A patio light is the final touch that takes your outdoor living space from a dark, unwelcoming shape in the night to an inviting place for evening gatherings and entertaining. Whether you’re using soft string lights to illuminate your pergola or landscape moon lighting to create a magical glow around your seating area, the right light can make all the difference in how your guests experience your outdoor space.
Spotlights are the perfect way to highlight specific areas of your patio. They are best suited to areas where you want to add a dramatic effect and can be used to draw attention to a focal point, like a plant, sculpture or fountain. When selecting a spotlight, it’s important to think about the beam angle and what you want to highlight. A narrower beam angle will highlight finer details while a wider beam angle will wash out the surrounding landscape.
Another great option for highlighting your patio is to install downlights on your deck or in your home’s ceiling. These are usually installed high in a tree or on a wall and then aimed down to the patio below, providing an attractive alternative to the standard (and often more abrasive) spotlighting which is typically pointed directly at your patio.
A simple and effective way to light your steps is to place spot lights on each side of the staircase or use strip lights that are recessed into the overhang of each step. If you’re going to use the latter, it’s recommended that you have these professionally installed to ensure safety and longevity of your patio lighting installation. When selecting your steps lighting, it’s also important to consider color temperature. This refers to how yellowish or blueish your lights are and is expressed in degrees Kelvin (K).