Eight Tips on Choosing Lighting for Home Offices from Our Solana Beach, CA Office Lighting Designer
Are you looking to transition to a work-from-home setup?
With the health crisis changing the dynamics of work, more Americans are now working from home, and that arrangement is appealing to more people than ever.
It offers more flexibility and comfort. After all, your home gives all the essentials. However, key elements like proper lighting can affect your job quality and we don’t all have an office lighting designer on hand.
Thus, picking the right lighting for home offices is something to take seriously. Here are eight tips to light up your Solana Beach home office setup.
Evaluate Your Home Office in Solana Beach
Before deciding on lighting for home offices, evaluate your home office space. See how much natural light is coming inside the room. The impact of natural light differs depending on the time of day.
Determine where the shadows fall on your work hours. During the daytime, you can maximize the benefits of natural light. However, you shouldn’t rely on natural light alone.
As you evaluate your office room, identify the key areas that you will use. Use these areas as a guide for buying the proper light fixtures later on.
Mind the Intensity
When buying any kind of lighting fixture, consider its light intensity. This factor plays a big role, especially for your office desk. If your work involves a lot of documents, getting a desk light with proper intensity is crucial.
Getting a desk light with low intensity will lead to eye strain. In turn, your tired eyes will affect your concentration and productivity.
On the flip side, intense lighting can cause visual discomfort. It’s glaring, making your eyes water and vision deteriorate. If you are unsure if you’re getting the right intensity, consult with a trusted home office lighting expert.
Proper Placement Matters
Getting the right intensity is not enough. It’s why you must install the lights in the right spots. A common mistake is to place your lights directly toward the workstation. However, doing this will cause unwanted glare and shadows.
The same thing goes for other lighting fixtures on your desk. Hence, diffuse ambient light through lampshades. Alternatively, use floor lamps that bounce the light off the ceiling and the walls.
Floor lights are excellent for workspaces that require a lot of creativity. A floor lamp can make you feel like you’re within a bubble. As a result, it will help you focus and zoom in on the task at hand.
Design Also Counts
Part of maintaining balance in your Solana Beach home office is regulating what you see in your surroundings. Therefore, consider the design when installing office lighting.
Lighting fixtures come in various shapes, colors and sizes. These elements affect the way they illuminate the office. Moreover, they add to the character of the room, which can give you inspiration.
Ideally, avoid getting lighting fixtures that look too gaudy. If you have a theme for your office, pick a lighting option that blends with it. In case you want to make a statement, go for lighting fixtures that come with crazy designs and bright colors.
Get Your Overhead Lighting Right
Invest in good overhead lighting. They’re perfect for illuminating areas on your desk that natural light often misses. However, picking the right overhead light can be tricky.
If you place the light in the wrong spot, the resulting glare can be too much for your eyes. Remember, overhead lighting goes beyond complementing natural light. It also helps stabilize the overall lighting level in your home office.
Furthermore, overhead lighting lets you create focal points in your office. For example, a sleek pendant overhead light can illuminate the room, while adding a stylish flair.
Consider Task and Accent Lighting
Aside from the main office light, invest in accent lighting. Accent lighting can add to the overall look of your Solana Beach home office. It can boost the visual character of the room and add more inspiration.
A statement lamp can be a good option for accent or decorative lighting. However, don’t just place the lamp anywhere. Instead, pick the perfect spot you want to highlight in your office.
If you want to highlight a certain artwork, install some track lighting with adjustable downlights. Position the track light about 24” from the wall and direct the spotlight toward the piece. It gives a more dramatic flair, drawing everyone’s attention to the art piece.
Don’t Forget the Controls
Working from home can also be stressful. Thus, make your life easier and invest in options that allow you to exert more control over the lights. For starters, make your home office more energy-efficient.
Do so by investing in sensors and timers for your lights. It’s perfect for home offices with varying lights in all corners. It avoids wasting light when no one is around.
Invest in some dimmer switches to complement your setup. If you have a room for other purposes, dimmer switches give more flexibility and energy efficiency. If you use your office as a viewing room, use the dimmer switches to adjust the lights for that perfect movie night.
Find a Trusted Lighting Contractor Around Solana Beach
Last but not least, find a reputable source for your lights. Find a lighting contractor that caters to different kinds of lighting requirements. These companies can give more extensive options for lighting up your home office.
Pick a source for quality LED lights. These options offer better performance and energy efficiency. Additionally, LED lights last longer compared to other types of lights.
Enjoy Perfect Lighting for Home Offices Today
When looking for the best lighting for your home office, follow the tips above. It helps give your workspace proper illumination and boost your productivity. However, it’s easier to ask lighting experts in the Solana Beach area if you’re unsure how to proceed.
You’re not alone, we can point you in the right direction.
We offer quality interior lighting for your home office. Get in touch with us today and request a free lighting trial. Let’s give your home office the best lighting it deserves.