A Guide to the Best Color for Home Office

 

As most of us are now getting used to the work-from-home setup, we have been spending more and more time in our home office. An essential factor in every home office is the color of the room. It is not only for aesthetic purposes, but color plays a vital role in boosting our mood and production level. Plus, having the best color in your workspace makes you inspired for ideas.

This article will discuss the importance of choosing the best color for your home office and how color affects your productivity, overall demeanor, and mood. 

Before we proceed with the best part of this article – the best color for the home office, let us first discuss how color affects the brain and the science behind this.

 

Color Psychology – How Color Affects the Brain

 

The study of colors as a determining factor of human behavior is known as Color Psychology. Research has shown that how color affects the brain has a proven scientific basis. Color affects sensations that aren’t immediately noticeable, such as food flavor. In addition, colors also contain properties that might cause individuals to feel certain emotions.

A study made by Charles Spence showed that color plays an essential role in setting up people’s expectations about the food they eat. Laboratory research has shown that changing the hue or intensity/saturation of food and beverage items can sometimes dramatically impact consumer expectations and thus on subsequent experiences. However, if the color does not match the flavor, the outcome could negatively affect consumers’ expectations. 

 

 

Different Results Based on Various Factors

 

Color’s impact on people varies based on several factors like their age, gender, and culture. For example, heterosexual men believe that red clothing increases female beauty. In contrast, heterosexual females disagree that outfit color has any effect on male attractiveness. 

Another example would be how people viewed purple as the color of royalty; this stems from a basic rule of supply and demand. For centuries, the purple dye trade centered in modern-day Lebanon’s historic Phoenician city of Tyre. The purple popular in Tyre known as “Tyrian Purple,” which the Phoenicians used originated from a sea snail known as Bolinus Brandaris. Dyers had to split open the snail’s shell, extract a purple-producing mucus, and expose it to sunlight for a specific length of time to harvest it. It was so rare that it was worth its weight in gold. It takes around 250,000 mollusks to produce one ounce of usable dye, and the end product was a bright and long-lasting purple tint. 

Since it takes a vast amount of effort to create this color, the prices were too high to be purchased by regular people. Thus, only people of the upper crust can afford to drape themselves in this color.

Now that we understand how color can affect your overall mood, let us discuss the importance of defining your goals.

 

 

Defining your Goals:

In choosing the perfect color for your home office, you should consider several factors. One would be your field of profession. More creative individuals tend to become more productive in a colorful room. In comparison, people who are in analytical jobs tend to benefit more from subdued colors.

After setting our goals, we can now choose a color for our home office tailored to us.

 

Best Colors for Home Office:

 

• Blue

The color blue brings to mind a sense of calmness and stability. The color blue is used often in offices that want to make their clients feel secure and welcome. This color will work wonders for your home office in bringing a sense of serenity and peacefulness.

 

Perfect for: People who want to have a calmer atmosphere in their home office.

Recommended Shades: Sky Blue and Periwinkle

 

 

• Cream and White

These lighter colors are the perfect neutrals if you want to keep your home office chic and minimalistic. Light Neutrals are also good at showing a sense of cleanliness and purity to your home office. Another benefit of using these colors is that it gives a room a larger appearance.  

 

Perfect for: People who are minimalists.

Recommended Shades: Broken White by Craig and Rose, Ivory Tower by Johnstone’s Paints, or French Canvas by Benjamin Moore

 

 

 

• Black

Although an unpopular choice for some, a black accent wall is perfect for your home office if you want it to have an air of elegance and mystery. Pair it up with wood or metal accents to exude a sense of richness and warmth. 

 

Perfect for: People who want to try something new.

Recommended Shades: Mopboard Black by Benjamin Moore

 

 

 

• Red

A vibrant color that will drastically raise the energy levels of a room and can stimulate love and passion. This color will be perfect for individuals who are creative and boost productivity. Like the color, black, red is a fantastic color for your accent wall.

 

Perfect for: Individuals who are in a more creative profession.

Recommended Shades: Heritage Red by Benjamin Moore

 

 

 

 

• Green

People who spend long working hours in their home office will surely benefit from this color. Green is said to be the color that is easiest for the eyes. Green also symbolizes life and balance. Another benefit of using green as the color for your home office is that green helps you relax. 

 

Perfect for: People who work long hours.

Recommended Shades: Shades of Spring, or Sage Tint by Benjamin Moore 

 

 

 

• Yellow

A bright and warm color, yellow, will make any home office more lively and happy. Many individuals view yellow to be one of the most vibrant warm colors. Teachers who have used yellow for their classrooms have also seen a drastic rise in their students’ grades.

 

Perfect for: People who want a vibrant and energetic home office

Recommended Shades: Inner Glow by Benjamin Moore or India Yellow by Farrow and Ball

 

 

 

 

• Violet

Like mentioned earlier, violet is a color that was usually used by royalty before. That is why violet is a color that exudes elegance and a sense of regality. The color violet would work well for people who want to focus and concentrate.

 

Perfect for: People who want their home office to be relaxing and a place to concentrate fully.

Recommended Shades: Crocus Purple Petal by Benjamin Moore or Soft Purple by Dunn Edwards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Orange

Orange is a warm color that is both warm and inviting. Although attention-grabbing, orange still maintains its vibrancy, warmth, and balance. The color orange boosts imagination and conversation. Pairing silver or white furniture will make your home office both modern and inviting at the same time. If you want to use orange, but do not want to commit fully, including an accent wall to your office that you can look at from time to time would still work perfectly. 

 

Perfect for: People who want to boost creativity and social interaction.

Recommended Shades: Blood Orange by Sydney Harbour Paints or Orangery 70 by Farrow & Ball

 

 

 

• Pink

Often associated with femininity, pink is a color that is nurturing and calming. Refreshing and joyful are the two most common words to describe the color Pink. The color pink has also shown signs of lowering down aggression. Cells of criminals are sometimes painted in this color to calm them down. This color would be perfect for people who already love the color pink or are in a stressful job. 

 

Perfect for: People who are in a stressful profession

Recommended Shades: Blush Pink by Rust-Oleum or Sulking Room Pink by Farrow & Ball

 

 

 

 

 

• Gray

Gray is a color that surprisingly offers both warmth and comfort to a room. Slowly gaining popularity, the color gray is an excellent color for your home office since it works well with different types of furniture.

 

Light Gray – this shade of gray is timeless and serves as an excellent base for your home office since you can add more colorful decorations, and it will not clash with your walls. 

Dark Gray – a perfect choice for people who want a more modern look to their home office, 

Perfect for: People who want a classic look to their office (light gray) or an edgier look (dark gray).

Recommended Shades: Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams, Greenwich Village by Behr, Stonington Gray by Benjamin Moore 

 

 

 

Best Color for Home Office – A Personal Choice: 

 

Choosing the best color for the home office involves several factors. First would be your preference, although blue is a calming color, not all people like having it in their household. A solution would be to look at other colors that also have a calming feature. Another factor to consider is how color affects the brain differently for everyone. Some might say that the color orange is loud and stressful, but the same might not be the case for you. Lastly, always remember to get a color swatch from your local paint shop. Doing this is important because paints can look different in various lighting. Taking home paint swatches will help you save time and money by preventing you from choosing a color you will dislike later.

Hopefully, this article has helped you choose the best colors to use for your home office. If you have other colors you want to add to the list, don’t hesitate to comment down below. 

 

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