
Working with commercial interior designers and brand teams over the past eight years, we’ve gathered a range of useful insights—from both clients and the people who use these spaces day to day. We’ve produced and installed everything from large comic-strip panels and geometric graphics to city skylines, hand-painted motifs, close-up florals, and expansive landscapes.
Every space tells a story—and for brands, that story needs to be both intentional and visible. While graphic wallpaper has its place, we’ve found that photographic murals often connect more deeply with users. They can shift perception, create mood, and support the overall brand narrative in a way that feels natural and immersive.
We respond to nature instinctively. As humans, we’ve evolved in open landscapes—grasslands, forests, coastlines—and we still carry a positive, often subconscious, response to those environments. That makes natural imagery a powerful design tool. It’s not just decorative—it’s psychological. For branded interiors, that means creating spaces that feel right, not just look good.
Top Tips for Using Wall Art in Branded Environments
•Use horizon lines in confined areas – These extend visual space, reduce tension, and support a calm, open feel—ideal for reception zones or waiting areas.
•Be intentional with colour – Soft tones can reflect calm, professionalism, or care. Bold colours communicate energy and attitude—great for youth-facing brands or social spaces.
•Support your brand values with material references – A company rooted in sustainability might use natural textures, forests or outdoor scenes. A performance brand might lean into bold, structured imagery.
•Match the tone of the room – Rest areas or wellness zones benefit from gentle, natural scenes. Intense or high-contrast images are better placed in communal or high-energy environments.
•Use large-scale visuals where there’s space to step back – In open areas, wall art becomes part of the environment and reinforces the brand presence without feeling forced.
•Use monochrome with purpose – Black and white can be sleek and modern, but too much can leave a space feeling cold. It works best when paired with warm textures or natural materials.
•Scale matters – Big, close-up images can overwhelm small spaces. Think about how a viewer will physically interact with the wall—what they’ll see when they’re right in front of it.
•Keep key image details visible – Don’t lose your visual focal point behind furniture or shelving. Good placement is about more than the layout—it’s about understanding the space.
•Reflect seasonality or energy – Images of spring or summer lift a room. A coastal storm might suit a bold, edgy brand, but not one aiming for warmth and reassurance.
•Create emotional moments – A beach scene might prompt escapism in a healthcare setting. A forest trail might feel grounding in a co-working space. The right image shapes the experience.
•Use close-ups for subtle storytelling – In focused zones like boardrooms or breakout areas, macro plant imagery or material textures can support the brand without being distracting.
•Break up long walls with banners or framed elements – These offer moments of visual interest and keep movement through a space feeling engaging and intentional.
•Mimic light when there is none – In interior rooms with little natural light, blue skies or daylight-filled scenes can shift the mood and make the space feel more open and alive.
Why It Matters for Brands
Every visual decision in a branded space communicates something—about culture, values, tone and purpose. Wall murals and environmental graphics are a simple but powerful tool for reinforcing those messages in ways that feel natural and immediate.
Whether it’s a breakout area in a global HQ, a customer-facing café in a gym, or a corridor in a health-focused startup, the right image contributes to how people experience your brand, moment to moment.
For brand designers and agencies, murals and large-format graphics become a layer of storytelling—whether subtle or overt. They offer a tactile, visual opportunity to strengthen recognition, create emotional connection, or enhance user experience.
Final Thoughts
Great imagery can transform a space—but only if it’s placed with care. Site visits and real-world planning are essential. Drawings only tell half the story.
At Dogtooth, we help design teams and brand owners make the most of their physical environments. We work closely with you to understand the purpose of the space and the behaviour of the people using it—then we deliver visual solutions that support that purpose, quietly and effectively.
We’ve installed branded murals and graphics across the UK, in settings ranging from high-end corporate fit-outs to startup studios, cafés, gyms and healthcare environments. In every case, the goal is the same: to help brands show up in the real world in a way that feels deliberate, consistent, and human.
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