When you’re creating the perfect home office, there are many things you might consider: which room in the house to convert; whether you want a large corner desk or a sleek, simple table; how to best set up a home base for your computer, conference line, and other office essentials. The list goes on. You’ll make all these decisions with one goal in mind: creating a productive work environment tailored to your specific needs at home. However, there’s one key decision you may be leaving off your list: the best paint color to use for your office walls.

Far from just a cosmetic choice, the paint color you choose for your home office can have implications for the amount of work you’re able to accomplish and your state of mind in your home office. Don’t make the mistake of settling for whatever old paint color was waiting for you when you decided to make that spare room an office. Use the tips below to use paint colors to get the most out of your home office.

Productivity

If your number one goal for your home office is to get work done -- and lots of it -- then you’ll want colors that promote productivity. For this purpose, you can’t go wrong with blue. A colorful neutral for all its versatility, blue looks good in virtually every shade and hue: from dark, like  Washington Blue  to bright, like  Deep Ocean , to light like  Blue Stream , and goes with nearly everything. If blue isn’t your thing, then go with a red. A dark merlot can make the space feel lush and professional, or select a truer shade of red to energize you.

Serenity

“Calm” may not be the first word that comes to mind when you think of work, but if you’d like that to change, then go with a  sage green . You may need to get a lot done when you’re working at home, but the right wall paint can help make that experience feel a little less hectic.

Creativity

If your job calls for you to be creative, especially if you use your home office for writing, drawing, crafting, or dreaming, then you want paint colors that will help. Consider doing the room in a yellow like  Palm Coast Pale or an unexpected  purple . If you want a bold color but are afraid to commit to it, try an accent wall: a bright orange or yellow will really pop, and may give you that creative boost you’re looking for.

Follow Your Gut

If everything you read says that blue will make you more productive, but you know that blue walls give you a headache, then listen to your gut. Conversely, if you find that you always come up with the most ideas in that conference room at work with the bright red accent walls, then consider painting your home office to match.

If you’re in Turlock, Modesto, or the Central Valley, you don’t have to make these decisions alone. Let the professional painters at  Lancaster Painting  help you plan and execute the perfect home office makeover. Lancaster’s interior painting experts are waiting to help you transform your home office into a dream workspace.