Brighten up the Windowless Office. Tricks, Pictures, Videos

How Do I Brighten Up My Workplace?

The last time I worked in an office, my office was windowless, dark, and depressing. So I did some research to change the look of my office with a few simple tricks.

So how can you brighten up a windowless office? In the case of dark offices, it is useful to use glass. It is not only a decorative but also a very functional element. With its high light transmittance, it can be used to enlarge and brighten even the darkest office optically.

A workplace is a place where we spend most of our time.

Improperly arranged can cause fatigue, loss of performance, and visual impairment.

To avoid troublesome ailments and to increase our concentration, we should, first of all, take care of proper lighting.

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Floor Lamp

When setting up your office, please remember that daylight is the most beneficial for our eyes.

In a situation where we have a window, we will use it fully by positioning the desk perpendicularly to the window so that we avoid the blinding glare of sunlight.

This will also make it easier for us to work with the computer, as the sun cannot be directly in front of or behind the monitor.

Unfortunately, the ingenious arrangement of furniture can only be enjoyed in situations where we have a window in our office.

In the opposite situation, it is necessary to use lamps. They will successfully replace natural light if we follow a few rules.

How Do I Brighten Office Without Windows

General lighting plays an important role in the workplace, as it evenly illuminates the entire office.

This type of lighting is mounted on the ceiling in the form of hanging lamps, plafonds, or halogens.

The effect of the applied solutions must be as close to daylight as possible.

Bright bulbs with a cooler color temperature should be used in rooms intended for work.

Homogeneous and opaque lampshades are also an excellent way to achieve this, as they give a softer and less distracting light.

An interesting solution is also lamps with dimming function, which allows you to adjust the intensity of general light-adjusting them to our needs.

Concentrated Lighting

Another equally important source of light is spotlighting in the form of a floor lamp or desk lamp.

As in the case of a window, its location depends on which hand you write.

If your work is based on using a computer, set the lamp so that it does not reflect on the monitor.

The distance between the light source and the desk is also important – it should be about 40 cm.

It is best to choose a lamp that allows you to freely change its position so that we can adjust the stream of light to suit your individual needs and precisely illuminate the chosen place.

Don’t Give up the Decoration.

Decorative lamps will be a perfect complement to the arrangement of the workplace.

Subtle illumination of images, shelves, or recesses will bring a pleasant atmosphere into the interior and reduce the negative light contrasts.

A big difference between the spotlight and the rest of the room causes fatigue and distraction.

A perfect way to avoid this problem is to lighten the walls gently, e.g., with wall sconces.

The right choice and the correct placement of lamps in the office will increase the comfort of work, and will also positively affect our mood.

However, thanks to the multi-level solutions and the possibility to adjust their brightness, we will be able to adjust the lighting to the activities performed.

Use Glass

In the case of dark interiors, it is useful to use glass. It is not only a decorative but also a very functional decoration element.

It is characterized by high light transmittance; therefore, properly used can optically enlarge and brighten even the darkest office.

Even the windows themselves, however, are often not enough for an office to be adequately lit. – A good solution, in this case, is to install glass walls or glass doors.

Modern technologies make it possible to produce glass with different patterns, transparency, and the intensity of light penetrating through it.

The highest transparency is characteristic for Master Carre, Chinchilla, or chamfered crystal glass.

Matt and ornamental glass will guarantee greater privacy.

Doors with matt glass are characterized by very low transparency, but allow sufficient light penetration into the interior.

Colors of Walls and Floors

Dark offices, insufficiently lit rooms become gloomy and overwhelming.

It is worth taking care that the colors of walls and floors do not intensify this effect.

In dark rooms, it is best to use white or light pastel colors that do not absorb light, e.g., écru, green, or yellow shades.

Mirrors will also be a good solution. Not only do they enlarge the space, but they also make the interiors brighter.

It is worth remembering, however, that the mirrors reflect everything that is nearby, so they can also increase the impression of a mess.

Covered windows significantly reduce the amount of light coming in. It is better to avoid heavy curtains and replace them with delicate, fine fabrics.

In dark offices, it is also necessary to select artificial lighting with extreme care.

Appropriate lamps will sufficiently brighten up every corner of the room, and at the same time, ensure the comfort of its use.

