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In this calming office, the back centre wall is painted in Resene Triple Merino, with the left timber wall stained in Resene Colorwood Pickled Bean and the tongue-and-groove wall on the right painted in Resene Quarter Karaka. The shelf is Resene Settlement and the plywood floor is stained in Resene Colorwood Uluru. The desk is painted in Resene Enamacryl gloss tinted to Resene All Black, the chair is in Resene Anglaise, small vase painted in Resene Karaka and small jug vase in Resene Half Blanc. Art from Endemic World, glass from Flo and Frankie Home, plate from Freedom. Project by Kate Alexander, image by Bryce Carleton.
Baches are an opportunity to try something a little different to your everyday home. Create a deep, moody atmosphere by using a darker colour in a small room. Tongue-and-groove back wall painted in Resene Watermark, front walls in Resene Baring Head, borders in Resene Alabaster and floor in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy. Shelves painted in Resene Double Alabaster, vases in Resene Aoraki and Resene Ted. Desk and chair from Danske Møbler, side table from French Country Collections, plant and rug from Adairs, lamp from Mitre 10, mirror from H&M Home. Project by Melle van Sambeek, image by Bryce Carleton.
Resene Wallpaper Collection FD23808 calmly recedes into the background while the clean neutrals of the desk and pops of green elevate the overall feeling of wellness. Pair this with shelves and surrounding walls painted in Resene Alabaster.
This intriguing wall is painted in Resene Salted Caramel with Resene FX Paint Effects medium mixed with Resene Athena. The floor is finished in Resene Colorwood Whitewash, desk in Resene Meringue and reading nook seat painted in Resene Athena. Lamp from Cane Collective, cushions from Citta, chair from Cane Collective, books from Father Rabbit, pouffe from AC Home, artwork from Maiko Nagao, pencil holder from H+M Home. Project by Melle Van Sambeek, image by Bryce Carleton.
Four inspiring home office colour schemes
A home office is a space where creativity, productivity and comfort should all come together to create an efficient and inviting work environment. With the rise of remote work and telecommuting, having a functional and stylish home office has become more important than ever. Selecting the right furniture, to organising your space and choosing the right colour palette from the Resene paint and wallpaper range are all things to consider in your office design, so it is functional as well as appealing.
Whether you’re working from home full-time, or just need a quiet place to handle your finances and personal projects, a home office makeover can breathe new life into your work routine and make your time at your desk a lot more enjoyable and productive. If you’re ready to transform your home office into the ultimate workspace, read on for some tips, tricks and inspiration to get you started.
A well-designed home office can help you feel motivated, focused and ready to tackle any task.
Work in the Hamptons
Baches are an opportunity to try something a little different to your everyday home. Create a deep, moody atmosphere by using a darker colour in a small room. Tongue-and-groove back wall painted in Resene Watermark, front walls in Resene Baring Head, borders in Resene Alabaster and floor in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy. Shelves painted in Resene Double Alabaster, vases in Resene Aoraki and Resene Ted. Desk and chair from Danske Møbler, side table from French Country Collections, plant and rug from Adairs, lamp from Mitre 10, mirror from H&M Home. Project by Melle van Sambeek, image by Bryce Carleton.
A blue Hamptons-style home office exudes a coastal elegance with its crisp colour in Resene Watermark and sophisticated furnishings, providing a calm and productive work environment. This mid- to dark-toned blue is reminiscent of the sea on a stormy day. Although we tend to shy away from darker colours for fear of making a space feel smaller, dark blue walls can add a sense of sophistication, calm, and depth to a room, creating a peaceful and timeless ambiance.
On-trend soothing grey-blues like Resene Watermark, Resene Wayfarer, or Resene Quarter New Denim Blue, work well in internal rooms such as an office or a bedroom, and when complemented with white furniture the colour will be further enhanced. Balance the depth with a lighter floor using Resene Colorwood Whitewash, a complementary rug and some lush foliage.
Zen den
In this calming office, the back centre wall is painted in Resene Triple Merino, with the left timber wall stained in Resene Colorwood Pickled Bean and the tongue-and-groove wall on the right painted in Resene Quarter Karaka. The shelf is Resene Settlement and the plywood floor is stained in Resene Colorwood Uluru. The desk is painted in Resene Enamacryl gloss tinted to Resene All Black, the chair is in Resene Anglaise, small vase painted in Resene Karaka and small jug vase in Resene Half Blanc. Art from Endemic World, glass from Flo and Frankie Home, plate from Freedom. Project by Kate Alexander, image by Bryce Carleton.
