In the current climate many parents have waved goodbye to their children as they emigrate to find work or explore new countries. This has left many Irish homes with a spare room unoccupied. What may seem like a sad transition can actually be an opportunity to turn the space into a retreat for you or other family members to escape to.

 

A personal office is a popular choice for a spare room as it is essential to leave your work in another part of the house. If you’re converting a bedroom to an office space, remember the colour you choose can help or hinder your personal inspiration.

 

Avoid dramatic colour schemes such as dull browns or bland white shades, instead use a shade that stimulates and energises your mind like yellow does. Yellow reminds us of the sun and lifts our mood, encouraging us to work harder. Why not try Lemon Squash or Energise to give your new office a boost.

 

If yellow is not your personal style try a calming green colour on your walls. Muted green tones provide the same calming effect as blues and also aid vision, as it is the easiest colour for our eyes to take in. This is especially important in our digital age where the majority of people spend long hours in front of the computer at work. Crown Paints have a beautiful range of green tones from Bamboo Leaf to Almost Sage.

 

There are a number of recommendations for arranging office furniture to support creativity in your room. Don’t sit in line with the door as this is said to be the path of negative energy.  Try not to have any mirrors in the room as these can be distracting in an office space. Get a cord cover for your computer equipment wires, an endless mess of wires is unsightly.

 

Another popular choice for an unoccupied room is to revamp it into a guest bedroom. These rooms are a little more difficult to decorate as it is not about your own personal taste. The purpose of a guest room is to make your visitor feel comfortable and welcome in your home.

 

For a guest bedroom, it is best to stick to neutral and organic tones such as creams and stony beige tones. Crown’s Classic Collection has a great range of timeless paint colours to suit a neutral room. Why not try Classic Umber and Classic Sandstone.

 

A home office and guest bedroom lend themselves to an uncluttered and under personalised space so it is possible to combine the two. A joint office and guest bedroom can be a practical additional to any home. The use of a sofa bed provides a contemporary sleeping area without interrupting the purpose of your working environment. A desk can be easily cleared off and documents stored to help make guests feel more at ease.

 

Happy Decorating,

 

Neville