In addition to having a place that's quiet, you want it to be properly lighted. Ideally, a home office will have at least one large window and/or skylight to allow natural daylight into the room. The lamps, lighting fixtures, and light bulbs you choose will also impact the overall environment. For example, fluorescent light bulbs may be cheaper and last longer, but they're much tougher on your eyes (and your mood) than traditional light bulbs. Plus, part of the luxury of working from home is that you can be productive without being forced to function in an industrial environment — seize the freedom you have and make your office ideally suited to your own needs.

Studies have shown that people exposed to natural sunlight tend to be happier and more productive in a work environment. Natural sunlight can be supplemented by full-spectrum light bulbs that simulate natural sunlight. Others, however, feel that a view distracts them from their work. The novelist Kent Haruf, for example, pens his novels in an old coal room in his basement, and he likes to type his first draft with his eyes closed.