It’s hard to oversell the importance of getting your office lighting right.
We humans, with our hormones and circadian rhythms tethered to the cycle of day-to-night, are unreservedly controlled by the amount and quality of light our bodies absorb.
Light has a huge effect on our moods, from dictating our energy and motivation levels to controlling the happy/sad hormones we have pumping round our systems.
So, with many workers spending much of their day inside a workplace environment, great lighting is not just important - it’s crucial.
For our amazing office interiors, here’s the thought process that helps us deliver perfectly productive, beautifully lit spaces guaranteed to inspire every time…
DesignTonic X Charlton Morris
Natural is best
In their 2018 survey, Future Workplace found that the number one office perk sought by employees wasn’t one of the premium choices they’d expected, like childcare or an onsite gym.
It was access to natural light and outdoor views.
In fact, a lack of natural light was found to actively harm their workplace experience, with 47% of those surveyed saying it made them feel “tired or very tired” and 43% saying it made them feel gloomy - not what you want for your staff!
Wellbeing and health research (and basic logic), consistently show natural light in the office brings many benefits, including:
Improved mood
Less sleepiness
Better concentration & attention to detail
Less eye strain
Fewer headaches
Lower energy costs
“The Future Workplace Employee Experience Study found 78% of employees say access to natural light and views improves their wellbeing and 70% report improved work performance.” Jeanne C. Meister, Harvard Business Review
In this office space at Charlton Morris, we grouped desks around the edges of the room, keeping the central area for movement, and enhanced natural light with gentle ambient lighting across the ceiling. This ensures every desk has as much daylight as possible, but is still well illuminated in winter and bad weather.
Keeping things balanced
- So, how can you maximise natural light in your workplace whilst keeping a balance between lightness and comfort?
- Position workspaces within a reasonable distance of windows, so employees can reap the benefits without finding themselves blinded by sunlight.
- Plan your layout with the flow of light in mind, removing unnecessary obstacles and using opaque or partial dividers like mesh or sequential panelling.
- In darker areas, use light wall colours and reflective surfaces to bounce natural light around the space.
- Enhance the benefits of light by incorporating plenty of planting, bringing an additional touch of nature to your space for added employee happiness.
Fronted by double-height glass, we boosted natural light in the fabulous new reception at Astonish’s HQ by layering ceiling spots (additional ambient light) with a stunning double globe pendant hung above the desk (task lighting) and smaller, warm-light pendants above the seating area to provide a little accent lighting to this welcoming corner.
Strength matters
With dingy overhead strips humming and pinging above our desks, the poorly-lit offices of old ranged from the dark and depressing to the “so bright my eyes are watering”.
Thankfully those days are gone and today’s lighting options are infinitely more sophisticated - but it’s key to bear in mind that strong and weaker light affects us differently.
Research by the University of Toronto found that the strength of light we’re exposed to demonstrably affects the decisions we make.
The study showed that bright light makes us feel emotions more strongly - something which can be both positive and negative - whereas softer light enables more rational, calm thought.
Soft lighting inspires calm collaborations at Search Labs. Scheme by DesignTonic
So, how do we apply this within an office interior scheme?
We can approach it in two ways.
The first is to design your lighting to suit the purpose of the space.
Collaborative areas used for creative thought could benefit from stronger light, with those emotions sparking off ideas and innovations.
Whereas meeting rooms would work better with softer lighting, encouraging reasoned negotiations and productive focus.
This approach works well if you have enough space within your workplace to designate areas to specific tasks.
In a more constrained space that needs multifunction, build in multiple lighting options and flexible screening so you can control light as needed.
Hit the right tone
Different colours and tones also affect how we react to lighting.
For a warm, welcoming feel that’s relaxing and calming, opt for yellow toned lighting.
This is especially good for areas where you want employees and clients to kick back and relax, like breakout spaces and reception areas.
Warm toned light flows through our beautiful (if we do say so ourselves!) breakout space here at DesignTonic HQ.
We’ve all heard the bad stuff about the blue light emitted by our devices, but blue-toned lights have a well-deserved place in an office environment.
Cooler toned lights are more stimulating - they make us feel more alert and focused, and can boost productivity levels.
Not ideal for bedtimes, but perfect for the working day.
Use cooler toned lights in work areas and meeting rooms to enhance concentration and efficiency.
Bright, light and inspiring at Axiologik. Scheme by DesignTonic
The 4 basic types of lighting
How can you layer your office lighting for the most effective results? You need to incorporate the 4 basic types (number 4 is a DesignTonic own :)
- Ambient
- Task
- Accent
- Happy-making!
Ambient lighting
These are your main light sources that illuminate most of the space - natural light and large overhead lights.
Task lighting
Crucial to a workplace, task lighting illuminates specific areas like desks or meeting spaces, aiding concentration and focus and reducing eye strain for your employees.
Accent lighting
Used to highlight features or provide dramatic effect, accent lighting is a great way to enhance visual stimulation inside your workplace.
A cheeky welcome in the reception of The Property Buying Company Scheme by DesignTonic
Happy-making lighting
We’re big fans of something a bit cheeky or motivational in the office that’s guaranteed to raise spirits and smiles - and what better way than a bit of playful neon?
From forward-thinking property magnates to fab collab spaces, to our own HQ, you’ll find it crops up in a lot of our designs - head over to our projects section to see how many you can spot!
Is it time to light up your office life with a DesignTonic makeover?
We’d love to chat - get in touch today!
