Green paint for your home? Here’s why you should consider it

A recent small study might encourage you to grab some green paint chips the next time your home office needs painting.

German researchers have discovered that when people briefly glance at the colour green for just two seconds prior to performing a creative task, it boosts their creative output compared to looking at other colours, including white, grey, red, and blue.

Related: Many women re-do men's chores, survey finds

The study, published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, involved 69 men and woman, all of whom were given two minutes to write down as many possible uses for a tin can as possible. Their answers were rated for creativity and cleverness.

Before the short test, half of the study participants were shown a green rectangle. The other half saw white. The results: the "green" group produced more creative ideas than their "white" counterparts.

In other tests, the colour green was pitted against other colours, with green always coming out on top.

Study author Dr. Stephanie Lichtenfeld, an assistant professor of psychology at Ludwig-Maximilians-University, suggests the colour represents both physical growth, as seen in nature, and psychological growth:

"Green may serve as a cue that evokes the motivation to strive for improvement and task mastery, which in turn may facilitate growth," she tells MSNBC.

Related: Chocolate lovers tend to weigh less: study

It should be noted that the shade of green used in the study reflected that of a meadow. There has yet to be a study to see if lime green, blue-green or grey-green are effective. Nor do the researchers know if longer exposure to the colour results in an even greater creativity boost.

Colour psychology — the belief that colour can affect emotional well-being — isn't new.

"What colour you paint your walls isn't just a matter of aesthetics. It's a tool that can be leveraged to affect emotions and behaviour," colour consultant Leslie Harrington tells WedMD.

Long before this creativity-boosting study, Harrington was a fan of green. "Green is the colour of concentration," she continues. "It's one of the best colours to be surrounded by for long periods of time."

Literally bringing "the outdoors in" can make a space feel more open and alive, whether its with a potted plant, landscape artwork, or green chair.

What colour is your home office? See the video below for tips on how to add colour to your home.