Need suggestions for lighting new home office.

[molson]

I am renovating my basement and building a new office to do all of my computer work. The Office will be 10'-0" x 10'-8". I need suggestions on how to light my space. There will be an L-shaped desk in the corner. The monitor will be in the corner. Since this is a new room and I have not started the electrical yet, I can do anything. What would be the best way to reduce glare and eye strain? Should the walls and ceiling be a certain color?

 

Thanks for your time and advice,

 

Mark

[TAKA]

hey molson!

how about u do a quick measure of ur basement, sketch a plan or draw it (AutoCAD or other) and post it here. I'm sure this way it would be more helpful to u and easier for the others to see what u're looking for.

 

Cheers

[molson]

TAKA,

Great Idea. Here is the Autcad drawing as well as the rendering I did for it a while back.

Mark

 

[ December 12, 2002, 09:18 PM: Message edited by: molson ]

[@lkion O]

Hello Molson,

i have only one suggestion to make...it seems that you've consider most of the things about your space, but i think you have not considered of a very important factor. This is the height of monitor. Do adjust the height so it matches your height proportions- meaning the center of the screen should be almost across your eyes. Try it you will see that you will become a more productive person

[Paul Griger]

Originally posted by molson:

I need suggestions on how to light my space.

Here in our office, no overhead fluorescent lights are used, but halogens on dimmers work well. Also, desk spots light up the necessary desk spaces.

 

These things help keep the eyestrain down and prevent reflection on the monitor. And having an LCD monitor helps tremendously with the eyestrain!

 

Here’s our office:

 

Best wishes

[dannyc]

Hi there

Sounds like a neat thing to do. I'm thinking about havng a bash at something quite similar over the next few months. I gather some of the latest thinking is moving towards having more uplighters/downlighters (either embedded in the walls or freestanding) rather than lots of direct overhead lighting. Something to do with the light bouncing of the walls and ceilings giving good ambient lighting levels, instead of using a (big) single bulb slab bang in the middle of the room. I'm sure there are 1 or 2 lighting designers popping up here and there in the forums. Maybe one of them will chip in with somethihng more precise. I'd guess try and avoid getting any "bare" bulbs within the monitors "line of sight", reducing reflections/glare/specular thingys. Also, halogen lights give off a better "quality" white than regular bulbs. Though they can get quite hot. There are also such things as "natural daylight" bulbs. Can't say I could name any brands, and I'd guess they cost a fair bit. As mentioned, dimmers can work well.

It'll be good to see it come together.

Good luck with it.

[nisus]

Hi molson,

 

As a heavy mirgaine-sufferer I recommend halogen uplighters because the slightly yellow tinted light gives less headaches than any blueish daylight system. It's much softer for your eyes and gives a better (more happy!) feeling to work in.

 

Check out this image to see what type of fixtures we got in our office, they are great imho: nisus office

 

rgds

 

nisus

[molson]

Thanks to all that replied.

 

Mark