Whenever I decorate any room in my house, it seems to take on a life of it’s own and never ends up looking like I envisioned it to begin with.  Such is the case with my latest project, my home office makeover.

To begin with, I only knew I wanted to paint the walls green (my favorite color).  That in itself was a problem.  Do you know how many shades of green exist?

So a trek to Lowe’s was in order.  Then armed with a whole handful of paint samples, I set about trying to match the samples to shades of green already in pictures and accessories in the room which ended up being more of a chore than I anticipated.

After going back and forth in my mind about which colors matched best, going back to the store for more samples and almost driving my husband crazy asking for his opinion – I finally just chose the color I liked best and moved the things that didn’t match into another room.

Suggestions For Choosing a Paint Color

One of my favorite ways to decide on a color scheme is to look at pictures of decorated rooms in magazines or decorating books.  Magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, Coastal Living, and Cottage Living are a few of my favorites.  Home Depot and Lowes usually have a nice selection of decorating books.

As you are looking through the pictures, chose those that you like and imagine yourself  living in a room of the same color.  Specifically, imagine how that color would make you feel.  Some colors are relaxing and restful like blues and greens and others like reds and yellows can be more invigorating.

This is especially important in your home office since you need to choose colors that will not only help you to feel comfortable in your surroundings but also contribute to your productivity.

Another popular technique is to look at the accessories in your room, like a favorite painting or pillow.  Then pull out one or two colors to use for your room colors.

When choosing colors for your home office, keep in mind the characteristics of the room.  Does it get a lot of sunlight or tend to be dark?  If it tends to be dark, you will want to choose lighter, more pastel shades.  If it doesn’t get much sunlight, a creamy, soft yellow might make the room feel warm and sunny.  What about the size?  Dark colors can make a room feel smaller while lighter colors will make it seem larger.

What if you absolutely love a  dark color, but your room is very small.  Try using the darker color on an accent wall and painting the other walls a lighter, complementary color.

Be Sure to Test Colors Before Painting

I learned this little secret the hard way.  We were painting our living room and I found what I thought was the perfect color, a soft mauve.  My husband finished painting the room and I really did try to like it.  But I just didn’t feel comfortable in the room.  It was a “cool” color and this is when I found out that I was more comfortable with colors that had a warm undertone.

So….I chose a warm gold color and talked my husband into re-painting the entire room.  Thank goodness, he is so patient.

Now, when I decide on a color, I purchase a sample, if available, or a quart and paint “splotches” on the wall.  That way I can “live with it” for awhile and make sure it is going to work and that it will look good with the furniture and accessories in the room.

There are many suggestions for choosing paint colors, but remember, the most important criteria is whether it’s something you like.  Whether it’s a color that will make you feel good and help you enjoy working in your home office.

Bye for now……

Other articles in the “Home Office Makeover Series”:

• Why I Need a New Home Office!!