Outdoor Lighting Designs
Fall is the season when I seem to take most advantage of our backyard outdoor lighting. Less daylight means longer evenings in the backyard while it is still warm enough to bar-b-q enjoy the patio set until bedtime. It also means that I turn on the backyard lights a little earlier each evening to enjoy the late summer nights.
During the longer days of mid summer, it seemed that I could cook and entertain relatively late without worrying about turning on the lights. Safety is a big issue for me, and I like having stairs and pathways of my back yard lit well enough so my friends and family don’t end up in a bush. But now that the days are shorter, I just enjoy turning on the lights so that my evening guests can enjoy the ambiance as much as I do.
My love of designing outdoor lighting schemes really only began when my partner and I bought our current house. I first saw how charming and romantic an interesting lighting scheme and a few well placed spotlights could be one time I was dining at a downtown restaurant patio after dark. Since then, we have experimented with the lighting plan in our backyard every year, adding and moving string lights, sometimes adding rope lights, sometimes using twinkly lights. Generally the color palette is only white, though sometimes I use color as an accent.
When you decide to come up with a lighting scheme for your backyard or patio, you will want make sure that you design with safety in mind. People unfamiliar with your outdoor space won’t be expecting changes in surfaces, or won’t be familiar with how many steps from your patio to the backyard. Improper lighting could create safety hazards that are easily avoided with some planning. Consider adding extra lighting at doorways, stairs, and any areas that are main traffic areas.
After making sure you have enough light in the main areas, now is the time to have fun with some softer lighting for effect. Remember that uncovered lights can be quite blinding if you need to look directly at them, so try using some subdued lighting, such as an outdoor fixture with a copper “lampshade” which will develop a lovely patina. You can also add lighting in your trees, which will add a lovely effect without creating too much light.
Spending some time to design the lighting scheme of your backyard can be a very rewarding experience. Having guests over to enjoy the outdoor ambiance that you have created is a perfect way to enjoy your outdoor space. Remember that changing the outdoor lighting design is easy and inexpensive, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different placements and types of lighting. You could change your lighting design every year, or your might end up finding the perfect combination, and decide to keep it as a permanent backyard lighting design.
Find more information regarding outdoor lights by going to decorative backyard lights.
