When working at home, the character and quality of lighting in the workspace can significantly impact your productivity. No one likes to feel like they work in a cave, and poor lighting can sap your energy, affect your mood, cause eye strain, and headaches, and ultimately affect your entire workday. Lighting options for home offices are no longer limited to traditional desk lamps, although there is undoubtedly a place for this type of lighting. These days you can use anything from chandeliers and pendants to floor lamps and wall lights for offices.

How Do I Make My Home Office Light Up?

As in any room, the first thing to consider when choosing lighting for a home office is its size. There’s a simple reason for this – the larger the room, the more light it will need. And you’ll need to consider which home office area needs to be lit. For example, a table lamp or wall-mounted office lights are excellent options if you need task lighting over a desk.

Artificial lighting is even more critical in a home office that doesn’t get a lot of natural light. Most home offices have ambient lighting from overhead lights or even natural light, however, these may not provide enough illumination for the work area. Additional sources including wall-mounted lights for offices can fill this need.

Mitzi Olivia 18 Inch Wall Sconce

These days, many home offices are tucked into nooks and corners. But that doesn’t mean they should be devoid of character or proper lighting. The Mitzi Olivia 18 Inch Wall Sconce illuminates this workspace with style and functionality.

Equilibrium 45 Inch Desk Lamp by Ralph Lauren

A desk light can focus task lighting right where needed in an office with plenty of natural ambient light. The Equilibrium 45 Inch Desk Lamp by Ralph Lauren features simple lines and an adjustable arm so that the lamp’s directed illumination can change as the natural lighting moves.

How Bright Should a Home Office Be?

Overly bright lighting can create glare from the screens of electronic devices such as monitors, phones, or tablets, making it harder to see them. Think about how hard it is to see your phone’s screen outside in bright sunlight. On the other hand, dim lighting and the effects of the screen’s blue light leave the eyes feeling tired and strained.

The goal is to illuminate the entire office without creating too much glare and contrast while avoiding casting shadows.

Considering how much natural light the office gets, what type of work is being done, and how big the area helps determine how much illumination is needed. Generally, a range of 300 to 500 lumens ensures that the office lighting is just right. You can reduce it to about 300 lumens if you have plenty of natural lighting.

Martyn Lawrence Bullard Hopper 32 Inch 9 Light Chandelier by Corbett Lighting

This office gets plenty of natural light balanced by the perfectly placed Martyn Lawrence Bullard Hopper 32 Inch 9 Light Chandelier by Corbett Lighting. The white opal glass and vintage bronze finish feel right at home against the striking black and white color scheme.

Viper 41 Inch 12 Light Chandelier by Regina Andrew

This space with less natural lighting benefits from the versatile, contemporary cool Viper 41 Inch 12 Light Chandelier by Regina Andrew. The sleet metal arms can be positioned horizontally, vertically, or in a random pattern, allowing you to direct the light where needed.

Poppy 45 Inch 8 Light Chandelier by Hinkley Lighting

The simple yet sophisticated silhouette of the Poppy 45 Inch 8 Light Chandelier by Hinkley Lighting works well in this small office. The delicate design features elegant, clear seedy glass globes and crisp crossbars, mirroring the eclectic design and bringing a bit of whimsy into what would otherwise be a serious space.

What Type of Lights Are Best for the Home Office?

The type of lighting you need, how much natural light the office gets, and its size all play a role in the best light for a home office. For example, a chandelier is great if ambient light is needed, while pendant lights work better for accent lighting and desk lamp for task lighting. And depending on the size of the office, you may need all three.

Arlo 21 Inch Desk Lamp by Adesso

Nothing matches the blend of wood and metal featured in the Arlo 21 Inch Desk Lamp by Adesso. This classic desk lamp can work in almost any office. Its mid-century styling goes with virtually any décor, and its oversized shade provides a focused beam with minimal glare.

Bronzeville 3 Light Multi Light Pendant by Sea Gull Lighting

Even an office deserves fancy lighting, like the Bronzeville 3 Light Multi Light Pendant by Sea Gull Lighting featured in this workspace. It’s hard not to feel inspired under the light of this elegant pendant.

Suzanne Kasler Morris 23 Inch Cage Pendant by Visual Comfort and Co.

Take your home office to a whole new level with the Suzanne Kasler Morris 23 Inch Cage Pendant by Visual Comfort and Co. This beautiful pendant highlights the room’s architecture and makes it a stunning focal point.