With more people working from home, in this blog, we take a closer look at the best way to light a home office
There are various ways you can light a home office, but knowing the best type is not always easy. Here are our top tips for office lighting in your home
Why is lighting a home office important?
- The best way to light a home office with Natural Light
My first recommendation is not to do with artificial light, but with a good dose of natural daylight. Taking your first cup of coffee outside, or by the front door, makes the physical and psychological break between the residential and workspace areas of your home, and importantly gives some brain-boosting Vitamin D.
Once you’re at your desk, which may be without natural light, it’s time to think where and what type of light you need. What you definitely don’t want is to be hunched over your screen with very little other light in the room, as it’s no good for your working environment and definitely not for your eyes.
- The best way to light a home office with “ambient light”
A soothing, warm light spread around and over the desk area is the first thing to think about. A linear (long) pendant light with a 60watt bulb is ideal to eliminate glare, shadow or reflection and much more preferable to harsh overhead spotlights or downlights.
- The best way to light a home office using a floor lamp
If your desk area is without overhead lighting in the ceiling, an alternative is to buy a tall floor lamp that arches over your desk, so effectively works as a pendant light.
- The best way to light a home office using an Anglepoise lamp
Next choose a lamp that shines directly on to your desk for keyboard and paperwork. An Anglepoise style of light is always a good idea for lighting for close work, again with a 60watt bulb so it’s not a dim light.
- Add personality to your office with aesthetic lighting
Look around the rest of the room and build up some more ambient (general) light levels. This is the opportunity for some aesthetic lighting which is also practical, so you can use led strip for shelf lighting, ceiling spotlights to angle towards pictures or information on the walls, or a nice looking floor light. Don’t be afraid to look at creative lighting solutions; this is a room where you spend lots of time and it should be a space to be enjoyed.
- Why is dimmable lighting good for you?
Dimmable lighting is always a winner in any room, including a home office. Our natural biorythms tell us that we prefer brighter light during daylight hours, and softer, warmer light in the evenings. If you’re working late, a dimmer lets you turn the ambient lights down rather than off as you yourself wind down at the end of the day.
- Does lighting affect your mood and productivity?
Keep the lights on all the time. A lighting tip I constantly give to people is that good lighting is there for a purpose, affecting your mood, health and productivity – so don’t be tempted to turn it off.
- Invest in led bulbs and save money on energy bills
These use a tiny amount of electricity to run so you can comfortably have the lights on all day without worrying about cost (an led bulb costs under 1p an hour to run so about 99% less than traditional lightbulbs).
- How to use a “ring light”
Finally, if you’re a regular user of video conferencing (Zoom, Teams etc), make sure your face is well lit. The best idea for lighting yourself in front of a screen is to invest in a ‘Ring Light’ which sits behind your screen and casts an even glow towards your face without shadows, and allows people to see and therefore hear you clearly.
Key Takeaways
So these are my main lighting consultancy ideas for your home office. Take it seriously, think about where and what type of light you need and invest accordingly.
And one last tip – installing a light under your desk is always a good idea, invaluable when you’re coping with all those pesky cables!