Using Color to Enhance Your Home Office

Office Design by Urban Lark

For our minds and bodies, there are few more powerful forces than colors.

Colors dominate our moods, they change our perceptions—every room you walk through, if it’s an ugly swamp toad brown or a nice Benjamin Moore Blue Spruce, changes how we feel. It can even have physical effects on your body. Using color is especially important in rooms where you spend a lot of time.

So for your home office, you want to pick colors that elevate your moods and reinforce your creative, efficient, and prosperous side. If you implement the right Feng Shui color principles for your office walls and furniture—and even on your office accessories and pillows—you can quickly find your work space to the space you feel the most you.

Before you get started, I strongly recommend going to a paint store to look at different color paint swatches. See how your body reacts to the different colors. Do you cringe at one? Do you feel powerful from another. That’s the best way to start knowing what you personally require.

Ok. So which color do you need? Let’s dive into our Feng Shui Energy Color Guide and find out!

Wood Energy Gives Growth and Expansion.

Seeking to broaden your horizons? Then go for green colors to give you feelings of personal growth and development. The wood energy from these greens empowers action. If you find yourself feeling indecisive, this might be the right dose for you.

Warm sage colors, olive tones, or saturated teals also provide a feeling of growth and renewal.

Water Energy Enhances Prosperity and Abundance.

Paint the walls black (see my black walls post), or dark navy blues like “Hale navy” from Benjamin Moore to give that strong feeling of creating abundance.

Black’s water energy can demonstrate contemplation or a powerful, explosive natural force.

Metal Energy Promotes Focus and Clarity

Struggle to focus? Then activate metal energy with white and pastel colors that are soft. This will give you the clarity to hone in on your tasks.

However, if you choose a white or pastel colored walls, be sure to bring in some balance of other energies so you don’t feel overwhelmed confused or tired. Too much metal energy can be harsh and cause physical reactions.

Earth Energy Compounds Grounding and Stability

Seeking to feel secure? Feel weak or anxious? You may need to give yourself more Earth Energy.

To achieve this, golds and terracotta colors will bring you grounding and stability. Use these if you feel tension and excitement when working and need a feeling of peacefulness.

Fire Energy Activates Excitement and Energy

Feel dreary? Spark your mood with fire energy.

If you paint with reds, oranges, or fuchsias—or find objects with these colors—they will stoke the energy in your office. It may be easier to launch yourself at tasks.

However, like metal, be careful with too much fire energy in an office, because it can also lead to instability and arguments.

Explore more Urban Lark here, and don’t forget to check out my vintage finds on the Etsy store where you can find the perfect vintage for fall, or take a look at my personalized design services!