This workstation is very simple. It is the wall that is inspirational. The colour theme is amazing. 

Lighting in your design workspace is probably the one thing that you need to get right. This post will discuss the common problems with home office lighting and how you can fix it to get better productivity. In work offices lighting is usually not controlled by you, whereas in your home office you can control your lighting situation. You are in control of the space and can make changes to improve your productivity.

Too much light, not enough light or even artificial light can all have negative effects on you while your working. It is important that you find the right type and amount of light to work in. The wrong type of lighting can cause a number of issues, the main ones being: eye strain, headaches, migraines, drowsiness and lack of focus. None of these symptoms are ideal. Too much light could be a bright light too close to your workstation or a window without any blinds to filter the light. Dim light can be light that has low lux or the light source is too far away or pointed in the wrong direction.

Combining artificial and natural lighting in your design workspace is ideal. In a home you are likely to find a room with a window where you can set up your design workspace. It is important that you remember that unlike artificial lighting, natural light changes during the day and depends on the weather, so to achieve the ideal work environment make sure to have blinds that can control the amount of natural light coming in.

Read more about how lighting impacts our productivity.

When setting up your design workplace the position of your desk and computer needs to reflect the position of the window. Don't position your workspace so that you face the natural light directly, nor should you have the light coming from behind you. Align your workstation at a right angle to the window to avoid glare and excessive background lighting.

Once you have the option of natural light in your workspace you need to focus on the artificial light. It is best to have more than one source of artificial light, usually an indirect lighting source installed to brighten up the entire room and a smaller direct light source situated on the workstation.

Look at some recommended home office lighting options.

RECAP:

• Combine artificial and natural lighting
• Use a room with a window
• Make sure the window has blinds
• Position your desk at a right angle to windows
• Have more than one artificial light source

A great example of how to set up your desk near a window. The positioning allows for less reflection and the window has blinds to filter the bright sunlight.

View my previous post on natural light.

I think having a pin board is a great way to help your creativity. You can pin your inspirations and your own work. It makes your design station home.

Ben Miall: "I love that I can look out my window and get distracted by the world passing by. It may not be so productive, but it makes me happy."

Susie Joseph: "My favourite thing in my workspace is my plant. His name is Russell, and he makes the place look so much more lively and happy."

Natasha Singh: "The most important thing about my design workspace is my inspiration wall. I enjoy changing it constantly, and making it look amazing. I sit back and admire it daily."

Sarah Cross: "I always have a calendar in my design workspace. I use it constantly because I always forget the date. It helps me organise my life."

This example of a home made chalkboard calendar is amazing. This would be very handy if you run a business or just a busy schedule. Having the information right in front of you at all times is a lot easier than checking your phone or computer for details of where and when.

Visit your local hardware or paint store to purchase some chalkboard paint. It is relatively cheap and is as easy to apply as normal paint. Bunnings has a good deal.

You can use boxes stacked on top of one another to keep everything neat and tidy. This is inconvenient if you need to access the boxes often, but if you just need your things sorted and tidy, then this is perfect.

Visit the IKEA website to get some inspiration on different types of storage boxes.