How to improve the light in your home office

October 25, 2021
It is essential to have a good quality of light in your workspace, be it at home or in the office. Studies have shown that working under a good light source increases productivity by 10-50% and reduces errors by 30-60%. It has also been found that a well-lit space can increase the health and wellbeing of employees, particularly their happiness. When setting up a workspace you should therefore prioritise access to natural daylight where possible and if necessary, lamp lighting should be chosen carefully. Here are our tips for optimising light in your workspace:

Install indirect lighting

Indirect lighting is a concealed light source that diffuses into the room by reflection from the ceiling, floor or wall, eliminating glare and shadows and creating ambience. It improves visibility, reduces eyestrain, and has been said to increase productivity. You can create this effect with certain lampshades, LED lighting, upward-shining floor lamps or filtering light through curtains.

Create task lighting

Keep an articulated desk lamp at your workspace which will allow you to focus a bright beam of light on anything you are working on such as paperwork or excel sheets.

Locate your workspace under a roof window

Access to natural daylight is great for our mental health and keeps our circadian rhythm in check. Roof windows allow light to penetrate further into the room than vertical glazing and increase the sense of open space. Daylight has been found to make us feel energised and increase our concentration, making that spot under the roof window a perfect location for your desk.

Balance artificial and natural light

As the cold creeps in and the days get shorter, our access to natural light lessens. This can make waking up more difficult and have an negative impact on our mood. We recommend turning on bright lights first thing in the morning to help increase your alertness. During the day, try to get as much natural daylight as you can by sitting near a window and perhaps taking a walk during your break. As the daylight begins to fade, incorporate electric lights and lamps again until you feel it is time to unwind for sleep.

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