Looking for the best color scheme for your hobby area or home office? Come along with me as I turn a coat closet into my tiny office. Get started creating your personal sanctuary on a budget with these designer tricks and my inspiration checklist.
If you’re looking for inspiration to create a personal sanctuary, start by printing this Create a Space Just for You worksheet.
This post is number 2 in a 3 part series. Catch up by reading:
The Simple Solution to Empty Nest Transition That’ll Make You Cry
How to Make the Space You Crave in Five Easy Steps
Continue with me on my quest to create a personal sanctuary. I’m turning a small coat closet into my tiny writing office. Come back tomorrow, when I’ll reveal the “after” of my tiny office redo.
After you’ve chosen both a purpose and a location for your space, it’s time to decide on a color scheme.
Unexpected Ways to Choose Color
I found color inspiration during a stroll through the giftwrap section of my favorite organizing store. Although I had no specific purpose in mind, I found myself drawn to the playful theme of an aqua background paper with gold and white mermaids. The whimsical, bright and fresh wrapping paper was just the ticket to brighten my writing nook.
Pink is one of my favorite colors and I later decided to add it as an accent. I am happy to report I still haven’t gotten tired of the palette. Bright and fresh are exactly what I needed, especially for my small, enclosed space.
Color inspiration can come from just about anywhere if you keep your eyes open. A favorite scarf, a flower petal, or the piece of gum on the bottom of your shoe can all become the next idea for your color scheme.
If all else fails, research color trends and let the professionals do the hard work for you. Better Homes & Gardens releases a color forecast each year.
Color Trends
Color trends for interiors include deep, moody shades, nature-inspired palettes, and soothing shades of white. Take inspiration from this article to help decide which hues work for your space.
Perhaps you’re more concerned with the symbolism of the color you’re choosing. If so, check out this Canva article on the meaning behind colors and the psychological effects they have. It’s meant for the business and marketing world, but the concepts apply to your color scheme. Here are some examples, but you’ll find plenty more in the article.
- Red: energy
- Green: vitality and growth
- Brown: simple, wholesome
Colors act in three basic ways: active, passive and neutral. This article gives more detail on how important the colors we choose are to our environment.
Try Before You Buy
Before you slather your walls in fuschia and live to regret it, experiment with swatches first. My wrapping paper roll proved great for this. I draped the kitschy mermaid print over my desk and went about my business for about a week before I decided the aqua shade was right for me.
Once I’d chosen the color, I started seeing aqua everywhere! I spotted an inexpensive frame at a discount store, filing organizers and paper fans in the clearance section. Those were all items I wouldn’t have noticed before I’d chosen my palette.
Get Started Now
Get started creating your personal sanctuary by downloading my idea sheet of 14 fun ideas to help you brainstorm. Don’t forget to pin this post for later!
And pretty please, come back tomorrow, when I’ll reveal my finished tiny office! Don’t miss it…
This was so interesting! I like the idea of leaving the colorful paper on your desk to see if you really liked it over the week!
Thanks, Melanie! I’m glad you learned something new.