Desk lighting ideas and recommendations

When choosing a desk lamp for your desktop, pay attention not only to its design. Be sure to take into account its functional characteristics and recommendations of ophthalmologists.

When working at the table with documents, books, notebooks, it is difficult to do so without a table lamp. Overhead lighting in the dark is not enough to work comfortably. In order not to strain your vision, you need a soft side light.

But how to choose a table lamp for work, so that it is both convenient to use and really comfortable to work? But which one to order?

Let's figure out how to choose a lamp for a home work area, for an office, for a manager's office. We will also pay special attention to the question of how to choose a table lamp for a student's desktop.

What to consider when buying a lamp for a work area?

A lamp illuminating your desk has two main tasks: first, to ensure the convenience of working with documents; secondly, to protect your eyesight. To choose the right working desk lamp, consider the following guidelines:

The best materials for a shade are glass or durable high-quality plastic. Poor-quality plastic can melt when the light bulb burns for a long time, and the metal shade can get hot and burn if accidentally touched.
Pay attention to the color of the shade: pastel shades or green are preferred. It is no coincidence that the green table lamp has become a must have in a classic cabinet! Ophthalmologists claim that green helps maintain visual acuity by allowing the ciliary muscles of the eyes to relax.
But you should not screw in a green light bulb under a green shade - the lighting will be insufficient. In general, you should not choose colored bulbs for table lamps. The best choice is warm white or warm yellow light. Cold white light tires the eyes.
An opaque light bulb is preferable at your desk - it does not give glare, providing even illumination.
A conical or spherical shade is preferable, since the reflected rays will dominate the illumination. Diffused light is more beneficial to the eyes than direct light.
The optimal incandescence of a light bulb in a work lamp is 60 W. A bright 100-watt light bulb will heat up not only the lampshade, but also the air around it. In addition, from white paper, the light of a 100 W light bulb is reflected too brightly, from which the eyes quickly get tired. If the area of the table is large, it is better to buy not a more powerful light bulb, but a lamp with a flexible leg, which expands the area of the tabletop.
A good choice is a luminaire with a dimmer, which allows you to adjust the degree of illumination. Note, that fluorescent energy-saving bulbs are not suitable for it. By the way, if the work area is next to the bed, then the lamp with a dimmer can also be used as a night light.
The lamp should be placed above the table so that its luminous part is approximately at eye level (this is 35 - 40 cm from the table top). So lamps with adjustable height and tilt are the most comfortable.
If you have a computer on your desk, position the lamp above the monitor.
A table lamp with a flexible leg, more convenient than a hinged one. And more durable.
When turning on the work lamp, do not turn off the overhead light in the room. The rapid transition from a lighted area to darkness negatively affects vision. When you look up from the brightly lit paper, you may even feel a sharp pain.
It is more convenient when the switch is on the table lamp stand and not on the cord.
And one more important point. Is there a difference which table lamp to choose for right-handed and left-handed work? There is no difference in the selection criteria for the lamp itself, but its location plays an important role. The right-hander should place the lamp on the left, and the left-hander on the right side of the desk, so that the shadow cast by the hand does not interfere with the letter.

Choosing a lamp for your study

When choosing a lamp for your desktop, design considerations give way to functionality criteria. And, nevertheless, one should not completely forget about the design of the table lamp.

For example, decorative criteria play a big role when it comes to how to choose a table lamp for an executive's desk. In the office of the "big boss", as a rule, the atmosphere is status and respectable. A table lamp should also look elegant and personable. Retro lamps with a green shade, as well as lamps on a massive stand, are perfect for this role. But if the executive's office is furnished in a high-tech style, then a lamp for the table should also be bought of the appropriate design: for example, an unusual futuristic look.

But how to choose a desk lamp for an ordinary office worker? The principle of office minimalism works here: the lamp should be functional and not distract attention with pretentious design.

Choosing a table lamp for a student

Responsible parents are concerned about the question: how to choose a table lamp for the student's desk? After all, vision must be protected during the childhood! Make sure that there is a proper lighting of the work area where the child is doing the homework.

When choosing a table lamp for a child's workplace, you must take into account all the same criteria as when buying a lamp for an adult. But at the same time, additional tips should be considered:

It is not worth buying a table lamp for a student with a bright colored shade. The bright color will distract the child.
Optimal design - modern, minimalistic, functional. A child does not need a prestigious retro lamp. It is better to choose a cone that will diffuse light well.
Ideally, the desk lamp will be attached to the table - this will prevent the lamp from falling if a child accidentally snags it. The adjustment of a well-fixed lamp on a flexible leg or on hinges can be safely entrusted even to a younger student.
It is strongly recommended to buy an LED light bulb for a child - in that case, there is less risk of getting burnes after accidental interactions with the lamp.
It is very important to choose a lamp with a fireproof shade (the plastic must be of high quality). The quality of the cord is also of great importance. This quite important for an adult, and even more so for a kid who cannot cope with a dangerous situation on their own.