Use Color to Your Advantage
Working from home has its benefits. No commute. More time with family. No dress code. But then there are the drawbacks: interruptions, distractions, lack of interaction with colleagues, and maybe even a less-than-ideal work space. When you're working from home, you need to do everything you can to enhance your focus, productivity, and, possibly, your patience. Paint can help.
The color of the walls in your work space is about more than just aesthetics. In fact, the color you pick can affect your mood and motivation in ways that help you do more and better work. Whether you need to increase focus or decrease anxiety, there’s a color for you. Read on for the best paint colors for your home office.
Watery by Behr
Blue infuses a room with peace and calm, plus it helps to stimulate the mind. Cool blue tones help with focus and promote productivity. Tax preparers, actuaries, clerks, and auditors can benefit from working while surrounded by blue. Watery by Behr may bring to mind that beach vacation you’re working toward, but it will also help keep you on task.
Secret Meadow by Behr
Green is tranquil. It reduces eye strain and improves work efficiency. Particularly if you work long hours or perform repetitive tasks, go for green. Secret Meadow by Behr is a full-flavored green with natural tones of foliage, lichen, and moss. This is an outstanding choice for an overall calming effect.
Surfboard Yellow by Behr
Yellow stimulates creativity, excitement, and innovation. Designers, writers, artists, and engineers benefit from a healthy dose of yellow in the office. Surfboard Yellow by Behr, a bright and cheerful shade with a fresh feeling, works well for a whole room or as an accent color.
Ebb Tide by Pratt & Lambert
Transform your office into a cool, calm space. Blue helps to evoke feelings of peace and security, which may make Ebb Tide by Pratt & Lambert an especially appealing paint choice for those who work under pressure. This color softens the ambiance of a room (and may soften your mood), while projecting a sophisticated image.
Related: 11 Paint Colors Designers Pick for Their Own Homes
Council Bluff by Pratt & Lambert
Gray is the on-trend neutral of the moment, synonymous with sophistication and style. This no-nonsense color provides a blank canvas on which to project your unique design style—or not, if you prefer a clutter-free workspace. Council Bluff by Pratt & Lambert is an excellent choice to promote an atmosphere of deliberation and thoughtfulness in the office as it emits dependability and practicality.
Million Dollar Red by Benjamin Moore
Red, the color of vitality and passion, promotes action. It stirs up excitement! In a job that involves collaboration or hosting clients, Million Dollar Red by Benjamin Moore can help bring people together. It's also an excellent accent color if you're trying to enhance the visibility of a particular space within the office.
Mascarpone by Benjamin Moore
White makes a space feel open, clean, and spacious, so it's a good choice for making a small room feel larger. Mascarpone by Benjamin Moore is a soft, creamy shade that brightens a dark room without harshness and establishes an easy neutral background for decorating. If you go with white walls, bring in plenty of color with artwork, rugs, and other accessories.
Related: 19 Rooms That Prove Beige Isn’t Boring
Blue Danube by Benjamin Moore
New to working at home? Blue could be right for you—think clear blue skies and calm blue water. Blue Danube by Benjamin Moore is a cool blue that can lend calm and focus to a large, open space. Paint the whole room, or use Blue Danube for an accent wall or door.
Downing Sand by Sherwin-Williams
Greige is a perfect color for multiuse spaces, large or small, which means it works as well in the family room as in the home office, and it’s easy to decorate around. Whatever your space, gray-beige is a can’t-lose choice. Downing Sand by Sherwin-Williams is a classic, warm-toned greige that feels comfortable and fosters focus and productivity.
Naturel by Sherwin-Williams
Gray can be cool, neutral, or cozy. The warm undertones of Naturel by Sherwin Williams give a room a clean, crisp look without seeming stark. It's just right for making an open space feel comfortable. Add colorful furniture and artwork to change up the mood.
Silver Sage by PPG
Gray walls create a lighter, more open impression in spaces with little natural light. Silver Sage by PPG, a lightly green-toned gray, combines the calming effect of green with the airiness of gray. This is an especially good pick for home offices in small spaces.
Rain Drop by PPG
Blue can work like gray, only with more charisma. Case in point: Rain Drop by PPG, a pale, neutral, hazy aqua-green that offers a neutral, appealing background with a little something extra. This is a great color choice for those who like to dress up for work in the home office. It will convey a professional look while setting a light mood.
Golden Opportunity by PPG
The solution to rainy days and long winters, Golden Opportunity by PPG brings the benefits of both yellow and red to the home office. The color stimulates energy, optimism, creativity, and passion. A rich golden accent wall may be just what you need to beat the Monday blues.
Related: 9 Paint Color Trends You Might Regret
The Power of Paint
Painting your home office will not only make it look better, but it can help you work better too.
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