• Remodeling your home office can be an exciting project that could uplift your attitude, brighten your mood and even increase your productivity. With as little as one can of paint, you can transform your drab home office into a thriving workspace. Consider a few simple remodeling ideas with paint that you can do yourself as you design your new home office.
  
  

Different colored walls

• Liven your home office up with walls of different colors. Pick two to four coordinating colors to paint each wall. You might not be ready to make a big statement and if you're not, just paint with two colors. You can paint adjacent or opposite walls. Ask your home improvement or painting center to loan you a book of color swatches so you can look at the paint choices in their groups, in the light of your home office.
  
  

Two-toned walls

• Give your office a two-toned look by painting the top half a light color and painting the bottom half a coordinating darker color. Choose the color from the same color family on the swatch, or you could end up with two colors that clash. Separate the two halves by adding a crisp, white chair rail. You also could consider installing and painting interior tongue-and-groove paneling (or bead board) on the bottom half of the wall.
  
  

Themes

• Give your office a theme, whether whimsical, practical, or sophisticated. Paint one wall, or at least a large section, with special chalkboard paint for a school theme. Try your hand at large stripes and coordinating bold dots on one or two walls or just a fun border all around the room. Consider a monochromatic scheme of gray walls, white trim, and painted black furniture for a modern look.
  
  

Faux finishes

• Faux finishing is an inexpensive and easy way to create a dramatic look with paint or painted texture. Some of the simpler faux techniques include color washing, sponging or color blending. For a leather look, try the ragging technique. You can also make your walls look like they are gilded, or marble or have a crackled finish---the sky's the limit with your imagination and paint.
  
  

Murals

• If you're bold and brave, consider painting a mural on one wall of your home office. Your mural could be as simple as different office supplies painted on the wall, or as complex as a beautiful landscape. Consider painting the same-sized large blocks on one wall, about 2 inches larger than a picture frame of your choice. Paint the blocks a bright, solid color and then when dry, hang your favorite matted prints in plain, black frames inside the blocks for a dramatic effect.
  
  

Tips

• ~Select your color palette carefully. Choose colors that you love, regardless of what others may say. It might be helpful to study the color wheel and color meanings to better understand color theory.
  
  ~Your remodel consists of paint, so if you absolutely hate it, start over with another color, pattern or theme. You might need to prime your walls in between, especially if you going from bright to subtle colors.
  
  ~Consider buying samples of paint before you dive in, but remember, the paint you purchase in gallons is not the same as the sample paint.