Indirect Lighting in the Office – Creating Atmosphere Without Glare
Indirect lighting in the office is a design tool that works subtly while shaping the entire space. Unlike direct light, it does not cause glare but flows softly into the room through reflected surfaces. This restrained type of lighting enhances concentration, creates well-being, and gives offices a quality that goes far beyond functionality.
🌤️ Why Indirect Lighting in the Office Matters
Indirect light provides comfort and protects the eyes, which is especially important at screen-based workstations. It creates a pleasant atmosphere that conveys openness and modernity. This way, employees feel valued. In addition, indirect light supports the biological rhythm, for example with cooler light in the morning and warmer tones in the afternoon. It also enables flexible design of work areas by creating soft transitions. Modern LED systems are energy-efficient and durable, reducing resource consumption.
Design Tips for Indirect Lighting in the Office
Ceiling as a canvas: Suspended elements or light strips illuminating the ceiling create a sense of height and spaciousness.
Showcasing walls: Indirect light along walls makes rooms appear not only larger but also softer and more inviting.
Furniture as light carriers: Sideboards, shelves, or partitions can become luminous elements and thus support spatial structure.
Plan for dimmability: The atmosphere should be flexible – from focused work to a relaxed after-work mood.
Consider materials: Light surfaces reflect gently, while wood or textured materials add warmth and depth to the lighting effect.
🛋️ Technology & Control in Daily Use
A practical advantage of indirect lighting lies in its controllability. With modern lighting controls, brightness, color temperature, and even scenes for different activities can be stored. This way, a fresh, activating setting can be set automatically in the morning, while a softer light can be chosen in the afternoon for meetings or creative work. Especially convenient: app-controlled systems allow intuitive operation without the need for professional staff.
🌅 Combining with Daylight
Indirect artificial lighting reaches its full potential in combination with daylight. In practice, this means planning workstations so that lateral daylight is complemented by indirect ceiling or wall lighting. This balances contrasts and keeps lighting conditions pleasant even on cloudy days. Tip: Sensors that measure natural daylight and automatically adjust artificial lighting ensure consistent conditions while saving energy.
🔦 Atmosphere for Different Zones
Open-plan offices thrive on clearly defined zones. Indirect lighting offers an easy way to create different atmospheres: bright, neutral light ceilings for focused work, warm light lines in lounge areas for exchange and breaks, and accentuated wall lighting in meeting rooms for open communication. Slightly varying the light color gives each area its own identity – without the need for additional partitions or elaborate furnishings.
Our Approach at Studio De Schutter
For us as lighting designers in Berlin, indirect lighting in the office means more than comfort and efficiency. It is part of a holistic design that connects atmosphere, identity, and sustainability. We develop concepts that not only define the space but also shape the perception of the people who work there every day.
Or, as Sabine De Schutter puts it: “Indirect light is the quiet force that makes atmosphere tangible.”
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Pictures: Two Studio De Schutter projects with a focus on indirect lighting — Covivio and the Peak Ace Office.
