Home
Fact-checked

At HomeQuestionsAnswered, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

How Do I Choose the Best Home Office Paint Colors?

Tara Barnett
Tara Barnett

When choosing paint colors for any room, it is important to take into consideration the general feel of the room as well as any furniture elements that will be used. For a home office, people often find that choosing a favorite color is a great way to make the space conducive to work. On the other hand, blue and light colors are sometimes thought to be more soothing and may be more appropriate for an office than hot colors like red. Depending on the furnishings that will be used in the office, any number of home office paint colors might be the most appropriate.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when choosing home office paint colors is the overall feeling of the room. Color is known to affect mood, and choosing home office paint colors that will encourage work is advisable. On the other hand, many people find that choosing a favorite color allows them to feel happier in a workspace.

Red is symbolic of warmth, passion, and boldness.
Red is symbolic of warmth, passion, and boldness.

Depending on the desired finished look, home office paint colors might be very light or very dark. In a classic office with dark wood features, dark greens or blues might be desirable, but in a modern office, light and bright colors could be more appropriate in the space. The size of the room must also be considered when choosing home office paint colors, as light colors make rooms seem larger. These rules are not absolute, however, and some people find that small, dark rooms are conducive to work.

Light colors can make an office seem larger.
Light colors can make an office seem larger.

It is also possible to choose more than one color for a home office. Painting one wall in an accent color, for example, is a great way to add brightness to an otherwise subdued room. Having a different ceiling color is also common and may create the illusion of space. When taking this approach, it is important to make sure that all colors used look acceptable together.

Color in a home office is an interesting problem because offices often have tall and important furniture that must be considered. Many offices, for example, include bookshelves that cover entire walls. Making sure that colors used coordinate well not only with textiles but with functional storage furniture is very important.

There are also general paint concerns to keep in mind when choosing home office paint colors. Thinking about undertones, the effects of lighting, and other more complex paint problems can help create a maximally attractive space. When choosing paint colors for a furnished office, it may be possible to try out the paint colors digitally and see if the chosen paint will look appropriate with current furnishings.

Discussion Comments

mobilian33

@Animandel - Looking at the color cards in the store might give you a general feel for how the paint will look on the walls in your home, but you have to actually put the paint on your wall to see what it will look like. Ask for a sample of a color before you buy it and take it home to paint your home office. Otherwise, you might end up with a color that's looks totally different from what you were expecting.

Animandel

Before I do any painting, I go to one of the home improvement stores and look at all of the cards with the paint colors and the different shades. I get a lot of really good ideas by looking at the different cards and comparing them to one another to see which colors I can use in a room to create the effect I am going for.

Laotionne

I have a friend who works in a laid back office environment. The company believes in the philosophy that a happy worker is a good worker, so the company's employees have a lot of freedom to do what they want as long as they are productive in their jobs.

My friend decided she wanted to repaint her office at work, and she got permission from her manager to paint the office any way she wanted to. Well, my friend likes really bright colors, so she decided to paint each wall a bright shade of a different, color.

I know one walls was bright yellow. Another wall was bright orange and then there were two other really bright colors. When I walked into the room I felt like I was being attacked by the walls. The color was blinding. About a month later, she repainted all of the walls a pale yellow. She said the bright colors made concentrating too difficult, and she had to go out of her office to get any work done.

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • Red is symbolic of warmth, passion, and boldness.
      By: araraadt
      Red is symbolic of warmth, passion, and boldness.
    • Light colors can make an office seem larger.
      By: Goran Bogicevic
      Light colors can make an office seem larger.