Place Your Bets on Bright, Pastel Colors.

It is a good idea to paint the walls with shades of yellow, beige, ecru, or cream, which will illuminate the interior fantastically.

Moreover, they give the effect of optical enlargement of the office.

We warn against pure white tones. In rooms located on the north side, they may intensify the feeling of cold.

It is worth choosing floors in the shade of subdued, warm brown, or beige, which will give depth and will be a distinctive element of the arrangement.

Window Decoration

In the case of windows, it is worth to avoid richly decorated, heavy curtains, which are only an obstacle to the sunlight.

We recommend curtains in bright colors, made of light, airy materials – they will not cause the effect of gravity.

Use of Mirrors

The way we know how to enlarge an office is to put mirrors in it. They are also ideal for brightening rooms.

Reflecting sunlight will illuminate places that they may not have reached before.

So it is worth to install mirrors in strategic locations so that we can freely operate the lighting in our office.

Furniture, Accessories, and Lighting

The right choice of furniture is very important.

We recommend choosing furniture in light shades of wood, not necessarily completely white; it is also worth noting their size.

Small furniture that looks light and delicate will do just fine.

In the arrangement of a dark room, it is also worth to use accessories in bright or vivid, illuminating colors like:

White vases and flowerpots, decorative glass elements, pictures, and photos in silver, metallic, reflective colors.

If you have dark floors, you should decide to buy a light carpet, similar to the situation with dark sofas or seats – here you can also use covers made of bright material.

If this is not possible, consider a light-colored bedspread or even a light pillow.

Remove Unnecessary Objects

Remember that rooms that are not overloaded with gadgets always seem to be much brighter. So remove any colorful, flashy decorations.

Are you a collector type like Harvey Specter and find it difficult to part with the objects around you? Divide your harvest into four parts.

Pack the three parts in separate boxes and hide them. Leave one in the office to wipe off tears.

Replace the cardboard box with decorations. You have a guarantee that they will not look boring and depressing, and at the same time, the place after them will be filled with light.

Lighting Ambient Parameters

The basic parameters of the lighting environment that must be taken into account when designing lighting in an office or any other workplace include:

Luminance Distribution in the Environment

Luminance distribution is determined by the light reflection coefficient from the surface; criteria of luminance distribution depend on the purpose of the room and the type of work performed

Properly balanced luminance distribution will positively influence, among others, visual acuity, contrast sensitivity (eyes will not tire of continuous readaptation) and efficiency of ophthalmic functions (e.g.: the ability to readapt, the ability to use the light, etc.).

Both too high lumination (eye fatigue) and too low lumination (monotonous and unstimulating working environment) will have a negative impact on the worker and the working environment

It is assumed that bright surfaces in the building (mainly walls and ceilings) allow for an increase in the level of adaptation and comfort of workers.

Office Lighting Illumination Intensity

The level of illumination intensity and its distribution depends to a large extent on the speed and convenience of seeing and performing certain visual tasks by the employee

The illumination intensity is expressed in lux (1 lux is equal to one lumen per square meter)

Illumination Intensity Standards

The following recommended levels of illumination intensity have been adopted, in lux: 20-30-50-75-75-100-100-150-200-200-300-500-500-700-750-1000-1500-2000-3000-5000

The value of appropriate lighting intensity for a specific interior and workstation depends, among other things, on the degree of difficulty of visual work and should take into account factors such as comfort and well-being of the employee and ergonomics of vision

For example, a desktop should be illuminated at the level of 500 lx, and its immediate surroundings – 300 lx;

Glare

Glare is a state of vision resulting from an excessively high level of glare in the field of vision or from abnormal distribution of this glare (in time or place)

Glare can cause discomfort and reduce the ability to recognize objects in the field of vision

Glare can be the main cause of worker fatigue but also errors and accidents

Glare can be:

Unpleasant – Caused by high contrast between adjacent areas, causes discomfort and irritability, affects lack of concentration but does not reduce vision ability

Disturbing – Reduces the ability to see for a short time but does not cause annoyance, an extreme case of disturbing dazzle is dazzling dazzle, which disturbs the ability to see for a slightly longer time.