Revealed: Best colours to paint your home office to improve productivity
With many Australians working from home, it’s more important than ever to get your office space just right. Here are some top tips to help you feel energised.
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Coffee and a comfy chair are not the only ways to boost productivity while working from home.
Experts say people who use the right colours in their home office or study can feel more energised and focused – and give themselves an edge.
Dulux colour and communications manager Andrea Lucena-Orr, right, says it is important to create differentiation between working spaces and relaxing spaces as personal and professional lines blur.
“A different visual colour can help you to feel different in your study versus when you are sitting on your couch,” she says.
“I close my office door at night like I have left the office because it is too easy to leave the door open and it entices you back in to send just one more email. Having that varied colour between spaces differentiates the function of that space from a mental perspective.”
When it comes to choosing that colour, it’s a very personal decision – however, there are some general rules worth following.
AVOID BRIGHT RED
“I don’t recommend bright, vivid colours because they are taxing on the eye,” Lucena-Orr says.
“You might love hot red and it might be fantastic for your front door but sitting in front of it all day might be too much. I’d go for a more muted, pared-back colour.”
Unispace senior associate of design Olivia Giangrasso says red walls are also not ideal for video conferencing.
She says the best background colours are midtones – those that are neither too dark nor too light.
“You get the occasional bright red wall in people’s homes but that’s not best in terms of broadcast quality,” she says. “You don’t want anything too bright.”
LAY OFF THE PATTERNS
Giangrasso says busy patterns can be disruptive and stop workers from being able to focus and process tasks.
Lucena-Orr says they can also be distracting for others during video calls. “You don’t want chevron lines or something that’s going to make it awkward,” she says. “When I do my Zoom calls, I try to make sure (my outfit is also) co-ordinated with my background colour.”
PICK SOMETHING UPLIFTING
Lucena-Orr recommends a feel-good colour to break the monotony of working and living in the same location.
“It feels like Groundhog Day at the moment so it’s fantastic to have an uplifting colour in your study area,” she says. “You have got to make decisions in that space and think creatively so it’s got to trigger ideas and strategies.
“You don’t want your home office to feel the same way as your master bedroom. You want to be energised and productive and have creative energy.”
She says blue is a calming colour and the right midtone, such as Dulux’s Five Fingers Peninsula, will also brighten up a space.
Gold, such as Morocco Tan, can create warmth while also being reflective and bright. A soft neutral colour, such as Aura, may be a better choice if there is a statement rug or artwork in the room – or charts and whiteboards on walls.
STICK TO NEUTRAL FURNITURE
Giangrasso says business and commercial interior design firm Unispace always opts for a neutral palette of white or timber for primary items, such as desks.
“Studies show having that clean space really helps with concentration,” she says. “No one wants to work on a purple workbench for nine or 10 hours a day. You want the ability to think.
“You want that blank canvas to start so you can think clearly and generate ideas whether working on something in the creative space or in finance.”
IT’S UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL
One of the benefits of working from home is that the office colour scheme only has to please one person.
Lucena-Orr says people are energised by different colours, whether warm or cool, midtone or “dark and moody”.
There is no right or wrong answer, it depends what works for you. “Colour is such a personal thing,” she says. “It is used to connect us to our space so it is such an individual task to select a colour for your home.
“In an office area that you are in for such a long time every day, you have to feel comfortable and energised by that colour.
“We are trying to do the best we can in the current situation and by being happy in your office space, there will be more positive outcomes in your work as well.”
OTHER WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR HOME OFFICE …
ERGONOMIC CHAIR
“In your work environment you are sitting on expensive furniture, then at home people are often at their dining room table,” Giangrasso says.
SMART COMPUTER SET-UP
“Your monitor should be perpendicular to reduce glare from windows and the keyboard should sit on a bit of a tilt, and you have got to be conscious of how you are sitting, with your knees at a right angle,” she says.
“Make sure that monitor is at or below eye level.”
WARM LIGHTING
“Having warm lighting is proven to boost productivity and has a greater impact on productivity and the central nervous system as opposed to cool lighting, like in a 7 Eleven environment.”
PLANTS
“Having a small element (of greenery) in your home office gives you a calming influence and breaks up the space slightly.”
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