Home office lighting should include a few types of lighting, including whole-room lighting and task lighting. Accent lighting and natural light should also be considered. The position of the lights in a home office should also be scrutinized, to minimize reflections and glare, which can cause eye strain.
Whole-room lighting, as its name suggests, is a type of lighting that is used to light up an entire room. This is often accomplished with ceiling lights. A couple large floor lamps will work just as well, however, if a ceiling fixture is unavailable for home office lighting. Some people may also use dimmers with this type of lighting, so they are able to adjust the level of light in the room.
Experts also agree that individual areas of light are also very important when considering home office lighting. This type of lighting is often referred to as task lighting, and it is usually created with desk or table lamps. A desk lamp next to a computer workstation is usually necessary, for example. Small lights can also be placed in other frequently used areas, such as next to or on top of file cabinets. Although small, these lamps will flood an area with light, which will help minimize squinting and eye strain.
Accent lighting can also be used when planning home office lighting. As with many other rooms in the home, the home office will also usually have various eye-catching decorative pieces. Accent lighting can be used to highlight these pieces. For example, a special painting or award that is hanging on the wall can be lit up with a small spotlight.
Although it is not absolutely necessary, natural light should also be considered in a home office lighting plan. Large windows or skylights can be installed, if the budget allows. During the hot summer months, these windows can be covered with blinds or curtains.
The position of home office lighting sources is another very important consideration. Ideally, light sources should not be positioned so that they reflect off of other surfaces. For example, a desk lamp or floor lamp should not be positioned so that light glares off a computer monitor. Instead, these types of lights should be placed beside or behind these types of reflective surfaces. A computer monitor should also not be placed so that it faces a window.