The Best Office Paint Colours

With many companies encouraging employees to return to the office, there’s no better time to give your workplace a makeover. Offices should be clean, bright and airy, helping employees feel calm and productive.

Discover the best office paint colours and our top decorating techniques here, from creating feature walls to zoning.

Office paint ideas

There are many office wall colours at Dulux Decorator Centre, from natural tones to soft pastels and bright primary shades. Explore our favourite office painting ideas here to get inspired.

Natural tones

White is popular in offices and commercial spaces, providing a clean, modern finish. It’s great for brightening up small offices with little natural light. However, it can look cold and stark when used alone, especially in large offices. Pair white with grey, blue, green or yellow to introduce colour into the space.

Alternatively, cream and beige have the same brightening effect as white but bring warmth into the space, making these natural tones a great choice for offices. If you want to create a tonal colour scheme with neutral shades to add depth, soft grey or charcoal are excellent alternatives to black.

Soft pastels

Pastels add a subtle splash of colour to any office, whatever shade you choose. Green is a calming colour, evoking nature to bring the outdoors into your workplace. Lighter pastel hues like sage, turquoise and mint are timeless options that pair well with neutrals.

Dawn Scott, Senior Colour Designer at Dulux Decorator Centre, says:

Bold primary colours

Introduce primary colours for a bold office design, whether blue, red or yellow. If you choose the right shade, blue is one of the most productive colours for offices. Light pastel blues can feel too cold in workplaces, while navy can make the space feel small or dark. Instead, opt for a mid-blue, like teal, cobalt or cornflower.

Red is another inspiring colour for offices. Earthy terracotta hues create a rich, warm feel, as true primary red can feel too harsh under bright office lights. Use mustard instead of pastels if you love yellow but prefer a deeper shade.

Office décor ideas

Whether you’re looking for small office design ideas or unique ways to use colour in your workplace, these are some of our top tips.

Create a feature wall

Feature walls are an easy and effective way to add colour to your office. Paint one wall in your chosen shade, leaving the rest white or neutral for contrast. You can also use wallpaper to create a feature wall, with designs at Dulux Decorator Centre that complement your chosen colour scheme.

Introduce zones

Zoning is a useful design technique for offices, helping divide the space. It’s especially helpful in large offices, maximising every inch and preventing things from looking too corporate. Use colour to create zones and define quiet workspaces, breakout areas or meeting rooms.

Dawn highlights the benefits of using bolder colours in these areas:

Furniture and room dividers are handy when implementing zoning in the workplace. For example, place comfortable sofas in breakout areas to encourage employees to relax during lunch breaks. Think about how desks are positioned – rather than uniform rows, why not create zones for different teams with room dividers? Not only does this add visual appeal to your office, but it can reduce noise and improve privacy.

Add colour through furniture and accessories

Would you prefer to keep your office walls plain? Introduce colour with furniture and accessories instead. From sofas to desk chairs, there are plenty of ways to upgrade your office furniture for a fun shade that fits your chosen colour scheme.

If buying new furniture isn’t an option, add colourful soft furnishings like cushions and rugs to your sofa area instead. Plants and wall art are another budget-friendly way to add personality and colour to your office, transforming the space from sterile and corporate to welcoming and relaxed.