A home office is a privilege, creating a more convenient work schedule for you. Nevertheless, these spaces must be meticulously put together. As more people are planning to abide by a hybrid work scheme in future, getting your home office right is a priority if you’re planning to work from home too. You can’t be expected to work anywhere or in a room that’s been hastily thrown together.
Many people assume they can paint the rooms in their homes with no fuss. However, these tasks require more care and consideration, especially when creating a work area. Here are some things you should try to remember when painting your home office.
Keep it Professional
While it can be tempting to give the rooms in your home a distinct sense of personality, you should opt for more neutral paint hues in your home office. It’s important to make a good impression. After all, many people working from home feel self-conscious enough during remote calls. If you have a background that is attention-grabbing for all the wrong reasons in a Zoom call, then it may reflect poorly upon you as an employee.
Of course, there are sometimes options to blur your background when using remote conferencing software. It may not help you so much with the colours you’ve painted your walls, though, especially if you’ve gone for fierce lime greens and pinks. Play it safe and stick with a neutral colour scheme that won’t undermine your professionalism.
Think About Surface Requirements
Different paints are required for different surfaces. They can’t all be mixed and matched at your leisure. For plaster walls, you’ll need emulsion paint. Gloss paints work best on wood, which you may need for wooden walls, doors, and window frames. If you have rooms particularly prone to bouts of mould, then an anti-fungicide paint should also be used.
It may also be a good idea to redo your surfaces before painting them. After all, there are some things a new coat won’t cover up. Find plasterers near you with MyBuilder, who can also put you in touch with other types of reputable tradespeople, including painters and decorators. Have a solid foundation to paint from, and hire an expert local plasterest to ensure a professional standard of work is carried out.
Take Your Colour Scheme Seriously
Colours can influence everything; moods, attitudes, and creativity levels. Therefore, your colour scheme must be nuanced if you’re promoting a work area. Anything that’s an eyesore will certainly be a distraction. Therefore, you should always go with the hues that prompt positive reactions. Blues may depress people, while reds are often associated with anger or romance and are thus not entirely appropriate for a home office. Go for soothing and earthy colours where you can, like olive green or warm white.
It may also be worth considering whether you have a personal brand to promote. You may wish your colour scheme to be representative of that so that you can promote your business in the background during work calls. It may somewhat contradict the advice just given if your brand is a bright pink, for example. Still, if people can see consistency between your online branding and your real-world background, it can inspire confidence in your business.
Photo credits: Coworking London