OFFICE LIGHTING--BRIGHTEN UP YOUR OFFICE: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CHOOSING THE BEST OFFICE LIGHTING
Lighting is the most important aspect when it comes to designing your office. A poorly lit office will display dormancy and make the office environment uncomfortable for work. Many office owners have different lighting techniques for their offices depending on the nature of work handled at that particular office. Although the offices my differ in design, there are common things that office owners should consider when choosing the appropriate lighting for their offices. Today, modern offices have taken a step forward to introduce modern lighting techniques that favor all aspects of the office and its environs. At times mistakes might be made either knowingly or unknowingly. But mostly people make office lighting mistakes innocently. They usually are naïve about different factors and this naivety makes them make wrong lighting decisions for their offices. In this article, we are going to look at how to choose office lighting and common mistakes that may be encountered in the process. First of all, let’s learn on how to best choose office lighting:
1. PICK THE RIGHT STYLE
This should always be the first thing for you to consider when it comes to modern office lighting. If you pick the wrong bulbs, then you probably must have made the worst mistake ever in office lighting. Bulbs usually have a clear range in intensity and color. Balance is also the most important thing in the office. To enhance balance, ensure that all the lights in the office have the same color temperature all through. Different color temperatures will kill the jovial mood of the office and create a boring working environment. The best bulbs for office lighting are usually LED, natural light, 4500k output. This is because their intensity is not exaggerated and it resembles the regular daylight. Besides getting the right bulbs, you can also blend your office light by placing a low-intensity bulb on your desk to improve on clarity.
2. SUPPLEMENT OVERHEAD LIGHTS WITH TASK LIGHTING
For proper and convenient health considerations, always ensure that you switch to task lighting bulbs that have a low glare. This is because the overhead fluorescent lighting has been discovered to be causing a lot of health complications ranging from hyperactivity to sleeping problelms. Considering the common computer ergonomics, it will be proper if you position your lighting source away from your computer screen. This is to reduce the lighting effects that may be caused by too much light. The best type of lighting material to be used in such situations are always the Gooseneck lamps, this is because they have the ability to cast more or less light at a particular place.
3. USE INDIRECT LIGHTING
Many office owners usually get eye complications arising from eye strains due to direct office lighting. Direct lighting might also cause severe headaches, and all these problems will eventually lead to low productivity. To cater for this problem, always ensure that you choose side lamps instead of overhead direct lighting. Or if you have both, you can switch off the overhead lights and use the side lamps. The spacing of the light sources is also important. Do not just place all the lights at one position, instead distribute them evenly around the office, so that the light produced can reach every corner of the office.
4. CHOOSE NEUTRAL COLORS FOR THE OFFICE
Besides lighting your office with overhead lights and side lamps, choosing the appropriate color for your office walls and the floor is also vital. Do not choose very bright or very dark colors. This is because extreme coloring may cause an exaggerated ambiguous appearance that may not be very appealing for an office. Remember that an office is a place that will host different types of people ranging from the young to the old. Therefore always use neutral colors for your paint. Neutral colors have a very low reflection capability and hence are compatible with any other form of modern office lighting.
5. INTRODUCE NATURAL LIGHT TO SPACE
Natural light is the most affordable source of office lighting. Or rather it is free! Well, natural light will play a very important role when choosing the best lighting techniques for your office. Besides supplementing the lighting experience in your office, it also comes with a number of health benefits. It will help your body to produce vitamin D, which is very important for removing mood disorders and depressions that might cause low performance in the office. When you wish to combine natural lighting with artificial lighting, always make a point of getting warm colored and low-wattage task lights, just to enhance the clarity of your workspace. Some offices may be placed in a position that may not allow them to access natural light, or some may not have windows for the same purpose. In such situations, it is advisable that you look for bulbs or lamps that mimic natural sunlight.
6. CHOOSE THE RIGHT SIZE OF THE LIGHTS
The size of the lights will depend on the size of your office. If your office is small then you will consider using smaller lumen output, and if your office is spacious, the relatively large lumen output will serve you best. Using large bulbs on a small office space and vice versa will bring forth an awkward situation. The size of your office will also determine the intensity of the bulbs or lamps you use. Small offices will not need bulbs with a high lighting intensity, but larger offices will. Therefore considering the size of the office is one of the most important aspects when choosing the appropriate lighting.
Proper lighting as seen above will eventually lead to a higher office performance. But poor lighting will kill everything. Therefore it is good to ensure that you properly choose the best lighting for your office.
