What Colors Are Best For Your Home Office?

In the rush to get your home office set up and running you may have neglected to pay attention to the colors you were surrounding yourself with. We all have our own favourite color but maybe you should stop and think about the effect those different colors might be having on your working environment?

For example black is a very popular color because... well...because black goes with just about everything. Black also has an element of cool to it so you might be tempted to create a cool all black home themed office. Think again. Surrounding yourself with nothing but the color black can quickly lead to depression. Being depressed in your home office each day isn't a great start is it?

White on the other hand is a color that has been associated with purity and sterility for hundreds if not thousands of years. Used in moderation it can give any home office a very modern and stylish look. Overuse can be dangerous as white reflects light readily and a room that is completely white could actually give you headaches.

Blue is a great color for a home office. Why? Because it has a relaxing effect on people and studies have shown that employees (you in this case) are far more productive in blue rooms. Don't overdo it on the blue though - too much of it can make any room feel "cold".

Brown is a great color to use as it exudes comfort and luxury. Brown is best used with your furniture. Used in a paint scheme for a home office it can make walls seem to close in on you i.e. the room can feel very cramped and dark. Again this could affect your mood which is best avoided.

Yellow and orange are very energetic colors to use in a home office and can give it a real feeling of 'life'. You have to be careful though because these colors can actually cause headaches and nausea if used extensively in a confined space. Use these colors well but sparingly.

Red is a very agressive color that can be very stimulating to the mind. Try to limit its use in your office for two reasons:

1. You don't need to be over stimulated in work nor feel agressive.

2. The color red can stimulate you appetite - you don't want to feel hungry when you work!

Gray is a color most people associate with boredom. Use it wisely and carefully in any home office setup. The last thing you want to feel is bored.

Green is a very important color for your home office but not necessarily in the furniture or paint scheme. Try to introduce some plants (real or artificial) into your office at home. Green can have a very calming effect in an environment that is potentially stressful. Don't go crazy and turn your home office into a miniature rainforest but plants have been shown to have a positive effect in most working environments.

Hopefully you found this information useful and can use it to your benefit in decorating your home office. Remember variety is the spice of life and this is definitely true of the use of color in your home working space.

What color is my home office? I'm glad you asked (well you didn't ask but I said I'd share with you!) It's a pale blue with a dark pine desk and shelves and plenty of natural light coming in. I'll be redecorating it soon to include some brighter colors in some parts but for now the blue feeling in the room is just perfect for me.