Lighting is a crucial yet often overlooked element in any room's design. When chosen properly, it can make a space more comfortable and easier to work in. Bad or inadequate lighting can make a room feel gloomy and unwelcoming, forcing you to squint. Lighting is especially important in the workplace, but is often an afterthought in home offices. Plus, a bare-bones clamp lamp from the hardware store or a shoddy desk model from an office supply store can get in the way of your work. Research shows that poor lighting (including office lighting) can strain your eyes, reduce your attention span, and negatively impact your mood.
But health-improving office lighting doesn't have to look like a hospital. The best desk lamps give off a bright light and add an artistic touch to your work surface. To help you choose a smart desk lamp, we asked lighting and design pros which lamps are best for a bright, comfortable workspace.
Perfect for small spaces
At just 6 inches wide and 16.5 inches tall, the Pixo Plus Lamp provides plenty of light and a clean look that makes it ideal for home offices, especially those with limited space.
The Pixo Plus lamp won the Red Dot Design Award, an annual international design competition, when it debuted 10 years ago. It also received votes from several experts we spoke to, including Dani Gelfand, design director at Studio O+A, the San Francisco-based firm that designed the offices for Facebook and Slack. The lamp can be adjusted with an easy-glide joint on the head and base that rotates 360 degrees, and the dimming function is easy to use with one hand. Jacqueline Schmidt, a Brooklyn, New York-based interior designer who has designed many office spaces, agrees, pointing out its compact nature: “It's minimalist, lightweight, sleek, and wall-mountable.”
Overall excellent
Humanscale's Nova task light combines high-end design with excellent light quality and functionality, while being easy and intuitive to use.
Humanscale task lights have been highly praised by several experts, so we tested the Nova lamp (3000K color version with desktop base) and found it to be well designed, with excellent light quality and functionality. Operation is easy and intuitive. The integrated LED design gives off a soft, even light that can be turned down to illuminate you during video calls. The light quality is warm and not at all sterile, and is fully dimmable with the nearly invisible touch sensor on the arm. The matte finish gives it a premium feel.
Great pricing options
If you need a cute light for your child's desk (or anywhere), Karri Bowen Poole, founder of Smart Playrooms, a playroom design company in Rye, N.Y., loves this low-cost option. “Not only are they practical and bright, I love the vibrant colors, and I love how they make homework fun and easy,” says Bowen Poole.
Design Icon
The Tolomeo lamp has a sleek silhouette and high-quality light output. It is dimmable and adjustable, although these features don't operate as smoothly as other task lights.
Artemide's Tolomeo lamp comes recommended by several experts, including Brad Johnson, workplace design consultant and founder of Bradley Johnson Design in London. Its timeless, all-metal design is what makes it a classic. Its customization options are also highly praised, with dozens of bases and shades to choose from. The Micro size is perfect for home use; the Mini, which this writer tested, may feel too large for any but the largest desks.
Portable Pick
A portable, rechargeable lamp is a great option for a child's desk. “Moving the lamp from the desk to the floor when they need a change of pace is a great way to help kids create the environment they need to study,” says Anne Gilyard, co-founder of Groh! Playrooms in Washington, DC. Gilyard likes this small, portable model from HAY with touch-activated dimmer. The lamp comes in eight colors, including both bright and neutral tones.
Linear appearance
Experts also like Artemide's Tizio, which features the same high-quality LEDs and moving parts as Artemide's other lamps, but with a slightly edgy, angular design. Architect Yaiza Arbruster, founder of Atelier Armbruster in Brooklyn, New York, has used the lamp in several clients' homes and says she loves that it's “like a sculpture on your desktop.” The design has stayed strong, with fans celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022.
A contemporary statement
Stevie McFadden, founder of Flourish Spaces in Richmond, Virginia, recommends lamps with “warm wood and brass finishes for a sleek, midcentury look,” and the Katie Metal Piano Lamp is a budget-friendly version of that gorgeous design. Though it has more limited adjustment range than other task lights, if you have a desk in a shared space like a living room and want a lamp that doesn't scream “office,” this lamp strikes a good balance between design and function.
Design Star
Flos task lamps, including the Kelvin lamp family, are recommended by experts as a solid choice, and the company is known for its premium style. The Kelvin Edge's tap-to-dimmer feature is highly responsive, allowing you to change the color temperature to 2700K or 3200K, a feature highlighted by Baltimore, Maryland-based interior designer Laura Hodges. Keep in mind that it's on the larger side for a task lamp.
The luxury of stately brass
For desk lamps, Hodges prefers ones with “a heavy, sturdy base to prevent it from tipping over” and a metal shade that “directs the light well.” A more traditional favorite of Hodges' is the Ian K. Fowler-designed Heron lamp, a fresh take on the classic brass task lamp with three adjustment points and a black metal shade.
Retro Pick
When New York City-based interior designer Allison Tick wants a “classic industrial” look, she buys Schoolhouse desk lamps. “They're beautiful products with great value for money,” Tick says of the company's lighting, including this task lamp. “Whether it's a classic industrial 'schoolhouse' type option or a more modern shape or vibrant color, there's a soothing simplicity that's especially welcome in a kid's room.” They can also be used to add color to a workspace.
Stylish and sophisticated
For more “domestic” than industrial products, Johnson favors Louis Poulsen products. Many of the firm's midcentury designs are now fitted with LEDs to keep up with advances in modern lighting technology. Gelfand points to the recent NJP table lamp, designed by Nendo Design Studio for Louis Poulsen, as a stylish choice that's also highly functional.
The Hidden Utilitarian
“The Hey Matin lamp is perfect for anyone who likes the benefits of both directional and diffused light,” says New York City-based interior designer Emily C. Butler. The lamp's retro pleated paper shade comes in a variety of colors, but underneath it is an integrated LED. “The LED light has three brightness settings and, thankfully, a pleasant warm color temperature,” Butler adds.
Style Chameleon
Part of the Visual Comfort and Aerin collections, the Clemente lamp is a favorite of interior designers, including Hodges, because it blends into a variety of room styles. The lamp evokes a midcentury silhouette without being overly old-fashioned. Hodges likes that the switch is located at the base of the lamp, keeping the cord out of sight. The antique-style brass base can be paired with three different shade options.
Postmodern minimalist
Armbruster says he appreciates the AYNO lamp's unique shape and sustainable design (winner of the 2021 German Sustainability Award). The AYNO lamp is constructed of fiberglass rods that are bent by the tension of the lamp's cable, eliminating the need for joints. It is available in all black or with a contrasting cord, further highlighting its unique construction.
Classic design
Architects and designers frequently cite Anglepoise's classic task lamps, including the Type 75, as some of their favorite items. Though the lamp doesn't incorporate LEDs, the iconic spring arm design is as great as ever. Tick is particularly fond of the brand's collaboration with Paul Smith, saying the lamp would be perfect for a student's homework space.
Meet the contributorsLaura Fenton
Laura Fenton is a WSJ Buy Side contributor.