COLUMN: Color warms office walls

DEAR GAIL: We are moving into a new office and would like to paint the walls. We have fairly neutral furniture in the typical grays and blues. Currently, the walls and vertical blinds are bright white. We are not able to change the blinds as they are building standard, but we are allowed to paint the walls. What would be a good color? -- Mary R.

DEAR MARY: Bright white can be very disconcerting on the walls, especially since you also have it on your blinds and do not have a color break on the walls. Bright white causes glare, headaches and eyestrain, so I'm glad to hear that you'll be painting the walls.

Since your blinds are white and will be staying, I would avoid painting an off-white. Off-white will appear dull, dirty and yellow next to your bright white blinds.

Your current color scheme is cool with just blues and grays. It is important to balance out your colors with some warmth. Even though we might not be actively aware of it, we all seek out and need balance in our environments, a property called homeostasis.

When only using cool colors, you may find that the temperature will be turned up and people will complain that they are always cold.

They may lack concentration since they are uncomfortable at their desks. Color is a great equalizer to bring a sense of balance into your office.

A good neutral color that will bring warmth would be something from the brown family. Beiges are the lightest of the brown tones. They are subtle, comfortable and classic. Taupe is considered a favorite neutral and has an inherent warmth because of its brownish-gray or grayish-brown tone.

Both colors would be excellent choices for a backdrop if you were going to add some colorful artwork.

If you would like to add a bit more color, a bisque peach is a great interior choice because it is a good transition color. It will bring warmth to the walls and will coordinate with the grays and blues. A bisque peach could be described as a dirty peach tone. Think of a piece of bisque pottery and add a touch of peach to it. It is also a good color against all skin tones and has a sophisticated feel.

Want a bit more excitement and color? A muted or dirty yellow would be a good choice.

You may have heard that yellow causes children to cry more and causes anxiety. These statements are not true and have not been proven in any factual studies. Yellow is actually thought of as sunshine, warmth and a symbol of enlightenment. We all enjoy seeing the sun come up in the morning.

When choosing yellow, you need to be careful to avoid being too bright. When applied to a larger surface it will intensify and become brighter. Custard yellow or a creamy yellow tone would be a good choice to warm up your office.

I also suggest adding greenery, as it adds color and life to every environment.

Gail Mayhugh, owner of GMJ Interiors, is a professional interior designer and author of a book on the subject. Questions may be sent by e-mail to: gail@gmjinteriors.com. Or, mail to: 8170 S. Eastern Ave, Box 4-275, Las Vegas, NV 89123. Her Web address is: www.GMJinteriors.com.

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