[gregmac]

Lighting actually makes a very significant difference in my opinion. I absolutely hate overhead fluorescent lighting, and really most forms of direct lighting. Actual daylight from outside is okay, as is soft lighting reflected from walls/ceiling. At work we have never turned on the overhead lights, just used floor and desk lamps.

It seems like many of the people planning offices don't even consider lighting.. they just by default put in a drop ceiling with 4x2 flourescent light banks. It's not like it even costs much more to do, well, nearly anything else and it makes a significant improvement to the office environment.

[agentgt]

Totally agree. Just to clarify when I was referring to sunlight I meant the crappy overhead lights that try to "imitate" sunlight and not the actual sunlight.

However while I generally like sunlight I find it a little too variable for my liking particularly if your region has seasons. On a cloudy winter day in New England sunlight can have a white dreary look that is sort of depressing.