Trying to make your home office feel more your own? Decor plays a huge part, and getting the colour right can make or break how your space feels. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best colours for a home office into a useful guide to hopefully give you some inspiration.
Once you have the perfect haven for productivity set up, indulge in an ultimate ergonomic desk chair to complete your space.
Why is choosing the right home office colour so important?
You can work in a room of any colour and decoration style, but you won’t necessarily feel at home or do your best work. Colours can play a remarkable part in human psychology. They can boost mood, support focus or induce calm. So it makes sense to leverage that particular power to work in your favour. We’ll walk you through exactly which colours are thought to be best for what.
What are the popular home office colour options?
There are several hugely popular colour schemes for offices that you’ve likely heard of. While they’re trendy now and have visual appeal, some of them come with drawbacks. It’s worth considering these alongside the pros. Let’s get a balanced look at them.
Clean white minimalist schemes
The benefits: Here’s the great thing about white: it’s airy, light and reflects light brilliantly. It’s also the perfect backdrop to art and office furniture. Plus, white is associated with tranquillity and minimalism, ideal for carving out a zen workspace.
The drawbacks: Some people can find white a little clinical and stark at times. You’ll also want to watch out if you’re in an office with lots of windows, as it can cause glare, which can obscure your screen and irritate your eyes.
Trending whites to consider:
- Warm White: For a soft, creamy white that’s less harsh than pure white, making it more versatile.
- Off-White: Whites with slight undertones can give more depth and sophistication than classic whites.
- Ivory: A classic choice with gentle yellow undertones that works well in traditional and modern spaces alike.
Bold, vibrant feature walls
The benefits: Lots of people find bright colours an energising presence in their workspace. The visual stimulation can be a welcome motivating force throughout the day, especially during energy slumps.
The drawbacks: Bold colours can require strategic placement and coverage amount. While colour drenching is gaining popularity in the home decor world, some find it overwhelming for the entirety of their office space. A feature wall or panelling can strike a nice balance without pulling too much focus.
Trending bold colours to consider:
- Terracotta: This warm, earthy orange is extremely energising, especially during a slow afternoon.
- Coral: If you want a more feminine but still dopamine-inducing colour, coral is a sublime choice.
- Electric Blue: If you want something that puts some pep back in your work day, you can’t go wrong with this lively shade of blue – plus, it tones perfectly with calmer blue shades for a multi-tonal look.
Dark, dramatic schemes
The benefits: Deep, rich colours are particularly popular with workers who want a home office that gives a cocooning effect that promotes focused work. If you like the idea of an intimate and luxurious office, deep and moody colours can be
One of the great things about opting for this colour scheme for your office is that it can work for both small and large workspaces. In smaller spaces, it creates a snug and inviting feeling, whereas larger spaces offer a larger and more dramatic canvas for the colours to
The drawbacks: When opting for a dark office colour scheme, you’ll need enough light in the room, otherwise it can make the room feel claustrophobic. This could be natural light via windows, or even sufficient artificial light. Just as long as the room is well-lit and doesn’t feel oppressive.
Trending dramatic colours creating impact:
Burgundy: This rich and grounding tone creates a deep, sophisticated atmosphere.
Charcoal Grey: Charcoal offers a contemporary option for a darker colour scheme.
Forest Green: If you want something luxurious and deep but also calming, forest green is the tranquil colour you need for your office.
How to choose the right colour for your office
Now that we’ve explored some popular colour directions, let’s dive deeper into what will work for your taste and working needs. Everyone needs something different, from a cocooning, luxurious space for the worker who does focused work to a light bright Minalism-inspired office if mental clarity is key.
Let’s find what will work for you.
Take how you work & your personality into account
Your office needs to serve both your work needs and your personality – luckily there are lots of shades that can serve both purposes, regardless of what you need.
To find your ideal shade you need to think about what you want and what you need. Think about how your space should make you feel. People working in creative fields might want something more bright and stimulating to prompt creative flow or spark inspiration.
Someone in a more analytical field might need a more neutral and calm colour that aids them with periods of sustained concentration.
Energy levels are worth taking into consideration, too. If you struggle with motivation, colour can have a powerful effect on the psyche. Warmer or brighter colours could be a great choice.
Think about space and lighting
A colour could play out very differently in a compact space with no windows vs a larger space with plenty of natural light. The practical realities of the space can play into how the colour really feels.
For smaller spaces: The general advice for small spaces is that light colours like whites, creams and pastels can help to create a more open feeling. However, some people are leaning into brightly coloured small rooms, refusing to compromise on the decor that brings them joy.
For rooms with limited light: If light is sparse, a warmer-toned shade can help make it feel more inviting and welcoming, reflecting the artificial light available around the room.
For larger, well-lit spaces: You’ll have more flexibility to do whatever you like with the decor scheme, with less need to mitigate for light or space.
Popular colour combinations
We’ve taken you through some popular colours, but it’s worth bearing in mind that most people don’t opt for one colour alone. If you’ve picked out your ideal office colour and want to know what tones well with it, you might want to take this advice on board.
Warm whites with wood tones: Cream or off-white walls pair beautifully with natural wood furniture as the accents provide warmth without being overwhelming. It’s a classic combo.
Dramatic darks with bright accents: Charcoal or deep green walls with strategic white or cream elements can work together to give extra depth.
Gentle pastels with white trim: Soft blues, greens, or even blush tones look great with a crisp white trim. It’s a good balance of adding personality while keeping the look light and fresh.
How to make your colour choice work
We’ve taken the liberty of including some simple tips on how to implement your office makeover to make sure it doesn’t fall flat.
Test colours in your actual lighting – Grab a paint sample and observe it throughout the day so that you can see how it performs in all lighting conditions. Before you commit, you’ll want to see how it looks in the morning, afternoon and evening light as well as with task lighting. That way, you can see if you like how it truly looks.
Start with the walls, then build your decor scheme up – This is great advice if you’ve found a great colour but don’t know what to tackle next. Let the main colour of the space do the majority of the work and then start to add complementary accessories, trim work, storage and art that work with it, rather than competing with it.
Use the 60-30-10 rule – Unsure just how much colour to use in your space? A good general rule to follow is to use 60% your dominant colour (usually on walls), 30% of a secondary colour (like on furniture and larger accessories) and a final 10% accent colour (this could be artwork or small accessories). The idea is that this ratio creates good visual balance.
Consider your existing furniture – If you have a quality office desk and computer chair that you don’t want to replace, you’ll need to make sure the new colours you pick work with them. Otherwise, if you’re going to do an entire office transformation, we’d recommend investing in high quality ergonomic furniture that’s designed to support you all day – like Slouch’s range does.
Think about how it works with the other rooms’ transitions – Remember that if your office is in your home, you’ll probably want it to work in harmony with the rest of your home decor. If that’s the case, you’ll likely want colours that harmonise with the rest of your home decor.
However, there is also another school of thought that says that having an office that looks radically different to the rest of your home creates mental separation and helps you switch off from your work when you leave it because it feels different. Both approaches are worth considering.
Include natural elements – Don’t forget to incorporate nature into your office design. Eco elements help to create a sense of calm and connection to the outdoors. This can be good for productivity.
Allow for evolution – Remember, you can also start with a base colour and switch up the look over time with different accent colours or accessories if you want to take it in a different direction.
Ready to get decorating? Browse our ergonomic office chairs and height-adjustable desks, designed to work beautifully with any colour scheme you choose.
