Choosing your best personal color for your home-based workspace.

Since color controls mood and productivity,
choose the color that's best for you!

By Antonia Ehlers for Work-from-Home.org

In your old office job you were stuck with the color your boss picked... usually depressing gray or beige.

Now, you work from home and YOU'RE the boss. You can color your home office anyway you want to!

Working from home can be challenging for many reasons, so the perfect workspace color is vital to a successful home business. The color chosen for your work backdrop actually can affect your productivity and creativity.

What colors energize you and make you the most productive? Are you looking to create a soothing, relaxing environment or a lively, creative space? Stay away from traditional cool corporate colors such as steel gray, which can be depressing instead of inspiring. Be sure to stay away from dated “sherbet” pastels such as baby pink and ice blue. The same goes for stark white. Ever notice how hospitals and doctors' offices are so sterile you feel a tad gloomy? It's all about the color.

If blue is your color, try a warm robin's egg blue, accented by yummy chocolate brown tones. Since robin's egg blue has a hint of yellow in it, the color is warm and inviting. Spruce up your work space with some French Quarter-style wrought iron pieces to organize and complete the space.

Green is one of the best colors to use because it promotes feelings of creativity and harmony. It also relaxes and encourages that Zen spa feeling in your home office. Choose a soft, neutral sage or a warm apple green. Stay away from dark forest greens, as you might fall asleep in the dark forest during your working hours!

If you're on a creative roll, try red in your home office. Do you love a Parisian theme? Choose a brick red with black accents, such as beautiful black and white photographs. European themes are popular these days, so your art might consist of the Eiffel Tower in black frames. Tres Chic! Orange is another fun color to boost creativity. Orange is a great wake-me-up color that inspires fresh ideas. Or, try raspberry - yes, it is intense but so lovely. Raspberry works best if you are lucky enough to have your own office.

Now, the man in your life might balk at anything in the pink range. If you share workspace with the man in your life, how about a rich cocoa or latte color on the walls? It might seem a bit masculine at first, but accented with light cream and French blue fabric, the mood will be warm, cozy and traditional. Lighten the mood by using a soft white paint color for crown molding and baseboards.

A combination of neutral off-white and taupe is an old standby that works for just about any style. Traditionalists are usually more comfortable with the beige and taupe palette. Add a spicy pop of red or terracotta with an Italian olive jar or hand-painted ceramic vase. Add a modern twist to a traditional color palette by displaying purple and teal home accessories on black bookshelves.

My favorite home office color is a warm, sunny yellow. You can't go wrong with a buttery yellow because it is a happy yet neutral color. A soft, creamy shade on the wall is the perfect backdrop for artwork and complements all wood furniture colors.

Working from home can be extremely productive if you have the proper environment in which to work. The best advice is to have fun with your home-based workspace! It's all about you and your creativity. Just remember, anything is possible when you design a workspace to fit your unique personality and live your life in color.

Antonia Ehlers is a decorator and director for Southern Living at Home,a Time Warner company and sister company to Southern Living, Sunset, Coastal Living and Cottage Living magazines. She loves to share decorating tips with busy women. She is always looking for creative, friendly women to join her team. No decorating experience is necessary! We train on everything you need to know about home accessories and room makeovers. For more information, please call Antonia at 650-367-8720 or visit www.southernlivingathome.com/antoniaehlers