Light without the lamp base

Why the ceiling light is not enough

EN 12464-1, the European standard for lighting of workplaces, suggests about 500 lux for typical office tasks such as reading, writing and typing. A single ceiling fitting in a small room often delivers well under that at desk height, especially in the evening, and your own head casts a shadow over the page. Task lighting fixes both problems, and the best task light for a tiny desk is one that does not stand on it.

Clip lamps

A clip lamp grips the desk edge with a clamp of about 6 × 4 cm. Spring-balanced arms, the design Anglepoise popularised in the 1930s, hold their position without a heavy base. Lighter modern LED arms do the same job with friction joints. Check the clamp opening against your desk thickness, and whether the clamp's jaws are padded so they will not mark a veneer.

The specs that matter

• Colour rendering (CRI). 80 is common and acceptable, 90 or above makes paper, skin and colour swatches look natural.
• Colour temperature. Measured in kelvins: around 2700 K is warm and cosy, 4000 K neutral, and 5000 to 6500 K cool daylight. Many people prefer warm in the evening and neutral by day, so look for a lamp with adjustable temperature.
• Dimming. A smooth dimmer lets you match the screen's brightness and avoid squinting at a bright lamp beside a dim display.
• Flicker. Look for "flicker-free" claims and trust reviews that mention headaches.
• Power. USB-powered lamps use one fewer socket, but check the wattage your charger can supply.

Placing a lamp

Put the lamp on the side opposite your writing hand so your arm does not shadow the page. Keep the bulb below eye level to avoid glare, and angle the head so it does not reflect on the screen. If the screen is the brightest thing in the room, add a low-level light behind it, since a dim wall behind a bright display tires the eyes.

Monitor-top light bars

A light bar sits on top of the display and shines down onto the desk with an asymmetric beam that stays off the screen. It costs no surface at all and is the neatest option for a very narrow desk. The trade-off is that it only lights the area directly under the monitor, so it suits keyboard and notebook work better than reading a large paper document.

Clamps beyond lamps

The same edge that holds a lamp can hold other items you would otherwise rest on the surface:

• Headphone hooks that clamp or screw under the desk edge.
• Tablet or phone arms for video calls and reference material.
• Microphone booms, which keep a stand and its base off the desk.
• Clamp-on shelves for a plant or a mug, if you can spare 10 cm of edge.