Homestyle Ideas on lighting a home office

Proper illumination key to a healthy, productive work environment

If it looks like you’ll be working from home for the foreseeable future, don’t wait any longer to properly light your space. Relying on whatever light sources were already in the room could be harmful to your health, specifically your eyes and mood, if they’re insufficient. Check out these tips:

A well-lit office has a combination of lighting sources.

There are three main lighting categories — general, task, and accent/ambient — and each ser ves a specific purpose. “You’ll want to have general lighting like an overhead light to illuminate a dark room,” said Lea Johnson, an interior stylist at Creekwoodhill, a Minneapolis home-goods retailer. “You’ll also want task lighting, such as a desk lamp, for reading, writing and working on your computer.”

If you’d like to highlight something in the room — maybe a small sculpture in a bookcase or a diploma, install an accent light such as overhead track lighting with a limited range that will shine on your treasure.

Overhead lighting can be too much light.

Whether it’s fluorescent tubes or a ceiling-mounted fixture, overhead light can often be too harsh and over whelming. Consider putting a dimmer on the switch to tone it down so you can adjust the light as your need or natural light changes during the day, Johnson said.

Make the most of a desk lamp.

It should have an adjustable arm so you can reposition it as the light in the room changes. If you’re tight on space, buy a wallmounted desk lamp. To avoid shadows on your desktop, don’t put the lamp on the same side of the desk as your writing hand — put it on the opposite side.

Natural light is welcome but can cause glare.

This kind of light creates an energized ambiance that boosts productivity but can cause glare on your computer screen. Adjust the blinds or move to another spot — like a comfy chair you’ve installed in the corner — until the sun has moved.

Don’t despair if your home office is in a dark basement.

If you have small windows or no windows at all in your basement, you’ll have to be creative with getting light.

“Besides painting the walls a pale shade, which will reflect light, and having furniture in lighter wood tones, you could install a mirror in your office,” Johnson said. Depending on the size, hang the mirror on a wall, put it in the center of an open credenza, or prop it against a wall.

GETTY IMAGES Put a desk lamp on the opposite side of your writing hand to reduce shadows.