The Secrets To Outdoor Lighting
Traditionally, lighting design is based on the identification and combination of four primary lighting types, which are accent, ambient, task and decorative lighting. And pretty much the same idea applies to designing outdoor lighting, but before we look further at each of these types there are some basic differences to take into account.
Firstly there is an issue of scale. Indoor spaces are bounded by ceilings and walls and are thus quite restricted when compared to even a tiny garden. Outdoors the ceiling stretches up to the stars and when night falls it’s not clear where the edges are either.
This brings both opportunities and challenges for outdoor lighting design. Most indoor lighting is reflected from ceilings and walls and contributes to the overall ambient light. Outside however, lights appear to us as zones of brightness that, rather than spilling onto surrounding areas instead create a contrast, making then seem even darker.
This shortfall in secondary ambient light does mean that many normal interior lighting techniques aren’t suitable outdoors. However there are some advantages since the high contrast darkness can be used to develop unusual effects and even to create a night garden that is seemingly unrelated to its daytime twin simply by playing up some features and playing down others.
There is also the question of how you use your outdoor spaces. Traditionally, garden designers have espoused the concept of viewing the garden as simply another room (or suite of rooms) in your home, and this idea spills over into lighting.
You probably have different lighting for different rooms according to their function, for example kitchen lighting is clearly different to that used in a bedroom. If for example you wish to use your deck as a space for entertaining you need to install lighting appropriate to this use. Equally, a water feature or a path should have lighting suitable for that purpose (unless of course you plan to host your parties on the path).
Which brings us finally back to the four primary lighting categories and their use outside.
Whereas indoors ambient lighting mainly provides a platform for the other types of lighting, in the garden this really isn’t possible without the confines of reflective walls. Accordingly ambient light quite frequently takes centre stage outdoors; many solar powered garden lamps provide good examples of the sort of soft, diffuse light that can be used to introduce a pleasant and understated glow to any part of the garden.
Accent lighting is simply the art of picking out and/or enhancing those features you wish to emphasize at night. It can be used to accentuate color or detailing and also to lead the eye. Most garden accent lighting uses spotlights and these days predominantly LED spots since they deliver much more crisp and vibrant light and can also “get in close” since they don’t output any heat.
Decorative lighting is in many respects similar to accent lighting (i.e. meant to catch your eye and look attractive) but instead of showing off another object it is the object of attention itself. As with accent lighting also, much contemporary decorative lighting is based on LED lights.
Task lighting outdoors is obviously not so much about light suitable for reading and doing things as providing ample light for people to get about safely. This encompasses the ubiquitous LED deck lights, pathway lights and lighting around entertainment zones so folk can see what they’re easting and drinking (roughly).
The key to effective garden lighting is the same as with interior lighting design, which is to combine all four of the basic lighting types (it also helps if you can arrange to be able to operate task lighting separately). Like indoor lighting, reliance on just ambient light will result in a drab and indistinct look, while using only accent lighting is likely to come across as harsh and over dramatic, and if you over rely on decorative lighting it will almost certainly come across as disconnected and frankly cheesy.
An easy way to ensure a good mix of lighting types in your garden is to buy different types of light fitting. So have a number of different styles of spotlight (varying in brightness and beam angle) plus say some all purpose lanterns and spikes. Mix in a few coloured lights and combine both solar and low voltage mains lighting. LED garden lights are commonly found in both these formats and complement each other very well.
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