Lighting and colour are important in your workspace

15th February 2012

Whether you've dedicated a whole room to a study or have just set aside a small area to check your office emails, chances are that somewhere in your home there will be a space used for work.

While writing reports and rearranging spreadsheets may not be your favourite activities, in order to maximise your productivity it is a good idea to turn your working area into a comfortable and attractive living space.

And, according to interior designer and colour expert Karen Haller, colour is a good place to start when deciding on an interior design plan for a workplace.

"Colour is a very important design aspect to consider, given it's on every surface," she says.

"Every colour has its own psychological qualities and can have an effect on how we feel and our behaviour. By using the right colour for a given function or department, it can create a positive atmosphere."

The expert claims that a good colour scheme in an office setting, using the right combinations of tones and levels of intensity, can help improve morale and motivation among staff.

So why not apply these rules to your own interior design and create the same positive atmosphere in your workspace at home?

However, your colour scheme won't be used to best affect unless you get your lighting design just right.

Therefore, it is a good idea to spend some time considering an energy efficient lighting scheme that will complement your colour design while saving you money on electricity bills.

Karen adds: "Just as important is light, for without light there wouldn't be colour."

Lighting design can be tricky in an area such as an office or study - you don't want light to be so harsh as to spoil your colour scheme or so dim that you're unable to carry out your work efficiently.

A simple solution is to install LED ceiling lights to keep the whole space well-lit when needed and then add individual light fittings in areas where you may need greater intensity of illumination.