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Guide to task lighting – get the right light for the job
- Mette Bergholdt
- Last updated14. September 2026
Good task lighting makes it easier to see what you are working on – without unwanted shadows, glare or strong contrasts.
But good task lighting does not look the same everywhere. At a desk, the light needs to work well with the computer screen. In a hair salon, good colour rendering is important, while in the kitchen, the light needs to fall exactly where you are working.
In this guide, we look at what to consider when planning task lighting for different spaces.
A bit about the author:
Mette Bergholdt
Mette is Key Account Manager for Projects at ANTIDARK. She is a specialist in lighting projects, with a solid understanding of how to create optimal lighting solutions for all types of spaces – for both commercial and residential settings.
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What is task lighting?
Task lighting is light that is positioned with a specific activity in mind. It could be lighting above a desk, a kitchen worktop, a workstation in a hair salon or a counter in a shop.
Task lighting often works together with the general lighting in the room. General lighting provides an overall level of light, while task lighting adds extra or more focused light where it is needed.
So it is not only about how much light you have, but also where the light comes from and where it falls.
Task lighting in the office
Office lighting needs to work for many hours and for a range of different tasks. A good solution is often to combine comfortable general lighting with more focused light around individual work areas.
At the desk, the light should be positioned so that you can work without casting shadows over your own workspace and without creating distracting reflections on the computer screen. An adjustable desk lamp or another directional light source can make it easier to adapt the light to the individual workstation.
It is also worth considering daylight. The need for artificial light changes throughout the day, so dimmable or adjustable lighting can provide extra flexibility.
Task lighting in restaurants
In a restaurant, the lighting needs in the kitchen are very different from those in the dining area.
In the kitchen, clear and even task lighting is important above worktops, cooking areas and other places where food is prepared. Placement matters, so staff do not end up casting shadows over the areas they are working on.
In the dining area, the lighting has a different role. Here, the focus is more on atmosphere, comfort and creating different zones within the space. It therefore makes sense to plan task lighting and ambient lighting as two separate parts of the overall lighting scheme.
Task lighting in shops
Shop lighting often has several jobs to do at the same time.
Spotlights and other accent lighting can be used to highlight products and create focal points throughout the shop, while areas such as counters, tills and workstations may need more functional task lighting.
By combining different types of light, you can create a shop where products are presented well while staff also have the light they need for everyday tasks.
Lighting in hair salons
In a hair salon, it is especially important to be able to see hair, skin tones and colours clearly.
One thing to pay attention to is CRI, which describes how accurately colours are rendered under the light. Good colour rendering is particularly relevant for cutting and colouring, where subtle differences in tone need to be visible.
The position of the lighting is just as important. Even light around the client can help reduce strong shadows across the face and hair, while more focused lighting can be used at individual workstations.
Task lighting in the kitchen
In the kitchen, much of the work takes place around the worktop, sink, hob and kitchen island. Even so, the lighting is often positioned in the centre of the room rather than where the work actually happens.
If the light comes from behind you, you may end up casting a shadow over your own work surface. It therefore makes sense to place task lighting above or close to the areas where you prepare food and carry out everyday tasks.
What should you look for?
There is no single lamp or brightness level that works as task lighting everywhere. Instead, there are several things worth considering:
Brightness: Lumens tell you how much light a light source produces. The number of lumens you need depends on the task and the size of the area that needs to be illuminated.
Colour temperature: Kelvin tells you whether the light appears warm or more neutral. Choose the colour temperature based on both the function of the space and the atmosphere you want to create.
Colour rendering: CRI indicates how naturally colours appear under the light. This can be especially important in places such as shops and hair salons.
Glare: More light does not necessarily mean better task lighting. Pay attention to whether the light source is visible from the working position and whether the light creates reflections or uncomfortable glare.
Placement and direction: Think about where the work actually takes place and position the lighting accordingly. Adjustable spotlights and lamps can be useful if the work area or lighting needs change.
Dimming: Being able to adjust the brightness can make the lighting more flexible, especially in rooms that are used for several different purposes.
Task lighting is part of the bigger picture
Even the best task light rarely works well on its own. A comfortable space is often created when task lighting works together with the rest of the lighting in the room.
Think in layers: general lighting for the room, focused light where work takes place and, where relevant, more atmospheric lighting elsewhere. This gives you both the light you need for the task and a space that feels comfortable to spend time in.
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