Home office paint colors

“For the ultimate Zoom-ready workspace, we love swathing the entire room in a single saturated hue. In various sheens, Sherwin-Williams’s Delft can create a serene and sophisticated office sanctuary.” —Monica Guarnaschelli, Indigomaven Interiors

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Kelsey Mulvey is a freelance lifestyle journalist, who covers shopping and deals for Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, and ELLE Decor, among others. Her hobbies include themed spinning classes, Netflix, and nachos.

Home Office Paint Colors – Forbes Home

There are many perks of working from a home office, but there are just as many distractions, too. In between meetings and crossing tasks off your to-do list, it’s easy to be tempted by the pile of laundry or convinced that you need to go make your third (or fourth) cup of coffee. Staying on top of work starts with having a home office that’s conducive to success. Before picking out staples like desktop organizers or sourcing a suave desk, you need to start with the biggest foundation of all: the perfect office paint color.

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How to Pick a Home Office Paint Color

The best part of having your office in your home is that you call the shots on how its designed and decorated. With this freedom comes the pain of choice overload, but for a workspace specifically, productivity is probably your biggest priority. You want your space to help you stay focused and calm rather than erratic when you’re working through your task list. The best way to ensure a great color is by picking out shades you gravitate towards and thoroughly swatching.

Productivity and Color Psychology

In fact, it’s been proven that the colors surrounding your workspace can directly impact your productivity, so why wouldn’t it be the same for a home office? Every paint color tends to evoke certain moods, and combined with other interior elements, the shade you pick can influence your emotions while you work. There’s no right or wrong color palette—it’s a very personal decision. But, favorites tend to be blues, greens and neutrals. Even more playful colors have seen an uptick in popularity, like pinks and reds.

The Best Home Office Paint Colors

Jumpstart your productivity and make your home office a place you actually enjoy spending time in with these 10 colors.

1. Light Sage

houseonthemeadow

This mossy tone is elevated and relaxed, making it a great fit for a home office space. Green shades like this mixed with wood accents can lead to a workspace that feels more grounded and promote a touch more relaxation—even if work gets busy.

Shades to try: Behr Aloe Thorn, Magnolia Eden, Benjamin Moore Lichen Stone

2. Plum Purple

thehouseofdachshund

Purple tends to be a rare sighting in home interiors. Maybe the deep, saturated tone feels a little intimidating to incorporate, but as this home office shows it’s worth taking a chance on. With the right shade, purple can be a sophisticated color that frames any desk and never allows a workspace to feel blah.

Shades to try: Sherwin-Williams Mature Grape, Backdrop Lobby Scene, Magnolia Plum Suede

3. Light Blue

thehollyandivyhome

Blue is a unique color choice in that it can be both serene and energetic. With matching decor and furniture, a home office becomes a productivity powerhouse (and in the case of this one, a space that’s homey, too). It’s also a reliable classic paint color that’s lasted through decades of trends. Blue will never go out of style, and it’s a tough color to ever get sick of.

Shades to try: Clare Good Jeans, Benjamin Moore Blue Hydrangea, Valspar Northern Sky Blue

4. Pale Gray

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Not bright white nor is it dark or ultra colorful, pale gray is an ideal neutral hue. It’s a safe selection for a space that’s constantly evolving or if you’re one to experiment with different accent colors and decorative objects. Because of its gentle disposition, it’s hard to feel distracted by the color pale gray, which is a non-negotiable feature in a home office.

Shades to try: PPG Afraid of the Dark, Farrow & Ball Wevet, Sherwin-Williams Lattice

5. Navy Blue

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For a powerful color that’s undoubtedly fitting for your at-home cubicle, look to the deep blue paint chips. Grounding, bold and thoughtful—these are all things navy blue shades encompass. They happen to be pretty fantastic backdrops for most styles, too, whether you want a rustic wooden desk, a sleek mid-century modern table or leather chairs.

Shades to try: Behr Compass Blue, Benjamin Moore Stunning, Magnolia Together

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6. Olive Green

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Sage borders the line of grayish neutrals, but if you’re after a little more color in your office an olive green might fit the bill. It can look regal when paired with antique style furniture and cream accents, but it’s also a playful shade that works in more free-flowing creative office spaces. The slightly muted tone keeps it from straying into a color that’s a bit too vibrant.

Shades to try: Clare Daily Greens, Valspar Organic Garden, Behr Secret Meadow

7. White

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Drawing a blank for a good paint color? Maybe a blank canvas is exactly what you need. White is a fail-proof hue that stays true to its timelessness, plus so many hues work with white. You can incorporate any kind of style, accent colors, decor or furniture, and it will always look fantastic no matter what room it’s in. This also holds true for your home office.

Shades to try: Farrow & Ball Strong White, Magnolia Shiplap, Kilz White Wing

8. Dusty Pink

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If neutrals are slightly too blasé for your tastes, but you’re not in love with electric orange either, a dusty pink or mauve is a nice in between. It’s ever-so-slightly more energizing than a beige, but it can’t be interpreted as too loud or obnoxious. While pink is colorful on it’s own, this office proves that other bright colors can contrast nicely against it without clashing.

