Home Decor News

Creating an environment that will stimulate your creativity, but also keep you productive can be daunting. I’ve overlooked adding color to my home office walls for years. I literately add a TON of other stuff to my home office to make it more simulating, but neglected to change one of the things I look at on a constant basis (besides my computer screen). In my crusade to change my office wall colors I learned several valuable lessons.

• Choose a color that you don’t find annoying or agitating.

• Use light colors for your ceiling, preferably white or a cream color. Using dark colors will make you feel boxed in.

• Dark and dreary colors will make most people feel confined and claustrophobic.

• Consider the kinds of things you like to accomplish in your home office. What kinds of motivation do you need? What projects the right impression?

  • To create an environment that stimulates creativity and is soothing, choose a blend of sky blue and light mint green.

  • For just a soothing environment choose a light mint green. This color is used by almost all hospitals and doctors offices for good reason.

  • Only use red if you need to be ultra-assertive on the phone and need to feel empowered. Red is also for people who need to make quick decisions.

  • Yellow, a favorite workspace color, provides a uplifting and cheerful atmosphere.

• Think about your desk and office furniture as accessories. Make sure that the colors will work together to give the room a coherent look. (Like that just made it any easier right?)

• Decide how you will present color on your walls. Paint is only one option. Other options vary in cost, application, noise absorption, and maintenance.

The list below shows colors that are usually good for work areas. Many colors are not listed below because they psychologically do the opposite of what we are trying to accomplish. If the color you were going to pick is not listed, then I would recommend painting a wall with your color choice and really giving it a test drive. Then ask yourself some questions like: How does it affect your work habits? Has it made you more productive? Are you a happier person? If all goes well, then go for it!

Light Red - represents joy, sexuality, passion, sensitivity, and love.
Pink - signifies romance, love, and friendship. It denotes feminine qualities and passiveness.
Dark Red - associated with vigor, willpower, rage, anger, leadership, courage, longing, malice, and wrath.
Brown - suggests stability and denotes masculine qualities.
Red-Orange - corresponds to desire, sexual passion, pleasure, domination, aggression, and thirst for action.
Gold - evokes the feeling of prestige. Often symbolizes high quality.
Light Yellow - associated with intellect, freshness, and joy.
Light Green - soothing, associated with health, healing, tranquility
Dark Green - associated with ambition, greed, and jealousy.
Aqua - associated with emotional healing and protection.
Dark Blue - represents knowledge, power, integrity, and seriousness.
Light Blue - associated with health, healing, tranquility, understanding, and softness.
White - associated with light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity. It is considered to be the color of perfection.
Black - associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery.

So what was my choice? I wanted an environment that radiated creativity and was soothing. Now yellow would have been a great choose for me, but I’m not very fond of the color. So instead I choose a light green. After living with the color for a few months, I can definitely see a difference in my work habits and quality of output. This especially gave me a better attitude in the dead of winter when outside is dark and dingy.

Now get cracking and remember to HAVE FUN when choosing your color(s). This should be an enjoyable adventure, one that will have lasting effects on your attitude and success!

Resources:
http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html

Posted on September 9th, 2007 by Serina
Filed under: Home Office