Office lighting design

What good office light does

Even on the desk, easy on the eyes

• Even light on desks. Work surfaces get steady light, so nobody ends up in a dim patch between fixtures.
• Low glare on screens. Fixtures are chosen and placed so they stay out of monitors and out of people’s eyes.
• Some brightness on the walls. Lit walls keep a room from feeling flat, even when the desks have plenty of light.
• More character up front. Lobbies, reception areas and corridors are where visitors form a first impression, so they get more personality than the work areas.
• Lower running costs. Efficient LED fixtures and sensors keep energy use down in rooms that are lit all day.

Office lighting design layout

How we lay out an office

1. Consultation. We talk through how the space is used, the look you want, the budget and the schedule.
2. Plan review and site visit. We review the drawings to understand the electrical layout, then walk the space and take photos and measurements.
3. Layout. Fixtures go on the plan around the desks, reception and corridors, scaled to the ceiling and the room instead of dropped into a grid.
4. Specification. Each fixture is listed with its finish, lamp color, output and the dimmer or sensor it needs, tied to a symbol on the layout.
5. Follow-through. We help with ordering and delivery, and finish with a walkthrough of the completed lighting.

For more on what a layout and specification contain, read our guide what is a lighting plan.

Regus, Fairfield

A reception under a lit tray ceiling

The Regus rental offices in Fairfield greet visitors with a reception area under a blue-lit tray ceiling. It gives the room a clear focal point the moment someone walks in. The office lobby uses cove lighting, and the office entrance was part of the same project, so the first few steps inside feel like one design.

Commend, Mahwah

Linear light at the desks, blue cove in the corridor

At the Commend office suite in Mahwah, linear lighting runs through the work areas and blue cove light lines the corridor. The linear fixtures give the desks steady light, and the color in the corridor turns a long hallway into part of the design.

Working with your team

Owners, architects and designers

On office projects we often join a team that already has an architect or interior designer, and act as the lighting consultant. We also work directly for owners and tenants. Either way, the layout and specification give everyone one document to price and order from. For a second opinion on plans you already have, see lighting consultation. For the lot outside, see parking lot lighting design.

The first consultation is free. Call 516-655-6126 or email lightingnj@gmail.com.