If you’re looking to make your own zen-like office, the colour palette is usually neutral and monochromatic, with accents of green plants adding to the peaceful ambiance. With its clean lines, calming atmosphere and minimalist design, a Japanese-style home office provides a perfect environment for productivity and concentration.
This office is a fusion of traditional Japanese design and modern functionality. Typically, Japanese walls are made of rice paper panels, creating a serene and calming atmosphere, but in this room, Resene Triple Merino provides a similar feel with its warmth and cleanness. A zen-style room is designed with simplicity in mind, featuring minimal furniture, such as a simple artwork, natural flooring, a low desk and a few storage shelves. The desk, wall behind shelves and floor made of wood, along with the chosen neutral colours, bring a touch of nature into the space.
To complete your Japanese-style home look to timber stained in bold wood stain hues like Resene Colorwood Mahogany or Resene Colorwood Teak and woody bamboo greens like Resene Wabi Sabi and Resene Green Days.
Clean neutrals
Resene Wallpaper Collection FD23808 calmly recedes into the background while the clean neutrals of the desk and pops of green elevate the overall feeling of wellness. Pair this with shelves and surrounding walls painted in Resene Alabaster.
Whites are a popular colour choice for office spaces as they help create a clean, crisp, and professional atmosphere. They have the ability to reflect light, making the space feel bright and open. White walls or shelving, desks, and accents help to create a sense of unity and order, making it easy to focus and be productive.
Resene Alabaster and other sharp white shades like the ever-popular Resene Black White or Resene Half Rice Cake also provide a neutral backdrop for any decor style, such as a complement to wallpaper or a bolder feature wall. They allow personal decor touches to be added to the space without competing with the overall design.
The important thing when decorating with a white or neutral base is to work in layers of other shades for balance. If white-on-white is your thing, consider layering different intensities of one shade, like Resene Sea Fog, which comes in Resene Eighth Sea Fog through to Resene Triple Sea Fog. If you want to keep things muted but add an accent try a warm charcoal like Resene Triple Masala or Resene Ironsand.
Textured warmth
This intriguing wall is painted in Resene Salted Caramel with Resene FX Paint Effects medium mixed with Resene Athena. The floor is finished in Resene Colorwood Whitewash, desk in Resene Meringue and reading nook seat painted in Resene Athena. Lamp from Cane Collective, cushions from Citta, chair from Cane Collective, books from Father Rabbit, pouffe from AC Home, artwork from Maiko Nagao, pencil holder from H+M Home. Project by Melle Van Sambeek, image by Bryce Carleton.
Using browns and caramels in a home office can add warmth and depth to your space. These colours bring a natural, calming feel, making it an ideal environment for productivity and focus. By incorporating textured paints, you can add texture to your walls and create unique visual interest. Brown and caramel shades work well together, creating a harmonious colour palette that complements a variety of design styles. Resene Salted Caramel is a delicious ginger gold. Other colours to try for a warm stone-like appeal are Resene Kombucha for a rusty terracotta or Resene Sunbeam for a more mellow golden hue.
The trick to getting paint effects to work is to use a product that allows you the time to work with the paint without drying too quickly. Resene FX Paint Effects medium is a tintable acrylic medium that allows you to easily create unique paint effects. Often it only takes one Resene testpot of colour added to the medium to tint it to the right shade. If you are after a stone effect and want to amp it up even further, you could also use textured products like Resene Sandtex as basecoats for extra dimension.
In a world that has become somewhat homogenised, paint effects are a way of personalising our homes and adding extra interest for block colours. Who wants to look just like the house next door? These styles also look quite organic which is a look that bumps shoulders with the current desire for handmade ceramics and freestyle patterns on fabrics. Paint effects are great disguise artists and can be used to detract from walls that are less-than-perfect.
For more advice on colours for your home office or your other home projects, head to your local Resene ColorShop or Ask a Colour Expert.
Published: 14 Feb 2023
Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].
Resene Triple Merino
Resene Triple Merino
Resene New Denim Blue
Resene New Denim Blue
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If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
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the look
If you're stuck on what
colour to use or need colour
advice, try out the Resene
Ask a Colour Expert service.
