What Are the Best Colors for A Home Office?

 

If you’re still working from home and want to know which colors will help improve creativity, productivity, or keep stress to a minimum then this is the article for you!  Color has a much larger impact on our mood and how we feel than you might have thought.  Choosing the right color for your home office can make or break your space so keep reading for the best paint colors for your office.

 

What’s the Best Color for Productivity?

 

We could all probably stand to be more productive and working from home can make productivity even more challenging.  To boost your productivity at home, consider introducing some color to your office.  Reds and yellows are best for creating an energizing space.  This is great if you have a very physically demanding job or if you need to problem-solve or come up with ideas frequently.  Yellows and reds keep our minds engaged and focused and these colors will bring a lot of energy to your room.

 

Now, when you hear yellow and red your mind might picture a bright, highly saturated color but that’s not what we’re talking about here.  Colors that are too bold and vibrant can cause strain to the eye so you want to look for softer, muted tones or rich colors that aren’t so intense.  Some of the best warm colors for your office to consider would be Harvest Gold SW 2858, Cabbage Rose SW 0003, Golden Gate SW 7679, or Reddened Earth SW 6053. If you’d like a more vibrant color we recommend doing an accent wall on a wall you don’t face or bringing in brighter pops of color with your furniture and accessories.

 

Which Paint Colors Decrease Stress?

 

For some of us, work is regularly stressful so it’s all about creating a calming environment.  A space designed to be soothing and relaxed can help keep you more level-headed throughout the day and give you a greater sense of balance.  If you like to begin your day with some meditation or yoga or if your work requires you to capture lots of little details then a home office with blues or greens might be best.

 

Blues and greens are often associated with nature and are therefore calming, harmonizing, and peaceful.  If you have a high-stress job that requires strong communication, then painting your office green or blue can help keep you focused and grounded. Some of our favorite blues and greens from Sherwin Williams are Evergreen Fog SW 9130, Softened Green SW 6177, Quietude SW 6212, Interesting Aqua SW 6220, and if you have great natural light consider something bold like Rainstorm SW 6230.

Best Neutral Office Colors

 

Sometimes having colorful walls doesn’t fit your aesthetic so it’s important to have some great standby neutrals to turn to.  When it comes to neutral colors in an office we like to make sure we keep things light so the space doesn’t feel like a cave or feel too heavy.  To avoid this we recommend easy neutrals like Worldly Gray SW 7043, Versatile Gray SW 6072, Jogging Path SW 7638, or Shoji White SW 7042.  We like the warmer undertones these colors have because they make a space feel more cozy and welcoming.  If you lean more towards cooler colors we’d recommend something like Silver Strand SW 7057 or Lattice SW 7654 as these are a bit cooler without feeling too sterile. 

How to Introduce Color without Painting

 

You are not limited to paint.  We love the idea of bringing color into your office through your accessories, artwork, and furniture.  This allows you to play around and find what works best for you with minimal effort (which we love). It’s also a great way to enhance or complement your wall color if you have painted.  For example, if you have lighter red walls you could enhance that color with a bolder red chair or a piece of artwork with deeper red tones.  Conversely, you could create visual interest in a blue room by choosing orange accessories and bringing in furniture like a warm brown leather chair.  This helps your wall color pop so it’s a great way to create a little room candy for your eyes.

 

Renter Home Office Tips

If you are in a rental property and painting is not an option you can still experiment with colors and find what works best for you.  Obviously, you can use the tips mentioned above but rental decor has come a long way.  We love the idea of an accent wall using rental-friendly wallpaper that can be removed when it’s time to move out.  You can also take this opportunity to showcase a large piece of artwork or try a photo collage wall with colored picture frames.  This is a great opportunity to get creative and express yourself so check out our Pinterest page for more renter-friendly inspiration.