Work-from-home practices, or hybrid models of working partly from home and partly from an office, have become the normal routine for many people, leading to a greater need for improving and maintaining home work spaces.

The use of paint colour is one way to update an interior and Plascon offers guidelines on selecting colours that may help to improve productivity.

The paint specialist says that ‘colour psychology’ is an important consideration when selecting paint colours, explaining that certain colours encourage positivity and uplift one’s mood, while other colours can contribute to feelings of stress and fatigue.

Each colour has a specific frequency or wavelength, with those on the ‘cool’ side of the spectrum have shorter wavelengths (with violet having the shortest), while those on the ‘warm’ side have longer wavelengths (with red having the longest).

According to colour psychology, cool tones are the most stress-reducing shades, making them ideal for a home working environment. Greens, blues and green-blues colours tend to bring a sense of tranquillity and make people feel at ease. These shorter-wavelength colours are less stimulating, and can help to ease work stress by inducing a sense of calm.

To create a sense of wellness, for example in the healthcare sector, a soft, light green colour is recommended as it is recognised as a healing colour. Lighter pastel colours are also known to have a calming effect.

The climate and location of a room should also be considered when choosing colours for a workspace. If walls are painted in cool colours, the room will feel cooler than a space painted in warmer hues. So, if a space receives a lot of sunlight, or is not well insulated, making it hard to keep cool, a cooler paint colour is recommended. For warmer shades, brown, taupe or sand shades are recommended.

The neutral colours of white or grey are considered neither warm nor cool, making them a safe choice. However, a white colour reflects the highest amount of light and heat, and a pure-white room can have the effect of draining a person’s energy. In addition, the high reflectivity of white may cause glare leading to eye strain, especially if after extended periods of working on a computer.

Neutral colours may also have an undertone that makes them more warm or cool – for instance, a cream colour with a yellow undertone will appear warm, while a grey with blue undertones may seem cool.

The use of a bolder blue colour may be calming, and aid productivity, focus and communication, which makes it ideal for meeting rooms. However, the use of too much blue can make a room feel cold. Yellow is energising and stimulating, and ideal for use in accents in a room. It is advised to use red colours sparingly, as it can be overstimulating, causing agitation. Deeper, richer colours are said to elicit a comforting, home-like feel, even when working.