Whether you have a dedicated home office space or work from a room that doubles up as a guest bedroom, making sure your home office lighting ideas are practical, without being overly functional, is important.
After all, no-one wants to feel the like they're under the glare of artificial light when they're actually cocooned in the comfort of their own home.
From stylish pendants to dedicated desk lamps, we've selected 10 home office lighting ideas that are perfect for lighting a home office, but still pay respect to the rest of your home decor as well.
1. Make a statement with a ceiling rose and pendant
Able to turn a spare room into a dedicated home office as part of your house renovation plans? If so, don't shy away from highlighting the features of your period home, just because it's a space designed for work.
Give your high ceilings a promotion and pair a standout pendant light with a decorative ceiling rose for maximum effect. Add crisp white walls and classic herringbone wood flooring ideas and you've created a space fit for the CEO of your home and office.
2. Use monochrome home office lighting ideas for a style that won't date
For a timeless home office design that won't date, pick a monochrome colour scheme with home office lighting ideas to match. Use wall lights to soften the starkness of the white walls, and brighten the black furniture, then include task lighting on the desk to ensure you don't strain your eyes.
Design your home office layout so that your desk sits near a window to help boost your exposure to natural light, and if these light fittings from Arteriors are a little out of budget, try this Anna Stylish Single Wall Light In Matt Black Finish With Vintage White Shade and Firstlight Bella Table Lamp In Black Finish, both from Lights.co.uk for a stylish alternative instead.
3. Add internal windows and doors for a boost of natural light
If you're looking at ways of including some broken plan zones in your open plan living room ideas, one way to carve out a home office that's connected, but private, is to use internal windows ideas to help divide up a larger room.
And even if this leaves you with a windowless home office, using glass crittal style windows and doors will help with your home office lighting ideas, making sure the space is brighter, and you are more efficient.
“Getting your home office lighting right is key to both productivity and wellbeing," confirms Jo Plant, chief creative officer at Pooky. "Poor light can cause eye strain and headaches, while the right mix keeps you feeling energised and focused," she explains.
Jo's advice for the best home office lighting ideas? "Start by making the most of natural light. Position your desk by a window, roof lantern, or even a glass door to benefit from natural light. Or, in smaller or windowless rooms where daylight is limited, mirrors can be a clever way to bounce light around and create a brighter feel," suggests Jo.
Jo Plant is Head of Design & Production (aka Chief Creative Officer) at Pooky Lighting, a UK-based brand renowned for its colourful, customisable designs. Jo studied History of Art, which has informed her appreciation of brilliant design. Alongside founder Rohan Blacker, Jo's design direction emphasises variety and personalisation over fleeting trends, creating timeless lighting classics that truly stand the test of time.
4. Light from both sides with low level floor lights and desk lamps
If your small home office ideas don't amount to much more than a desk in a shared space, such as a living room, you don't want to be relying on the living room lighting ideas alone.
Instead, layer up your task lighting for maximum impact by using both a desk lamp and a low level floor light with a directional head. This way you can focus the light where it's needed, without affecting the rest of the light within the room.
Shop for floor lamps to use in your home office lighting ideas
This classic Anglepoise floor lamp is perfect for use next to your desk
This mother and child lamp has two lights that can be angled in different directions
A classic floor lamp with a banker style shade for directing light onto your desk
5. Add layers and textures to your home office lighting
"The key to successful home office lighting ideas is to create a layered lighting scheme by combining natural light with task lighting and ambient light," says James Kendall, operations director at KES Lighting.
But, that doesn't mean you can only look for lighting that has a corporate office feel. If the rest of your living room centres around rustic living room ideas, then choose lighting to match so that your home office feels in line with the rest of your design.
Pair a rustic pendant such as this Jungle Pendant Light for overhead lighting, then add a table lamp such as this Ilysa Table Lamp with white shade and ceramic textured base, both from Lights.co.uk, for a pleasant glow on darker days or winter nights.
James is perfectly placed to offer expert guidance on all aspects of home lighting in every room. From dazzling crystal chandeliers and statement wall lights to designer lamps and elegant drop pendants, James and his knowledgeable team are always on hand to help customers find the perfect lighting for their individual project.
6. Don't forget to include shelf lighting in your bespoke storage
If home office storage ideas are essential to your busy work space, make sure they aren't just designed and sized correctly, but also include sufficient shelf lighting ideas too.
In an ideal world, if you've opted for a personalised and bespoke built design, this will be done at the manufacturing stage . But, if your budget doesn't quite stretch to bespoke, and you've created your own storage wall using flat pack office furniture, try these Kasanfe 79-LED Under Cabinet Wireless Lights from Amazon, that can easily be fitted to any type of shelving or storage.
7. Filter your home office daylight with window shutters
While daylight in every room is a bonus, if the only location for your desk is to face directly into the window, there will be times during the day, particularly during spring and summer, when the light will be overwhelming.
Good home office lighting, "is all about creating the right balance, bright enough to keep you sharp, but gentle enough to be easy on the eyes," says James Kendall, meaning uncovered windows are likely to be a no-no.
One of the best ways to control the light is to install window shutters with divided and directional slats. That way you can angle the light to suit, or even close different sections if the light is simply too bright.
It even works if your desk doesn't face the window. I'm sat side on to my bedroom window when at my desk and chose shutters for my bedroom window ideas. They've been invaluable in being able to control the daylight, and have made my work spot far more comfortable, both in terms of lighting, and temperature.
8. Use directional ceiling spotlights in your home office lighting
If you only have space for a small desk, in much the same way that small bedside lighting ideas need to take size into account, your home office lighting ideas need to be chosen to work with more compact conditions.
In this instance, using directional ceiling mounted spotlights can provide you with the solution. And, as well as shining a light on your desk, they can also be used to focus on artwork or additional home office decor.
Prefer picture lights above your art? You can find a wide range of battery operated and rechargeable picture lights fromWayfair, that can be installed without the need to learn how to wire light switches.
9. Choose extendable wall lights for the side of narrow alcoves
If you've tucked your home office into an alcove, you could again be facing the issue of not having sufficient space for a desk lamp. Another alternative to popping lights at the top of the alcove, which may not cast a wide enough light, is to use wall lights with extendable arms.
The Cooper Wall Fitting from Pooky is a great example of where to locate your light for best effect. During the day it can be used to provide task lighting for laptop work, while at night it can either help to display the shelf decor, or be used to direct light into the remainder of the room.
"Layering in extra task lighting will transform your workspace," agrees Jo Plant. "I recommend a pendant directly over the desk or an extendable wall light – both space-saving and decorative options that add flexibility during darker months."
10. Use plug-in lighting if your home office space wasn't part of your renovation plans
"Lighting is one of the most overlooked aspects of a home office, yet it has the biggest impact on productivity," says James Kendall, but if you've only realised you need a home office space after building an extension, it may feel like you've missed the opportunity to get your lighting design right.
The good news is, you don't always need to get an electrician in to rectify the problem. Instead there are countless plug-in lights available you can use on both ceilings and walls.
"And if sockets are in short supply, cordless table and wall lamps also offer a practical, portable solution that avoids messy cabling and can be easily moved to suit the season,” says Jo Plant.
Final advice for your home office lighting ideas? Make sure you avoid this home office lighting mistake, and where possible, try and include lights with dimmer switches say lighting experts.
"Dimmable switches and layering different types of lighting means you can adapt the atmosphere of your home office, making it brighter during working hours and softer in the evening," says Emily Butterill, founder of Glow Lighting. "This is especially important if the space doubles as a spare room and home office, or snug," she suggests.