When choosing modern office lighting equipment, there are certain mistakes that people normally do. These mistakes are usually costly and may cause poor performance of the office due to poor lighting. Some of these mistakes include:
1. SELECTING LIGHTS WITHOUT PLANNING
Before doing anything, it is always important that you plan. As it is always said, failing to plan is planning to fail. This also applies well when it comes to office lighting. Before you pick any office lighting material, always have a laid out plan of what they are going to do, or where they are going to be placed. Having a clear plan will help you come up with a strategy of how, where and when you will acquire the lighting equipment of your choice. Many people always buy lighting for their offices randomly but find out at the end of it all that they made the wrong selection. To avoid such frustrating moments, always make a point planning before you buy.
2. IGNORING THE BUDGET
There is always a reason why budgets are usually made. Some people always take budgets just as a formality and end up acquiring items out of the blues. When a budget is put forward for the acquisition of office lighting, some people always ignore it and forge ahead to acquire cheaper lighting. Cheaper office lighting might be cost effective but may bring complications or failure in the future. When making a budget for your office lighting, always accompany it with clear instructions and restrictions that will blur anyone from squandering the money and buying cheap and fake lighting for you. What you also have to remember is that cheap is expensive. Good office lighting might be a little more expensive, but at the same time, they are durable and long lasting. Cheaper ones will be cheap in the short run, but expensive in the long run because they will need to be replaced all the time.
3. IMPROPER INSTALLATION
Improper installations always originate from, failing to plan. If you cannot fix the lighting on your own, then it is appropriate that you consider acquiring the services of an electrician. Many people always think that it will be time-saving and cost effective if they did the installations by themselves. But by doing that, they end up handling the office lighting carelessly and some cause breakages. Improper installations may also cause the lighting to emit poor lights or dim lights. Another thing is that you might put the lighting in the wrong place and at the wrong angle when you try to fix it on your own. Electricians always have a special procedure of installing office lighting, so it is proper that you leave this task to them.
4. GOING FOR THE WRONG COLOR
The color that you choose for your office lighting is by far the most important. To portray the professionalism and seriousness of an office, always choose appropriate colors. The best choice is to consider neutral colors. Neutral colors (black, white, gray) are favorable as they can be tolerated by all kinds of people. An office is a place that will host very special people including respectable clients that may have an eye to your business. Therefore creating an appealing and comfortable environment for them is the most important thing to consider. After installing the lighting, the office should be bright but not too bright to create an uncomfortable feeling. It also should not be too dim to kill the mood.
5. CHOOSING THE WRONG TYPE OF LIGHTING
When choosing lighting for your office, it is good to keep in mind that the office has different areas that need to be lit. The lighting that will be used at the entrance is totally different from the lighting that will be used at your desk. Therefore always make keen evaluations before buying any lighting for your office. For instance, if you light your desk with a light meant for the entrance, there are high chances that you will not like the experience at all. Entrance light is usually brighter than lights used at the desk. Always check at the wattage of any bulb before making a selection. The most convenient bulbs for the entrance are usually 20 watts LED bulbs and those for the desk range from 4 to 8 watts.
6. USING THE WRONG FIXTURES
Picking an inappropriate light fixture for your lighting can sometimes prove to be quite costly. This is because improper fixtures can reduce the service life of your workplace lighting. Always make sure that you request the right fixtures when choosing any form of illumination material for your office. A lot of times, the wrong fixtures will consume excessive heat produced by your bulbs, resulting in failure at periodic intervals. Fixtures also have the capability to decorate the office, so if you just pick randomly, expect a very unattractive office space.
7. CHOOSING THE WRONG BEAM ANGLE
The beam angle is always the most vital aspect when choosing the appropriate lighting for your office. The beam angle will see into it that your office remains visible even if you are using lighting with very low wattage. When choosing the beam angle, never make a mistake of choosing lighting with beam angles of more than 120 degrees, instead, go for the 60 degrees ones. The 60-degree beam angle lighting are the best and more suitable for any office environment. If you do not know how to check for the beam angle, always ask the retail personnel to help you out. Don not just pick any bulb or lamp because you were unable to determine the beam angle.
The above are some of the common mistakes that people do when choosing lighting for their offices. This mistakes can be avoided only if you sit down, and do a proper planning before you go out to acquire lighting for your office.
Generally, we have seen how you can choose the best lighting for your office and the possible mistakes that may arise in the same process. If you want to have an elegant office without spending much money and effort, then consider following the above tips and avoiding the mistakes mentioned. Remember that an office is not only meant for you, it is meant for many other people including your clients. Therefore always consider implementing modern office lighting techniques that will not only favor you but also them!!