Light Up Your Home Office
Natural, Overhead, Track and Table Lighting for Your Work Space
You don't need a big budget to make your home office a better work space! A few simple things can make a positive difference and give your office a spring makeover.
Much like wall colour, lighting in the home office makes a big impact on your productivity and your work space. There are many things you can do to fix or improve your office lighting. Here are some options to fit your needs and your budget.
Natural Light
A little bit of daylight is always nice, whether in your home or your office. So take it seriously! Move a desk near a window, keep blinds or shades open during the day, and enjoy the sunlight. If your desk is in a room with few windows, think about moving it. If you are strapped for space elsewhere in the house, consider a mobile home office that can follow the natural light. Some people find that natural light keeps them alert. This is especially important if you use your home office primarily in the evening. You can simulate natural light with certain types of light bulbs (see below). For those of us who do most of our home office work during the day, here are some supplementary lighting options.
Overhead Lighting
This is usually in the form of a frosted glass dome in the centre of the room's ceiling. It's not always ideal, for several reasons. It's a general light, fairly muted and doesn't target your work area as specifically as some of the options to follow. There are some practical problems as well - if you do fine work, or spend hours staring at a computer screen, the fuzzy light won't help your eyes. And it's not a very pretty light, either. So be a bit of a light snob and think about other options. That said, if you can't afford to buy any kind of additional light, an overhead light system will suffice (but at least move the desk near a window!).
Floor Lamps
If you find yourself working in the evening, or if your home office isn't adequately illuminated by natural light, take a look at some of the floor lamps out there. You can find halogen floor lamps at reasonable prices, or get a modern piece of lighting art for a little bit more. Visit Ikea to see what they offer, and also remember to check out Home Depot and Restoration Hardware. There's a lamp for almost any taste or decorating scheme. The benefit of a floor lamp is that you can move it to whichever area of the room you need to illuminate. Sometimes the overhead dome light is insufficient, or poorly placed in relation to your actual work area. The downside of a floor lamp is that the light is concentrated toward the ceiling, and provides little specific light to the desk top.
Track Lighting
The term "track lighting" is intimidating, and certainly does not sound appealing. However, the new styles of track lighting can be useful in a home office. This type of system might work best in a modern office, where the decor will match with some funky designs and colours. You can direct the light to the areas where you need it. One of the considerations, however, is the process of installing the track lights. Think about the logistics before you leap with this one.
Table Lamps
Ah, the under-appreciated table lamp. From the vintage library table lamp, to a stainless steel gooseneck desk-mounted vision of modernity, the table lamp takes many forms. There are some great advantages to using a table lamp in your home office: it's often cheaper to buy a table lamp, the installation is simple, and you can target the light in a very specific area. The variety of designs also makes it easy to match your office decor, whether it be romantic Victorian or sleek and minimalist. Table lamps are excellent for in-between times of day, such as dusk, when you don't want to turn the overhead light on, but the natural light is fading. And if you change the office decoration scheme or move, it's easy to take a table lamp with you.
Whichever lighting system you choose, make sure you buy good quality bulbs. Full-spectrum bulbs simulate the characteristics of natural light, but they cost more. Fluorescent bulbs come in a variety of tones to suit different rooms, and some are energy efficient. Do your homework before you buy. Your eyes will thank you!
