Colour, colour on the wall . . .

Have you considered the ambience of your home office? Is your desk neatly organised, papers neatly stored and stationery within easy reach of where you sit? This topic is worth 1000 words on its own but I would like us to consider the general colour scheme of the room.

I recently came across a wonderful post in Freshome.com which helps us choose the correct colours for our home office. Apparently each colour has a particular effect on us. Ever wondered why doctor's rooms are so often blue or green? This post may help explain this!

Here is a summary for you to consider :

Red is the colour of energy and has been shown to increase blood pressure and increase respiration. It is not a good colour for your office as it tends to make people more tense. How many customer service centres are painted in a red colour scheme?! Red has also been shown to stimulate conversation and draw people together.

Yellow is the colour of happiness and joy. It can make a room feel inviting. However it has been shown that people are prone to losing their temper in a yellow room so don't use it for a main cololur scheme in your office. Apparently yellow is also the most fatiguing on the eyes.

Blue is the colour of calm and relaxation and has been shown to bring down blood pressure and respiration rate. However dark blue evokes feelings of sadness so avoid using this over large areas. Pastel blues can also look chilly when painted over large areas so balance this with warm hues in furnishings in the room.

Green is considered the most restful colour on the eye and is believed to relieve stress by helping people relax. This is a great colour to combine with yellows and blues in a home office - keeps you focused but unstressed!

Neutral shades are always coming in and out of fashion as they are extremely versatile. Most interior designers agree that every room needs a touch of black to ground the colour. Use the neutral shades of black, white, brown and grey to add variety and accent to your home office. Given that most home offices will already have office equipment in these colours, I would avoid using them on the walls.

This comments are but guidelines - you are the one who will have to enter your home office more than most and you are the one who will spend the most time there. Your choice of colour is an intensely personal one so choose a colour you enjoy most.

Deciding to change the colour of your home office once a year is a great way to keep things fresh. It is a project the family could help you with and will be a great time to reorganise your desk, filing cabinet and general office space. Good luck!