Home office paint colours can make a workspace feel focused, creative, comforting or energising. The right home office colour scheme depends on how the room is used, the type of work being done, the amount of natural light available and whether the space needs to feel calm for deep work or more sociable for video calls.
This guide brings together My Bespoke Room’s home office design advice with colour guidance from Lick, covering blues and greens for focus, pinks and warm neutrals for comfort, playful combinations for creative work and brighter palettes for a more energising office.
Key points
- Home office paint colours should support the way the space is used, whether that means focus, creativity, comfort or energy.
- Blues and greens can create a focused home office colour scheme, especially when paired with natural light and considered desk placement.
- Pink, beige and greige are good colours for a home office that needs to feel warm, nurturing and less corporate.
- Small office colour ideas should balance wall colour with light, mirrors, plants and uncluttered furniture so the room still feels practical.
- A home office colour scheme can be built from one main paint colour, one neutral and one accent used through artwork, accessories or shelving.
Your home office colours should reflect your at-work personality and what sort of job you call your own. Take Lick’s Lead Colour Specialist Tash and what she needs from her workspace:
“I’m naturally very energetic and like to be inspired and supported by my environment. I couldn’t do a highly stimulating colour in a work context though, as it would overwhelm me. Yellow is one of my favourite colours to decorate with, but I think in a home office, it would be too much for me. That’s why I chose Pink 01 for my home so that when I’m working from there, I’m in a space that sparks creativity, but is balanced too.”
Want to have a snoop around Tash’s flat? Here’s your chance:
Read on for Tash’s tips on how to choose paint colours for an office, which colours work best for a stimulating space and which to go for in one that’ll comfort and nurture you throughout the week.
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How to choose a home office colour scheme
Image Credit: My Bespoke Room
Home office colour matters, massively, agreed. But, it’s not all about paint and wallpapers. Be sure to factor into your thinking where you can position your desk. If you’ve got the option, put it in front of or near a window, so that you have loads of natural light coming through plus a view into the outside world. There’s less yellow in natural light (the sort you get from artificial lighting), which is a tonic for your mind. Natural light is invigorating and energising, so maximise it wherever you can with a mirror strategically hung to bounce the light around the place.
For a small home office colour scheme, avoid choosing paint in isolation. Keep larger pieces visually light, use mirrors to move natural light around the room and repeat the wall colour in smaller accents so the space feels intentional rather than crowded.
Plants and flowers are another way to breathe life into your study, so pop a plant or bouquet of flowers on a shelf or on your desk itself if you have room to spare.
Four home office paint colour ideas
Image Credit: My Bespoke Room
Colour theory is always worth reading up on whenever you’re stepping into a redecoration project, as it helps you understand how certain colours can affect your emotions. When it comes to picking colours for your home office, think through which hues resonate best with your personality and also ask yourself what you really need from your space. Here are four different home office styles you can create based on your colour palette.
Want to discuss your home office design plans? Book a free call with one of our experts!
Best colours for a stimulating and focused home office
Need a space with zero distractions? A place that you can retreat to for pure, unadulterated focus? Then hit up those blues and greens – colours that aid mental stimulation. On the blue side, dark but not too dark, Blue 06 is a great brain-booster. Or, if you’re naturally into greys, pick a mega deep blue like Blue 07 to change things up from the traditional charcoal.
Greens are a balancer of everything – mind, body and emotion. With the colour green, our eyes don’t have to work as hard and don’t need to adjust to the colour. It’s what makes it so restful and easy to be around. A light green, such as our Green 01 or Green 09, will just sit back in the background and let you do your thing.
Best colours for a creative-thinking home office
Dear creatives, typically you like to be in space that inspire and set your imagination into overdrive. That means that you can afford to be more playful with your palette, mixing up colours and combining them in ways that are fun and free.
Enter pink and green – a creative colour combo and then some. Gentle souls such as our Pink 01 and Green 09 are a match made in heaven, but so are Pink 04 and holly-hued Green 06 —if you fancy going stronger with your shades.
But creative spaces can be made too with colours from the same family; they don’t have to be experimental. Blue 01 and Blue 02 are soothing shades that reflect the colour of the sky on a happy, hazy day and will inspire blue-sky thinking no end.
Best colours for a comforting and nurturing home office
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
Some of us work best in a space that just feels like home. Comforting, safe, nurturing, wholesome and happy, this is a palette that’s the very antithesis to your stereotypical office. No greys or whites, just soft and warming tones like pink, beige, and greige.
Out of our pink palette, Pink 01 and Pink 04 are the best picks for this sort of feeling. Described as the colour of cuddles, they’re hues that straight away make your shoulders drop. Warm pinks are friendly and relaxing, but also great at boosting social interaction – perfect for enduring endless Zoom calls. Or go for a cheekier pink, such as our muted bubblegum pink, Pink 03 that still feels like a comfort blanket, but has a playful side too.
Not so keen on the pinks? Then go for an earthy neutral like Beige 01, Greige 01 or Greige 02, olours that are warm, stable and supportive but don’t feel like you’re sat in a home office that’s dull and drab.
Best colours for a social and energising home office
If your office needs to be served sunny side up, go for a colour palette that’s positivity defined. This is a winner for days filled with team meetings. It works well when morale needs to stay high, yours included. It’s also a good choice when your work feels collaborative. And it’s ideal if you struggle to work away from the office and thrive on the energy of others.
Come forward, Orange 02. This joyful colour is lovely to be around, no question. But it doesn’t feel too in your face. An earthy orange backdrop can lift your mood.
Yellow 02 is another friendly character. It’s all about positivity. People often link yellow with a confidence boost, too. If yellow isn’t your bag, look for greens with a yellow base instead.
Our reassuring Green 01 works beautifully. So does our gorgeously rich, olive toned Green 05. Another option is to add a yellow painted chair to your furniture mix. That way, you still get a dose of yellow without letting it take over the palette. And it goes without saying, when looking at greens, don’t forget those all important plants. Think of them as new teammates that’ll cheer you through the working day.
Want more paint tips? Watch our interview with Tash from Lick and learn how to choose the perfect hue for your room:
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What are the best home office paint colours?
The best home office paint colours depend on the work being done. Blues and greens can support a focused feel, pinks and warm neutrals can make the room feel comforting, and brighter accents can help an office feel more sociable and energising.
Which home office colour schemes help focus?
Focused home office colour schemes often use blues, greens or soft neutral backdrops. Natural light, desk position, plants and low-clutter furniture are also important because wall colour alone will not make a workspace feel productive.
What colours work for creative home offices?
Creative home offices can work well with more playful palettes, including pink and green, tonal blues or a warmer accent layered into a calmer base colour. The aim is to create interest without making the room feel overwhelming.
