Can you believe it’s that time of year again and the sun is making a welcome return! Time to make the most of your outdoor space and make it an extension of your home with some functional yet space enhancing outdoor lighting.
Are you thinking of taking your outdoor entertaining to the next level? Making it an extension of your home? If so, then it might be time to refresh and update your outdoor lighting.
After all, we all know the right outdoor lighting can help you extend your entertaining well into the evening hours and truly make the most of that outdoor space. Outdoor fixtures can provide just the right type (and amount) of light when you need it most—whether it be task lighting, mood lighting, or anything in between.
When incorporating the best lighting into your existing outdoor space, there are a few creative ideas to consider and we’re always on hand to help and advise.
Outdoor lighting can add nighttime curb appeal to your home’s exterior, but the benefits of lighting it up to go well beyond aesthetics. There’s also the safety and security side of things to consider.
What options are available?
There are so many lighting choices available where do we start? All designed to enhance your outside space.
- Wall lights
- Security lights
- Post lights
- Stake lights
- Decking lights
- Lanterns
- Table lights
- Party and string lighting
- AND MUCH MUCH MORE!
With some cleverly designed outside lighting you can make the most of the warm evenings and spend more time in your garden with friends and family.
There’s so much to consider, with so much choice from elaborate planned illuminations to classic focal point lighting.
You need to be sure that you can continue your alfresco socialising long after the sun sets to make the most of the warm evenings that are coming.
Downlights
As the name suggests, downlights are lights pointed downwards. Generally, the bulbs will be covered on the top and sides. This allows for a particular area to be illuminated. Downlights can be used to illuminate flowerbeds, walkways, or areas of your yard that may be darker than others. One significant benefit to downlights is they keep light pollution at a minimum.
Smart Lights
A remote or a phone app controls smart lights. They come in various shapes, sizes, and designs. Although installing and setting them up to work may feel overwhelming if you’re new to it, it’s actually quite simple.
Many smart lights can change colors, which presents the perfect opportunity for holidays and parties. You can often dim or brighten the lights from your phone, alongside the ability to turn them on or off. Smart lights can be used anywhere, with perfect placement depending on their design.
Motion-sensing Lights
These lights will turn on when motion is sensed within a specific area. These are primarily used for security measures and work well with security cameras. When motion-sensing lights brighten an area, they provide a clearer picture for the security cameras.
Motion-sensing lights are usually very bright, but different light strengths are available. You can place these near your home’s exterior for additional safety measures.
Bistro Lighting
Bistro lighting is also called strand lighting. These are lights strung together that are installed above outdoor spaces. For example, you could use them over your patio, garden, deck, or uncovered porch.
Bistro lighting is an excellent addition to parties. They can turn any outdoor area into a softly-lit dream world. While many have traditionally used these during the holiday season, there’s no reason you can’t use them all year long.
Hardscape Lighting
These lights are used to illuminate your yard’s hardscapes. For example, you can use hardscape lighting to light up pillars, walkways, stairs, and edging.
Hardscape lighting generally uses a soft light that points downwards, similar to downlights. You can use them to light dark areas and highlight small specific ornamental features without contributing much to light pollution.
Solar-Powered Pathway Lights
Solar-powered pathway lights are an excellent choice because they don’t require wiring. Instead, small panels of solar cells soak up the sun during the day. Then, at night, it uses this power to illuminate your pathways.
LED Step Lights
LED lights come on long, flat stripes that slightly resemble the chips inside your computer’s mainframe. Due to this, LED step lights are sometimes called strip lighting.
The strips can be installed along steps to provide some illumination. This looks amazing and also makes it safer to traverse stairs at night. LED lights can often be controlled by a remote that lets you turn them on or change colors.
Spotlighting
Spotlighting is also called uplighting. These lights are usually placed at or slightly above ground level and pointed upwards. You can use them to highlight exterior ornamental home features.
Additionally, you can use spotlights to highlight your home’s exterior generally. This can be a handy burglar deterrent because it makes them easier to be seen.
Exterior Wall Lights
Most homes have exterior wall lights at their front door and maybe beside other entrances. These are lights attached to your home’s outer wall. They often have a decorative casing that looks pretty and helps contain the light to some extent. You can even match them to the style of your home. For example a period property might align itself to a more traditional look.
These days, exterior wall lights aren’t only used to illuminate entryways. One of the new lighting trends of 2022 is to place them every few feet on your exterior walls. This is especially popular on porches or patios.