To Paint or Not to Paint Your Office, That is the Question

Just because your office is a professional place where business happens doesn’t mean that it has to be left looking drab and boring. Many studies have found that there is a direct correlation between color and emotion — for example, while a vibrant hue like yellow can enhance the energy you feel in a space; a mellow shade, like light blue, can bring a calming atmosphere. Painting your office sets the tone — the foundation, if you will — for how your clients and employees alike feel in your workspace. The colors can even invite creativity and productivity! Here are some helpful hints on choosing the right paint colors for your office.

1. Match maker. Be sure to select paint that suits your office environment. If you work in a more buttoned-up firm like a law or accounting firm, consider sticking to more conservative colors. The key to selecting hues is to find the right balance of rich and neutral — for example, light browns or grays with hints of blue or green can add to the look of your office space while feeling subtle enough so as not to overpower your professional setting.

If you work in a creative field, there is more flexibility to go for brights, like orange, red and yellow. In moderation, of course! A hallway or kitchen is a great place to play with color since it’s an area that’s highly frequented, but not so “in your face” while you work like the interior offices’ walls.

2. Bigger is better. Make your office look larger with light colors instead of dark. Paint your ceiling a stark white to make them appear higher than they are.

3. Sample sale. Don’t assume that the little paint swatches you find at the paint store are going to mimic the exact shade perfectly once they are on your walls. Buy a tester of each color you are considering and paint a big square (about two feet by two feet) on your wall. This will help you end up with the perfect colors instead of painting an entire wall and then realizing you don’t really like the hue.

4. The total effect. Before zeroing in on your paint colors, take a look at the big picture. Keep in mind the colors of your furniture and accessories. Also, the lighting in your office has a big impact on the way your colors look, so observe the sample swatches on your walls at all hours of the day to make sure that you like the look from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Do you have any office décor questions or suggestions? Leave us a comment on our 123Print Facebook page, tweet us @123Print or write a note below and we’ll get back to you in a jiffy.