LP Slim Round Suspended pendants above a meeting table in a modern office with glass walls. © 2026 Louis Poulsen.

Let light transform your workspace

Optimal office lighting solutions are tailored to the different functions of your office. As such, there are several factors which you must consider when investing in lighting for an office. Whether you’re aiming for a classic and ambient feel, a corporate and clean look, or a playful and bold vibe, Louis Poulsen offers iconic and contemporary designs to bring your vision to life. Create a space that boosts productivity and sets the perfect mood for employees as well as guests.

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Black LP Slim Round suspended luminaires above desks in a bright office with exposed concrete walls. © 2026 Louis Poulsen.

Office lighting solutions

Interior lighting is about much more than simply choosing the right type of lighting fixtures for a certain space. It is also about choosing the bulb most suitable to your needs and about locating the light fixture optimally. In order to place your pendants and lamps optimally, you must first examine the room for which the light fixtures are intended. Optimal office lighting solutions are tailored to the different functions of your office. As such, there are several factors which you must consider when investing in lighting for designer offices.

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Natural light in offices

 

Considering that many people on average spend as much as 90% of our time indoors, we do not receive enough natural light. Thus, adequate office lighting levels is imperative for anyone working in office spaces as these are often partly or fully deprived of natural lighting.

 

Light affects us quite differently over the course of a day. This makes the element of time essential in the planning of light and architecture. When we plan the light in buildings, we should draw learnings from studying the changes in our bodily activity over the course of a day - 

When solving various tasks at offices – whether these are at a desk, in meeting rooms or elsewhere across offices, the lack of natural lighting in offices means your eyes are hard at work, and if you do not have adequate office lighting levels, you will unconsciously tense your eye muscles. This can lead to headaches and make it difficult to concentrate on the tasks at hand and therefore reduce productivity.

A Ripls wall lamp glows in a bright office with VL 45 Radiohus Pendants and a Panthella 250 Table Lamp. © 2026 Louis Poulsen.
Ginnerup Architects: NJP Table, VL45 Pendant, Panthella MINI, Ripls
White NJP Table Lamps on desks in a bright office with computer monitors. © 2026 Louis Poulsen.

Office desk lighting

Office pendant lighting might support both decorative and functional purposes in office lighting design as well as creating the right atmosphere in an office. But office pendant lighting rarely provides sufficient light for you to work at your desk without straining your eyes. Thus, a good desk lamp is important for every office desk. Adequate office desk lighting in the form of a good, adjustable desk lamp relieves your eyes, aids concentration, and prevents headaches and discomfort.

Photo: Ginneruparkitekter - Horsens, Denmark

When it comes to office desk lighting, most people underestimate the importance of placement. They invest in excellent and costly lamps but give no thought to the placement of them. If you are right-handed, the desk lamp should be placed on your left side as you may otherwise block the light with your hand – and vice versa. Placing your desk lamp on the strategic side of your desk is important for optimal lighting. Likewise, you should make sure that the desk lamp is adjustable, so you are able to slightly tilt the lamp light, preventing you get blinded by its light while working in different positions at the desk.

Photo: Carl Hansen & Son Showroom - New York, USA

An AJ Table Lamp in a copper finish sits on a desk in a bright office with wooden furniture. © 2026 Louis Poulsen.

Office lighting levels

 

During daytime – most of the time spent in offices - we are more active than in the morning, evening and at night. Because of that, we tend to utilize cooler and higher intensities of light than we do in our homes. In summer, these high intensities are experienced as lower than in winter, where warmer color temperatures often are preferred. Daylight is the only variable, and the only factor causing this perceived difference.

 

In the future, the planning of light – and darkness – will be taken even more seriously than today as lighting is one of the most important aspects of a building design, and should be incorporated from the start of the process. The industry is moving in the direction of human-centric lighting, and the research from the commercial industry is available and at our disposal.

 

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A PH 3/2 Table Lamp in opal glass and chrome stands on a desk in a warmly furnished office. © 2026 Louis Poulsen.

We are here to help

Lamps and the light they provide are a very significant but often overlooked factor for the indoor climate of our offices. Rooms changes character when the lighting of the room is modified. Therefore, we encourage you to consider what types of wall lamps, table lamps, floor lamps, and pendants you invest in. Moreover, we urge you to thoroughly consider where you place them and why – exactly as you would when buying furniture or any piece of decoration for your offices. If you would like some guidance on how to find the perfect light fixtures for your offices and where to install them, please do not hesitate to contact our team at Louis Poulsen.

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Office lighting | Find the best designer lamps | Louis Poulsen