Using colour in your workspace

Does your home workspace feel stimulating, calming or inviting?

In today’s post interior designer Anne-Marie Springer explains the different effects of colour in creating the kind of workspace you need. (Click on the image to view full size).

The environment we work in can help or hinder our efforts to become bigger than Branson. The desire of every homeworker is to remain focused yet freethinking, in order to feel smug with achievement.

So let me share my key working from home wisdom: COLOUR. Using colour smartly is a simple way to inspire and motivate you to better productivity in your workspace.

Personally, I prefer brighter spaces because they energise my ideas. Some prefer a cosy nook for intense focus. To know which colours work best for you, question how you feel when working at your best.

Let me break down how colour works for your working life, whether you thrive in warm, cool or neutral spaces.

WARM – STIMULATING
Warm colours include reds, browns, oranges, pinks and yellows in their more subdued appearances. Picture Merlot, burnt coppery orange sunsets, coral pink and mustard yellow and the warmth (or memories) they evoke.

Warm colours work together or in neutral colour schemes that are inviting and invigorating.

Orange and pink make an unexpected pairing that looks fresh, vibrant and surprisingly grown up, even for a home workspace.

Alternatively, bursts of colours (postbox red, bright orange) in a white-walled room create a playful, stimulating feel. This quick (and cheap!) update works well in small spaces with an abundance of natural light.

COOL – CALMING
Synonymous with nature, cool colours calm and revive; we automatically give in to greens, blues, greys and their varying fifty shades.

For a subdued work environment, buckle down in the harmony brought by soothing paler cools, especially pastels.
Sea-green, jade, turquoise and flint-grey let you mix patterns and textures for an interesting and unified space.

If you’re lucky to have a room with a view, natural colours invite the outside in and make your room seem bigger. If you don’t have natural light spilling in, create the impression you do using oversized art depicting natural scenes or florals.

NEUTRALS – INVITING
Neutrals are ‘colours’ we are all familiar with, and may be the only option if your workspace is a room corner or shared with others. A neutral colour scheme featuring wood browns, creamy white, black and grey unites a whole home, giving your business space to breathe.

Artwork or objects that showcase your interests, travels or sentimental tokens bring a personal touch to neutral rooms. Stick to natural materials like wood, glass, stone and marble to make the space feel warm.

Making your house work better for you and navigating the maze of decisions to create your dream home right now is the reason I started House to Hold. We all deserve a dream house to hold onto and fall in love with. The right home-working environment begins with the necessities: good light, space to work and the tools of your trade. Adding a splash of colour and personality will uplift your mood, creativity and working wins.

Anne-Marie is Head Honcho at housetohold.com, providing home decorating help to love your house and turn it into your dream home.