Creative Ideas to Light Up Your Workroom

Make life’s mundane tasks effortless with light-filled spaces.

Today more and more people are turning spare bedrooms into home offices. As the economy becomes more questionable every day, entrepreneurs are opting to bring their work home instead of leasing rental space. Other homeowners just wish to have a space where they can pay bills, organize their personal files, and work independently and quietly. Whatever the reason behind creating a home office, lighting is an integral part of the design to achieve a productive and comfortable place to work.

So...Want to make your work spaces work even harder- and smarter? Try these easy ideas to freshen your room’s lighting:

Place your desk by a Window so that you can take advantage of the light during daytime hours. This is the first ambient light that you should consider.

Replace a chandelier with a series of mini pendants. You’ll cast light across more of the work surface and eliminate dark shadows. Two streamlined pendants light evenly across a long desk surface, balancing the illumination in a workroom. The result? Reduced shadows and glare, and a more energizing office space. And pendants are a great replacement not only for overhead fixtures, but for outdated light sources such as torchiere lamps. Just because this is an office, don’t be afraid to add a personal touch with a decorative fixture or even a fan with a pretty light kit.

Install downlights in place of overhead fixtures as well as a dimmer for their control. Often used as overhead fixtures, downlights can be key in the task lighting layer. Direct one at a computer or at a counter space. This works well in both small and large rooms, and adding accent lighting can be very easily accomplished from this point.

Place one or more floor lamps around the room. This type of lamp is an indispensable tool, especially if you will have clients visit your office. A floor lamp behind a chair is ideal for those times when you have clients in to review work or if you just want to escape for a while to read a book. Make sure that the height of the lamp you choose is approximately 20” above the top of the chair for optimum comfort.

Accent lights can be chosen with your particular style in mind. They can be added to create drama or to add dimension and character to the home office. Miniature desktop lamps are always in style and look great. If your office is more formal, a classic bankers lamp is a nice statement on your desk. If you want to get a bit cheeky, add a novelty accent lamp.

Accent lighting is not just for the desk. If you have bookshelves, you can highlight them with accent lights installed into the shelving. The key word is accent!

The right lighting can truly boost your home office, providing you with an environment that is welcoming and task-oriented. Adequate lighting can help ease eye strain and help with your productivity. No matter if your home office is just a place to escape and wind down with a good book, to pay and organize bills, or it is your livelihood, the proper lighting will go a long way toward your productivity and happiness.