We’ve talked once before about how colours can affect your mood in the home, but what about in the office? You spend five out of every seven days there-make sure your office puts you in the right mood.

Colour affects our mood, that much we know. A bright colourful room full of natural light makes us feel happy; a dull room devoid of sunlight does not. Got it, offset dark colours with bright ones in the home.

But what about the office? The office needs to be demure, but not so demure that your employees (including yourself) are lining on the office rooftop to take the plunge.

And what about the home office? It needs to blend with the home, but not so much that you’re distracted by the uncontrollable urge to watch TV.

We know, it’s complicated; that’s why we’ve put together our tips for selecting the right colours for the office away from home and the home office.

The Home Office
Keep the décor and furnishings of the rest of your home in mind when selecting colours for your home office, but don’t be afraid to be bold! You need to be productive in the home, particularly with all those distractions (read: the midday movie) vying for your attention.

Moss Green: Light green with a yellow or blue base is a refreshing but restful colour that can add some warmth to your office and provide comfort when you’re working alone. It’s a soothing colour that won’t make you sleepy; choose a medium green colour or sage to stay in a productive mode all day long.

Magenta: If you’re working in the creative field, magenta can spark your creativity and keep you motivated. Magenta contains shades of purple, red and pink, and is a rich, powerful colour that can enhance concentration to help you focus on creative projects for longer periods of time.

Light Orange: Orange is an energizing colour that evokes excitement, creativity and happiness. You’ll need to stick with a light orange palette to achieve the most benefits of this colour. It can be especially valuable for those who need to stay peppy and energetic throughout the day.

Tip: if your home décor is simple, minimalist, try a feature wall in your office. They’re a great way to spruce up a home office and keep you focused all day long without betraying the simplicity of home’s décor and furnishings.

The Office
Pale Blue: Pale blue has a very calming and soothing effect on the senses, and can help your employees stay focused and productive for long periods of time. Look for light blues such as eggshell or sky-blue for your office walls, and accentuate it with navy, cream coloured or dark blue décor.

Olive: If your employees are the studious type and need to concentrate for hours at a time, olive is a great colour to support their energy levels. This slightly dark and rich colour is also a natural, earthy tone that can be complemented easily with black, brown and cocoa-coloured décor.

Beige/Off White: Beige or cream-coloured walls are a great neutral colour for the office, and are easy to complement with furnishings and décor-particularly a vibrant magenta or light orange feature wall! Beige is simple and calm, and great for office spaces of all sizes.

Tip: think about what industry your business is in and select colours that suit that industry, but still add a twist. Beige or off-white coloured walls might be too simple for a company like Google, but pale blue wouldn’t be, for example.