Lighting for home office

Lighting for home offices is something that most people don't spend much time contemplating. Just think back to the old movies where you would see a guy at a typewriter, his desk covered in scattered papers, a coat rack in the corner with a hat perched neatly at the top, and a single bare light bulb hanging from the centre of the ceiling. Times have certainly changed. How to approach the lighting concept for your home office will depend on a few things. The first, and most important, is to determine where light is needed, and how much light is required.

In general, there are three types of lighting: general, task, and ambient/decorative. Ceiling-mount fixtures should be able to provide general light. If you don't have an overhead fixture, and don't intend to rewire for one, you'll have to opt for a combination of floor lamps, table lamps, and possibly wall-mount fixtures (commonly termed sconces). Recessing "pot" lights should not be relied on for the only light in a home office -- instead, use them to accent specific items by angling them, if they are adjustable, much the same as you would in any other room.

Lighting is one domain where the old saying, "you get what you pay for," tends to ring very true. It is usually worth paying the extra couple of dollars for quality light fixtures, and quality light bulbs too. The number of pieces capable of breaking or malfunctioning on a fixture is amazing -- there is the mechanism that turns the light on and off; the internal wiring; the part that holds the bulb (the socket); the pieces that attach the shade; sometimes a transformer... Being electrical, the risks of a malfunctioning fixture are not worth taking chances with. Let's not forget the $20 halogen floor lamps, popular a few years back, which were prone to over-heating and catching fire, or setting nearby items ablaze because of the excessive heat emitted. With that said, here are some pointers on choosing lighting.

Floor lamps are capable of providing a good source of general light, but not all do. The best way to ensure a good general light is to speak to a salesperson at a lighting store. Unfortunately, you cannot rely on the lighting advise of the staff at a large hardware store or department store; these people are generally trained in sales, not in lighting. Someone with knowledge of lighting and lighting products can help you choose based on the size of your home office and your specific needs and preferences. Make sure you have at least the approximate size of your home office with you when you go shopping for lighting; even better would be to have a floor plan, no matter how roughly done. Lighting has become very creative in recent years. You can purchase a floor lamp with a built-on shelf, a side table with a built-on table lamp, lamps and fixtures in almost any size, shape, colour and more.