Working from home can be an absolute joy, but nonetheless brings its own unique challenges into play. One of which being the creation of a viable and productive working environment, which just happens to sit within the confines of your home.

From the smallest of apartments in Washington, DC to the biggest family homes in McLean, VA, making the most of the space you have available can be tricky. Not only this, but even the way you decorate your home office can have a big impact on your output.

A Price Worth Paying?

Of course, some will always question whether or not it’s a worthwhile investment. After all, to what extent can a few visual improvements really improve your output?

Impressively, a recent study found that an enjoyable home office environment can increase productivity by as much as 20%. Irrespective of what it is you do, there’s a good chance you’ll do more of it with a nicer office space at home.

It’s simply a case of knowing how to choose colors, fixtures and furnishings strategically, which doesn’t need to be as difficult as it sounds.

Paint Colors for Productivity

It’s not to say that there is technically any such thing as a ‘wrong’ color choice for your home office. What works for others might not work for you, so feel free to experiment. But at the same time, it’s a proven scientific fact that different colors affect our moods, our behavior and our productivity in certain ways.

Where working from home is concerned, it’s therefore worth keeping the following in mind:

Off-White

What’s great about off-white is the way in which it creates a clean, crisp, bright and practical working environment, without the overly sterile or clinical look of brilliant white. It’s also a great blank canvas to work with, adding as many decorative touches and accents as you like.

Light Blue

A relatively gentle shade of a light blue is both reassuring and calming, while at the same time significantly boosting productivity. Teal can also be a good choice for the home office, as it combines the effects of light blue and pale green.

Grey

Don’t automatically shy away from grey, as we’re not talking anything too stuffy, formal and quintessentially corporate. Lighter greys that edge more towards silver can be great for creating bright and inspiring office spaces at home to suit almost any interior décor.

Blue-Grey

Likewise, choose a shade of grey that has a slight hint of blue to it and the whole thing immediately becomes more calming, soothing and inviting.

Brown

There’s something quintessentially warming and soothing about brown color schemes – particularly when paired strategically with contrasting furniture and fixtures. Brown can become a little stuffy and ‘old fashioned’ if not handled with care, so consider your scheme in its entirety before getting started.

Purple

It’s unlikely you’ll appreciate a home office painted neon purple or vibrant violet. However, a subtle shade of purple can be invigorating and motivating.  This is the kind of shade where personal preference definitely plays a role, but a purple home office is an option worth considering.

Greens

Invoking the atmosphere and energy of the outdoors, greens can be great for cutting through the formality and stuffiness of the typical office environment. It’s also widely acknowledged that greens are comparatively easy on the eye, making the perfect choice for workers who spend too much time staring at screens.

Orange or Yellow

We’ve grouped these two together as they are very similar, in terms of both the effect and how they should be used. You probably won’t want to paint all four walls bright orange or yellow, but using these uplifting colors to bring bold and bright accents to a home office can be extremely effective.

Expert Color Consultations

At Homm CPS, we know it can be difficult to choose a color scheme for the most important rooms of the home. We are also aware that not everyone knows what they want, or really has any idea where to start.

That’s why as part of our comprehensive interior painting services, we offer expert color consultations for every customer. We’ll guide you through the options available and help you determine the ideal color and scheme to suit your preferences and your home.

For more information or to discuss your requirements in more detail, contact a member of the team at Homm CPS today.