Shades to try: Backdrop Studio Hours, Sherwin-Williams Breathless, Behr Rose Pottery

9. Teal

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Can’t decide between light and dark blue? Teal is calling your name. It’s a solid solution for a home office that needs a hearty wash of color that’s a little more fun than neutrals (sorry, beige). With the Coastal Grandmother trend doing its rounds, it’s a fitting choice and one that’ll last no matter how long this style sticks around. It’s a flexible hue, and the right decor and textures can make it lean more Scandinavian, contemporary, beachy or modern.

Shades to try: Graham & Brown Sephal, PPG Hazy Seacliff Teal, Valspar Flood Tide

10. Rose Pink

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Rose is another great pink option that’s not as whimsical as Millennial Pink or as vivid as fuchsia is rose. The darker tone is sophisticated and creative at the same time. While bright red is fiery and certainly brings energy into whichever room its painted, a deeper pink can do just the same but is slightly less jarring.

Shades to try: Benjamin Moore Wildflower, Magnolia Home at Last, Farrow & Ball Radicchio

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How to decorate your home office in red: 20 examples

Eclectic home office with red galore

How to decorate your home office in red? It is not so difficult, the main thing is to do everything right. Red is a color for fearless and imaginative people.

When it comes to decorating your home office in red, you need to be extremely careful not to make your workplace annoying and vulgar.

A great way to use red in the home office

White and black are the preferred colors along with red. Black adds a touch of sophistication and elegance to a room, while white gives it a more cheerful and modern look.

Red and black in a room

Modern home office with white trim on burgundy walls

Rustic home office and library rolled into one

Using a corner to save space

Don't just paint the walls. There are various alternatives such as wallpaper to add brightness and texture to a room.

Walls can be visually deepened by distinctly choosing matt or glossy surfaces. Be careful, glossy red is not for everyone!

Example of rooms with a red accent on the wall

Home office in high-gloss red

Cozy and elegant French style

You can decorate your room with absolutely different fashion accessories. Add elements such as vases, paintings, a pair of classy club chairs, a charming burgundy vintage wardrobe, or even a bright scarlet table and chairs that will be the highlight of the office.

Red decor in the interior

Of course, the walls are the most responsible for the appearance of the room. But the ceiling and curtains are also of no small importance. By painting the ceiling red or decorating it with some elements or frescoes, you can give it a red sheen.

Another way to add bold colors is curtains. They will create a dynamic background depending on the time of day and season. Curtains allow you to easily switch between fashionable seasonal shades.

Red ceiling and curtains

Original handmade ceiling

Red curtains in the interior

Maybe red is exactly what your office needs to get a festive look. Don't be afraid to splash in all shades of red.

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Find the perfect color for your home office

Choosing a wall color for your home office can boost productivity and inspire creativity at the same time.

A modern home office design can evoke the right mood for work tasks. The color environment plays a big role when designing or renovating a home office. Different tones tune in a certain way. For example, green increases efficiency, while reds and yellows add energy.

Go beyond home office design with updated wall colors. Even applying a fresh coat over an existing one in the work area brings a nice change. Watch as ideas become vivid reality.

Modern office colors match productivity

Now especially popular on the market is Clear Paint , which transforms wallcovering into whiteboard . The innovative paint is applied to existing wall surfaces, creating a thin protective layer. Mark ideas, calculations, various lists and meeting schedules right on the wall with luxurious coverage. All marker entries can be easily wiped off with a dry cloth.

Transparent protective paint can be applied to wood, glass, metal or laminated surfaces, providing maximum design flexibility.

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Calming colors in home office design

Given the distractions at home, focusing on work in the home office is essential. Understated shades are neutral beiges, blues and greens.

Some studies have shown that green is a good choice for a wall color to increase concentration.

Favorite light blues for the home office are those that include grays.

The light colors of not only soothe , but also makes a great backdrop for photographs or bookshelves without too much “noise” in the space. What's more, they provide a very important opportunity for to focus on the workflow.

You can never go wrong with white for your home studio or office.

Home office lighting and accent walls

Accent walls and paneling can add bright color accents to your home office, library or study space. Rich, vibrant home office colors include yellow, blue and pink.

Whether the color choice is warm or cool, light plays an important role in how a room transforms and the color of the walls is perceived.

Use balance of spotlight and daylight . Thus, the home office will become functional and visually comfortable.

Finishing gloss

Don't forget to consider the influence of gloss on the design of . Since the matte finish reduces glare, it gives a softness that is well suited for the office.

Classic matte finishes or white walls allow for more use of gloss in office furniture: tables, chairs, cabinets and bookshelves.

In turn Gloss Wall Paint provides more shine with office furniture and contrast in home office design.

See also our article How to Design a Modern Home Office.

The article uses photos from the following resources:

• official website of the American manufacturer of premium paints Benjamin Moore: benjaminmoore.

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