When you want to help keep your home’s outdoor spaces nicely illuminated through thick and thin, you should heed that selecting the right lights for these spaces can be something of both an art and a science.
That’s because, while your own personal preferences are bound to come into play, there are also practical concerns to consider – as these tips attest…
The lighting’s on the wall – or, at least, it probably should be
If you are currently undecided about your lighting plan, investing in a few wall lights could assist you in building its foundations.
Wall lights come in many different designs, and you could find playful ways to use them for contrasting with or complementing your home’s architecture.
“Avoid overscaling, which will overwhelm the rest of your scheme,” the Country & Town House website warns, adding that “a statement feel can be achieved with an aged brass, pewter or matt black finish”.
Mix up the levels at which you display outdoor lighting
Some outdoor lights are built to be installed overhead, others at eye level and others at ground level – though, of course, not all outdoor lights would force you to choose just one of the three. Outdoor lights also help in home security systems for clear vision.
Nonetheless, you could enhance the intrigue of the lighting arrangements in your garden just by positioning lights at various levels in it. Therefore, when shopping for outdoor lights, you should pay close attention to where, in terms of elevation, different ones are designed to be used.
Add pendant ceiling lights to a garden dining area
“How exactly am I supposed to install ceiling lights outside?” you may be asking. Well, the answer would be a lot more obvious if your garden had a pergola where a dining table and chairs are already set out.
The lighting retailer Pagazzi stocks all types of outdoor lights – including outdoor pendant ceiling lights you would be able to affix to a pergola to foster a romantic atmosphere.
Want an eco-friendly result? Consider candles and lanterns
Nobody is strictly saying you couldn’t illuminate your garden with ‘ye olde worlde’ options like these – though, of course, they do have certain drawbacks. For example, not all of these lights are suitable for being left outside in rainy weather – and you probably shouldn’t use them as security lighting…
Otherwise, though, they are very kind to the planet, as Real Homes points out – and there are plenty of exciting possibilities with them, like lighting candles in jars painted to create a stained-glass effect.
Just need to relax? Try blending string lights into the background
String lights are wonderfully versatile – and you could find a particularly good use for them if you are often stressed and feel as though you just want to retreat to a quiet, secluded spot in the garden.
If you’ve already got that special space in the garden, you could help to strengthen its soothing effect by leaving string lights strewn across hedging or other soft landscaping nearby. Then, get out a book and look forward to reading it in calmness and privacy.
