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Collection by Dwell

17 Stellar Uses of Color in Home Offices

From cheery yellow walls to graphic rugs, vivid accents liven up these home offices, invigorating the workspace—and fueling creativity and productivity. Take inspiration from these creative applications of color and refresh your own home office.

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Designed by Italian designer and architect Ettore Sottsass, this Silicon Valley manse was created for David Kelley, founder and chairman of global design consultancy IDEO and the Stanford d.school. The 6,000-square-foot home consists of six connection pavilions, each maintaining their own unique shape, color, and material. Holding together four of the six is a glass atrium—Sottsass didn’t believe in hallways, and thus formed a flexible collection of linked spaces. As the city capped the total square footage, Sottsass brought outdoor terraces into the home, fusing the transition with the atrium. In the office, an 18-foot barrel-vaulted ceiling sits overhead as an architectural metaphor for inspiration.
Designed by Italian designer and architect Ettore Sottsass, this Silicon Valley manse was created for David Kelley, founder and chairman of global design consultancy IDEO and the Stanford d.school. The 6,000-square-foot home consists of six connection pavilions, each maintaining their own unique shape, color, and material. Holding together four of the six is a glass atrium—Sottsass didn’t believe in hallways, and thus formed a flexible collection of linked spaces. As the city capped the total square footage, Sottsass brought outdoor terraces into the home, fusing the transition with the atrium. In the office, an 18-foot barrel-vaulted ceiling sits overhead as an architectural metaphor for inspiration.
Home Office
Home Office
When residents want privacy (from the outside world or from other family members), sliding curtains, like this one dividing the office from the staircase, create temporary walls between rooms. "When you close the curtains, you can't see anything," says Wibowo. "It's more like Asian culture, where you don't want to show everything all at once. We want to be in control of what guests see."
When residents want privacy (from the outside world or from other family members), sliding curtains, like this one dividing the office from the staircase, create temporary walls between rooms. "When you close the curtains, you can't see anything," says Wibowo. "It's more like Asian culture, where you don't want to show everything all at once. We want to be in control of what guests see."
Office in Buenos Aires
Office in Buenos Aires
OneLess Office suite, Yellow. Neat.
OneLess Office suite, Yellow. Neat.
Van Everbroeck’s home office occupies the end of one arm of the building. An industrial outdoor light fixture is mounted on a black-painted steel post. The orange of the back wall was chosen to work with the glowing rays of the sunset and the silhouetted, dancing shadows of leaves.
Van Everbroeck’s home office occupies the end of one arm of the building. An industrial outdoor light fixture is mounted on a black-painted steel post. The orange of the back wall was chosen to work with the glowing rays of the sunset and the silhouetted, dancing shadows of leaves.
Deborah’s office, which shares a wall with Wes’s new room, is a repository for assorted claptrap
Deborah’s office, which shares a wall with Wes’s new room, is a repository for assorted claptrap
One of Orlovskiâs collages hangs in the third bedroom/office, which is lit naturally from above and furnished with mid-century pieces. âI knew their new house would look great when I saw how they furnished their old house,â says Oreck. âStas loves finding this stuff on eBay or Craigslistâitâs a labor of love.â
One of Orlovskiâs collages hangs in the third bedroom/office, which is lit naturally from above and furnished with mid-century pieces. âI knew their new house would look great when I saw how they furnished their old house,â says Oreck. âStas loves finding this stuff on eBay or Craigslistâitâs a labor of love.â
The Reale table in natural oak, designed by Carlo Mollino in 1946, and Fortuny lamp are the centerpieces of the office area in The Conran Shop, Marylebone. An Elephant office chair upholstered in leather, designed by Neuland Studio with Kristalia, and Jean-Louis Domecq’s Signal lamp complete the picture. Photo: Paul Raeside
The Reale table in natural oak, designed by Carlo Mollino in 1946, and Fortuny lamp are the centerpieces of the office area in The Conran Shop, Marylebone. An Elephant office chair upholstered in leather, designed by Neuland Studio with Kristalia, and Jean-Louis Domecq’s Signal lamp complete the picture. Photo: Paul Raeside
The bedroom allows for a tiny niche for a built-in wood desk. The target painting is by Alia Penner.
The bedroom allows for a tiny niche for a built-in wood desk. The target painting is by Alia Penner.
Van Everbroeck’s home office occupies the end of one arm of the building.
Van Everbroeck’s home office occupies the end of one arm of the building.
A row of windows casts light into the office, where Bellemo keeps a model of the house. The office is separated from the garage by a bright yellow sliding door.
A row of windows casts light into the office, where Bellemo keeps a model of the house. The office is separated from the garage by a bright yellow sliding door.
The kids' room is especially vibrant, with Tango-painted walls by Delux, artwork by Rachel Castle and Beci Orpin, handmade beaded chandeliers by Emily Green, and a kicky pineapple lamp by Down to the Woods. Photo by Phu Tang.
The kids' room is especially vibrant, with Tango-painted walls by Delux, artwork by Rachel Castle and Beci Orpin, handmade beaded chandeliers by Emily Green, and a kicky pineapple lamp by Down to the Woods. Photo by Phu Tang.
Yuko Shibata, a Tokyo architect, wanted more shelf space in her home office, so she added a plywood door with built-in bookshelves that opens into her bedroom to form a reading nook. Glimpsed from the adjacent room, the space looks larger than it actually is, thanks to the bright green walls. Photo by Ryohei Hamada.
Yuko Shibata, a Tokyo architect, wanted more shelf space in her home office, so she added a plywood door with built-in bookshelves that opens into her bedroom to form a reading nook. Glimpsed from the adjacent room, the space looks larger than it actually is, thanks to the bright green walls. Photo by Ryohei Hamada.