Many more of us are working from home now. That means we’ve had to create a home office space. This may be a small desk in a hallway or a desk in the corner of a room or you may be lucky enough to have a whole room. No matter how big or small, it’s possible to have a space that feels separate, calm and cohesive. A space that inspires you and allows you to focus. One of the easiest, quickest and cheapest ways to do this is with paint, because paint is so transformative.
If you love neutrals but want something other than white, these calming wall colours for a home office will inspire you. While I love white, it’s not for everyone as in some spaces it can look a bit too stark and cold. My own home office is currently white but I’m painting the walls for this exact reason. I want to create a space that’s calm, cosy and warm. On the flip side, colours that are too bold and bright can look chaotic and can be distracting.
A lot of us think of neutrals as white, grey or brown. In interiors, neutrals are any colour that works well with most other colours. So when you’re thinking of neutrals, there are so many choices. To keep the look calm and cohesive, it’s a good idea to stick to one colour only. Depending on preference and your room, you can opt for a light neutral or a dark neutral or something in between. I’ve shared wall paint colours for all below.
best calming wall colours for a home office
This is the palest of shades but works so well with the black accents and white trims. It’s a very light greige with soft green undertones. Even though it’s a very light colour, it adds warmth and a sense of calm — both of which are ideal for a work space at home.
Very simple yet stylish, this modern grey home office space is so serene. The light grey walls are a great choice and go so well with the black accents and wooden touches. Painting the shelves in the same grey as the walls is a great way to reduce visual clutter which is always a good idea in a home office.
For something a little darker but still neutral, a shade like this beige with subtle blush undertones is so soothing. The black desk creates visual contrast and makes the space come alive. They’ve painted the wall, cabinet, wiring, and the mirror frame in the same colour as the wall — once again minimising visual clutter. This paint trick is also an easy way to make a small space like this feel bigger. This home office is at the end of a hallway so it’s a great use of space too.
If you prefer decorating with dark walls, then this kind of a muted deep green is perfect. It’s calming and cocooning, promoting productivity and the colour green has also been shown to reduce stress. All these benefits of the colour green are great for a space where you work. To keep the dark and moody look, this home office has been finished with black accents and dark wood tones.
Much like green, blue is another calming colour. So if you prefer blue to green, then dark blue walls with grey undertones would work well for a home office space. A common theme in all these home offices, including this one, is the use of black as an accent colour. Black goes with every colour but also it creates a contrast while still being subtle. (alvhem)
For the boldest, a deep, dark terracotta with brown undertones is striking yet still calming. I will add that this colour will work best on it’s own, including painting wall trims, radiators or anything else in the same colour. Contrast it with white trims and it will look way too bold and bright. Once again black accents work well with this colour too. (jotun)
Finally, we have one of my favourite colours for a home office which is a warm beige. Beige is always calming but beyond that, this colour is very soothing too. It’s not distracting in any way and is great for contrasting with white, black and wood. This is the kind of colour I’m thinking of for my own home office.
What’s your favourite colour for a home office?
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