The perfect lighting outside your house is great at enhancing the beauty of it; however, choosing the wrong outdoor lighting can spoil the whole environment. Knowing what kind of lighting will suit your house and garden is important. Your dream to stroll down the garden in the evening with the lights creating the perfect ambience and the wind slowly blowing on your face can come true; you just have to know what, and how, to get the right outdoor lighting for your place.
Outdoor lighting is also helpful for security reasons. When the days get shorter, especially in winter, outdoor lighting can lengthen the day and dramatically change the environment of your outdoor living spaces. With proper planning you can also create your outside space for entertaining your guests.
Types of Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor lighting can be divided into four categories:
Security lighting: This lighting is used for lighting up the vulnerable areas of your property. It is advisable though to keep it away from the living areas so it’s not distracting, as the lights used are bright, and often motion activated. You can also have a manual on/off switch for your lighting so that you can override automatic illumination.
Task lighting: This type of lighting is for specific purposes such as outdoor grilling or walking safely up and down steps and along paths. Task lighting should be kept between your eyes and the object that needs to be lighted. See to it that it does not glare, as an overly bright light will blind rather than guide.
Accent lighting: This can create a dramatic effect, or highlight an unusual feature. For example, uplighting can illuminate an interesting piece of statuary. Silhouetting can be achieved by keeping the light between the object and your fence or wall. General or ambient lighting can display overall lighting so that people feel comfortable and look good.
Moonlighting or starlight – You can also imitate moonlight or starlight for creating magical lighting. Moonlighting can be produced by putting outdoor lights in trees. The lights should be pointing downward to create a dappled effect, as if the area were lit by a full moon. And what could be more beautiful than natures own gift to us – stars in the night! This can be imitated by suspending tiny lights in the branches of a tree to create a sparkling night time canopy, or by using flickering candles, sprinkled here and there throughout the space.
Tips to remember:
No matter what type of lighting you want, remember not to over-do it, as less is more when it comes to lighting. Don’t use lights where they’re not necessary, and you can also be subtle by using a low watt bulb. Also be careful not to send light “upward”. Never use lights in straight lines up and down paths like the airport runway effect which is a very common error.
Avoid using yellow lights as they are unflattering to both people and plants. Instead use blue-white bulbs or purchase daylight-blue filters for your fixtures. The lights should be kept where they are easily accessible for changing light bulbs. After setting up your outdoor lighting, get outside after dark and light up the night!
The interior of a house or commercial place should complement the exterior, and vice versa. This can be achieved by creating an artistically balanced ambience by using decorative outdoor lighting fixtures at different angles and points. For example if for a small garden or deck canister sized lighting fixtures create a loud and crass effect. To get the right balance the area should be highlighted by using small lights closer to the ground, on tree trunks or eaves of structures around.
Light designers and manufacturers realizing potential of decorative outdoor lighting introduced shapes, styles and finishes in consonance with changing times. Decorative outdoor lights in neo-classical designs, informal or contemporary and stylistic create harmonious setting matching the interior with the exterior. Purpose also decides design of decorative outdoor lightings. For pathways, lightings with top covers or shades are preferred as light is directed out and down but not on the face. There is nothing worse than to be momentarily blinded by instant glare. One does not need a beacon on private property but a decorative light to focus on special features of the house as well as safeguard it. In commercial places such as malls, hotels, schools, colleges, clubs the decorative outdoor lighting should be artistic as well as utilitarian. Compact fluorescent lights, ground level moon lamps, post lanterns are some of the designs that help control glare and spill.
Another transformation from old to new is the use of decorative outdoor lighting with timers and photo cells. One can visualize the gas-burning lamps of 1800’s used to light streets. We have come a long way but nostalgia plays a hand as same idea is incorporated in electricity bulbs available in flame shaped designs. Whatever the design or style from diamond shaped to opal, antique lamp posts and shades, lights with frosted exterior, guests and visitors should not be inconvenienced by faulty placement and design selection. Instead of being influenced by neighbors, store catalogues or particular shape and color consider requirement, budget and appropriate lighting. If pathway is long and dark then hang Chinese lanterns or wanting to create a partition in the lawn then plant tiki torches available in different sizes and color.
Choices are unlimited, requiring a level headed thinking mind to select decorative outdoor lightings.
Area lights – These may be flood lamps and pother lightings that are used to illuminate a large area. These can be used creatively to generate dramatic results. You can use them well for parks, play areas etc. We take it as a challenge and help you with the best of the best.
Pathway lights– These are especially designed to furnish visibility to commuters moving on the pathways. They are amongst the chief part of outdoor landscape lighting. Thus they need to be well done. For this purpose, our team has a creative and specialized experience on this front.
House lighting-As a home lighting instrument you can attract visitors with these fancy things. They can be put up on the gate, front lawn, building exterior and give an impression of an atrium. Landscape lighting leaves the visitors spellbound. This is one of the most sought after landscape lighting offerings. Designs of trees, fountains, etc can be highlighted on your property and enhance its outlook.