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Friday, February 25, 2000
What Color is Your Office?
Revamp Home Office Walls and Floors for Increased Productivity
by Marcus Meleton
Did you know that merely having the wrong color on your home office walls can lower productivity in your home office? Some colors motivate, some colors depress and colors actually have impact on your office visitors. It's even been suggested that purples and blues may reduce your appetite.
In addition to colors, your walls, floors and overall style influence productivity, attitude and the affect your business has on your customers. The good news is that modification of walls, flooring and home office style does not have to be expensive. The overall affect can be invigorating, impressive to clients, and productive to your home business. Consider the possibilities by applying the following analysis.
Getting Started
Give a critical look at your home office. Have your spouse, business visitors, and/or friends do the same, and answer these questions:
- What statement does the office convey to you as a worker – Let's get working or let's go do something else?
- Do the colors motivate, depress, impress, or distract you?
- Does the office clash with the rest of the house?
- Do elements of the office (colors, furnishings, floor) clash with each other?
- Does the office clash with the type of business conducted?
- Is the office style functional for the business conducted?
Take the answers to these questions and consider the following:
Where Is My Home Office Space? Is it integrated in your living space or is it separated? If separated, you have more flexibility with how you furnish it, floor it and color it. If it is integrated with your living space, it needs to blend in without being too stark. For instance, a home furnished in a country style will not mix with a colorful, eclectic office space jammed next to it.
What Are the Requirements of My Home Business? If you do home crafts consisting of wood carvings, carpeting is not a good option, but vinyl or tile might be. If you are an accountant that has business visitors, carpeting and traditional colors on the walls will benefit your business. Determine how your business influences the style of your home office.
How Much Can I Spend? You may only have enough money to paint the walls, so choose the paint appropriately. Maybe you have funds to do significant work — flooring and walls — but not enough for furniture and lighting to match the style chosen. In this case, determine a style and begin a long-term process to achieve your ultimate goal. Keep in mind that various styles have varying costs and utilization of some of the current style in place may be a necessity.
Do I have Business Visitors? If you have no visitors, you have complete control on how you create your office. Occasional or frequent business visitors necessitate adjusting your style to fit their expectations or to project a professional image. Photographers will likely want blowups of their best work on the wall. For an accountant, having a messy home office with clashing furnishings does not convey that the customer's account will be handled with precision. Conversely, although bright yellow or red walls will not work with an accountant, they may display creativity for a marketing outfit.
Colors, Walls and Floors
A concerted effort is needed to choose colors and to apply them to your selection of wall coverings and flooring. This also extends to your furniture, lamps and even office equipment as office suppliers now offer a variety of styles and colors to help you achieve the style of your preference.
Colors
Colors affect the appearance, feel and productivity of your home office. For instance: Bright colors stimulate but can be distracting to people in the office, even making them restless. Fast food restaurants apply this psychology to their interiors. Their use of oranges, reds, yellows, and bright greens makes clients want to eat and get out, and that's what is intended. These bright hues may be used for accent but not as dominant colors in the office. For instance, too much red can create tension. So be aware of how colors impact you and your visitors. Use them to create the level of stimulation you desire.
Warm colors such as peach, taupe, soft blues and greens tend to be calming. Prisons use bland colors with the intent to keep prisoners understimulated. Drinking establishments are dark, with bland colors to invite you to stay for a drink.
White gives an enlarged look to a home office. It opens the office up, but if too bright it can strain the eyes.
Ultimately, you need to evaluate your own response to the colors because it varies among individuals. Extroverts may need warm-colored walls to subdue them so they can get down to work. Introverts may want brighter colors to provide more energy. Look at store models to get a feel for what you like. Decide which colors motivate you or project the right impression.
Walls
Decide how you will present color on your walls. Paint is only one option. Other options vary in cost, application, noise absorption, and maintenance.
Paint – This is the least costly option. Paints are easy to apply and clean, with an infinite variety of colors and shades. Noise absorption is minimal, necessitating noise suppression through ceiling and flooring options.
Wallpaper – This option provides a wide choice of solid colors, patterns, foils, and vinyls. Even textured coverings are available that range from felt to grasscloth and other fabrics that will absorb noise. Application of wallpaper is more difficult, but maintenance is low, and the results cover wall blemishes.
Wood Paneling, Cork, and Brick – These warm and durable coverings can give a homey, established look. Cork absorbs noise and doubles as a bulletin board, while paneling gives a regal look, as found in legal and executive offices.
Other – Mirrors and mirrored tiles on the walls provide illusions of space but add noise and glare. Large paintings, murals, cloth hangings, and photographs give life to a room.
Floors
Floors provide noise absorption, durability, style and comfort.
Carpet — This office flooring is inexpensive, covers major blemishes, absorbs noise, and is easy on the feet. It comes in a wide variety of colors, textures, and patterns. Vinyl – Vinyl is durable, waterproof, and easy to maintain. It comes in sheets or tile in a variety of colors and patterns. The look is more casual than carpeting or hardwood and can come padded to soften the feel and reduce noise.
Wood – This flooring is expensive to install but is durable and can be refinished for a long life. Wood floors are noisy, but emit a warm feel and can be covered with throw rugs for noise suppression.
Ceramic Tile, Concrete, and Masonry – These are the toughest wearing options but are cold and hard. Tile is the most expensive of the three but is impressive and easy to clean and maintain. Even concrete can be dressed up with new coatings and colors that are popular today. Noise is projected, but there is little worry about damaging the surface.
Taking Action
You've reviewed and analyzed your home office. If you know exactly what you want, it's a matter of shopping and getting the work done, either by you or by hired help. You can use suppliers for advice. Hardware stores and superstores provide advice desks and workers to assist. Some have example layouts either physically or in pictures.
If the mixing of colors, floors, and styles overwhelms you, an interior decorator may be your best option. He or she can save you time, provide expertise, and possibly save money through professional discounts on products.
Ultimately, focus your efforts to get a single style not only on the surface but in furnishings and office accessories. Due to high demand, home office equipment and furniture are now being designed with the home in mind. It's just a sign of the times and another positive aspect of having a home office.
Marcus Meleton joined Home Busines Magazine as Managing Editor in 1996. He works directly with the contributing writers, and coordinates the editorial and graphic design.
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