Transform living and cooking spaces into learning and working environments with a few easy tips

Missing from many people's routine this morning was the usual rush to dress and get kids to school before driving themselves to the office. Instead, they may have rolled into a makeshift home office or walked into their kitchen to prepare to oversee homeschool classes. To make this unexpected transition easier, following are a few tips to enhance the comfort and functionality of your home lighting.

Adjust the light level

Lighting is always more attractive and functional if it can be adjusted according to natural light changes and tasks being performed. A dimmer is essential for optimal work space lighting. Adding a dimmer can be an easy process simply by connecting a plug-in dimmer to a table or floor lamp. It is important to use dimmable bulbs. Check bulb labels to determine if dimming capability. Incandescent bulbs are always dimmable; LEDs can usually be dimmed as well. For help in acquiring a dimmer and the proper bulbs, contact your local ALA-member lighting showroom. Lighting showrooms are considered essential businesses, and many are offering online ordering or curbside pickup.

Photo courtesy of Hinkley   

Maximize visibility

Do you have enough light?  If reading or other visual tasks seems more difficult lately, check the output of the bulbs in your fixtures. If more light is needed, and you are currently using incandescent bulbs, this is a good time to switch to LEDs. A 60-watt incandescent bulb emits about 800 lumens of light. For more light, try an 1100 lumen LED bulb, which is equivalent to a 75-watt incandescent.

Be sure the additional light does not cause glare, which may require adjusting lamp or window shades. All bulbs should be the same color (chromaticity). Look for the chromaticity rating on the bulb package. LED bulbs that match the color of incandescent bulbs are rated for 2700 Kelvin (K), often referred to as Warm White.