Small office lighting design tips to maximize your space

Introduction

Welcome! If you’re reading this, you’re likely looking for cool office lighting designs and concepts to transform your space. Maybe you’ve seen some of our previous office design guides, or maybe you’re just getting started transforming your home office. Wherever you’re up to, we’re here to help. In this small office lighting design guide, we’ll dive into how to maximize the space in a small office with design tips, lighting tips, and more, so you can create a home office you’ll love for years to come. 

Playing with small office design to maximize space

Even the smallest of offices can be transformed into a place you love to spend time in with the right design tweaks. Whether you have the chance to redesign a whole room or are working with a multipurpose space or desk nook, the tips below will help you make the most of every inch of your floor space. While there’s rarely a one-size-fits-all solution to a perfect small home office, we hope these small office design tips will help you get started. 

Incorporate mirrors and other reflective surfaces in your small office design

One of the best methods of making your small office look bigger is to make use of light. Using reflective surfaces such as mirrors or metallic accents reflects light around the room, making it look brighter and more spacious. Whether you choose to mount a framed mirror on one wall or feature furniture with mirrored or metallic accents, mirrors are a subtle – but effective – space-maximizing trick. Plus, your plants will love the extra light!

Use a light, neutral, or minimalist color palette 

Lighter colors don’t absorb as much direct light as darker surfaces. 

If you want to make the most out of your room’s ambient lighting, you should consider employing a lighter and more neutral color scheme. Consider a white, eggshell, or even a pastel of your favorite shade! 

While there’s no accounting for taste, you’ll likely find that you don’t want the room you spend the majority of your working day inside to be dark and colorless, so utilizing a lighter color palette can keep your brain feeling active and nourished during your day. If you find yourself missing that pop of color, then accenting the space with colorful pillows, desk supplies, or art can be a great way to bring color back into your space. 

Keep clutter under control with smart storage solutions 

Clutter compounds quickly, and being distracted by a mess of computer supplies, documents, and tools can be obstructive to your creative and professional flow. Designers agree that making sure all your belongings have a place can contribute to your office feeling more relaxing and productive. That’s why intelligent storage solutions can save you precious office space, and look good, too! 

Keep your papers secured with a filing cabinet and your desk tidy with organizers for your utensils and trinkets. Preserve your working space with standing shelves, or if you need more floor room, consider investing in high-quality mounted shelving to make your space more space-efficient while maintaining a sleek, stylish look. 

Creative office lighting design tips to take it up a notch

Once you’ve covered the basics of your small office design and layout, you’re ready to incorporate broader home office lighting ideas to further maximize the space. 

Utilize natural light as much as possible

Natural sunlight is one of the most encompassing ways to fill a room with pleasant, warm light. That’s why you should try and maximize its impact as much as possible, and arrange the layout of your office around your windows and where they hit throughout the day. You can enhance natural light by installing good shades or blinds, and taking proper care of your windows to keep them clean!

Choose high-quality and light materials for your blinds, such as cotton or sheer, to achieve a soft diffusion that still shines warmly across your office. One thing to keep in mind is if you happen to do a lot of video-conferencing, you should avoid placing the window directly behind your back when choosing your desk’s location. Direct sunlight can not only cause an annoying glare on your screen, but it may also blow out the video image of your webcam and make your face too dark to see. You’ll either have to block the sunlight directly to avoid this or position yourself at a different angle altogether.

Use mounted office lighting concepts to save on desk space

If you’re looking to save more desk space, there are more possible solutions than just floor lamps. A clamp light can be mounted on any surface, from shelves to support beams, for lighting in a pinch with an easy setup. 

Check out the Gallery Clamp Light by Andrew Ferrier, designed in Montreal and manufactured by Gantri in Los Angeles. This clampable light can be placed anywhere and offers the same amazing lighting quality Gantri has become world-renowned for. This light will accompany you day and night to provide you with consistent and comfortable lighting throughout the work day, wherever you need it. Simply clamp the Gallery to your preferred spot, plug it in, and flip it on – you’ll be dazzled by the lighting quality this little light can pack!

Opt for wall lighting design for your small office

A wall light can be another excellent solution to saving space and providing world-class lighting at an affordable price. Rain or shine, even the late-night cram can be a little easier with museum-quality LEDs keeping you lit and alert.

Take a look at the Cantilever Wall Light by Louis Filosa, designed in Brooklyn and manufactured by Gantri, this wall light was hand-assembled with eco-friendly 3D printing technology to keep its energy usage low, our practices sustainable, and your home bright. This wall light comes with a single-screw wall mount so installation is simple and non-destructive to your walls, making it a renter-friendly option. Coming packed with a built-in dimmer switch, this light can pull double-duty for full productivity to a calmer atmosphere as the sun begins to set.

Create ambient light with LED strip lighting 

LED strips have come a long way as viable lighting installations. With their utility and how easily they can be placed just about anywhere, LEDs excel as enhancements to a room’s natural lighting. You can place them in desks or under cabinets to create lighting spots that can run while many other lights are off. 

Their downsides come from the fragility of the thin strips of wire which can be easily damaged, as well as that many models require disposable batteries to run, creating a lot of E-waste. If you choose to add LED strips to your small office, make sure you incorporate them wisely into your small office lighting design. 

Incorporate desk or task lights into your small office lighting design

Desk lights are classic for a reason. The convenience of a reliable light source always within your reach can’t be understated, and there’s no better statement piece to cozy up your workspaces. Gantri has plenty of amazing table light options to choose from, but if you’re looking for a stylish and utilitarian task light, you’ll be spoiled for choice!

Consider the Gio Task Light by Ammunition, designed in San Francisco and manufactured in Los Angeles at Gantri’s eco-friendly facilities. This task light has a dimmable, directional bulb capable of a 320-degree rotation that will light up your desk with a radiant soft-white bulb. Keeping a low profile and sturdy balance, the Gio can accompany you anywhere, and its eco-friendly polymer construction is sturdy and hand-machined to last you a lifetime.

Discover small office lighting from Gantri

Congratulations! Hopefully, you’ve found some new and amazing techniques to maximize the space and lighting of your small office setup. For more guides like this and incredible designer lighting solutions, check out Gantri’s extensive collection of community resources and product catalog to supplement your small office lighting design!