Our Top Tips for Summer Outdoor Lighting

We can honestly say that summer seems to be in full swing and many of us have, no doubt, been spending as much time as possible outdoors – including relaxing in the garden or hosting friends for a dinner or BBQ alfresco.

What’s great these days, is that you don’t have to let the fun stop once the sun goes down. With a small investment in some great outdoor lighting, summer living will hit a new level when it comes to enjoying your outside spaces well into the night!

However, it is important to choose the right type of lighting for your outdoor setting. The Light Company lighting expert, Judy Davison, breaks down the different types of outdoor lighting you should consider, where to place fixtures and how to calculate how much lighting you need. Use these tips to enjoy those fun summer nights even more.

Three Types of Lighting

We always recommend that you incorporate the three basic types of lighting when it comes to creating a great outdoor ambience. These include:

• Ambient lighting achieved through hanging lights, post lights, and wall lights.
• Task lighting including pathway lights as well as deck and security lights.
• Accent lighting by using string lights, solar spotlights, or LED lights.

Planning Ahead

Before you start shopping, you’ll need to figure out exactly how much lighting you need.

To determine how much light a space requires, try this quick calculation: multiply the square footage of the area you want to light by 1.5 to get a rough estimate of the total wattage required. So for, example, 100 square feet of space would require 150 watts.

You should also consider the space carefully and take measurements so you don’t choose fixtures that are too large-scale. You can use a paper template to determine exact placement to review the size of each fitting before buying. For either the front porch or the back patio, the size of an outdoor wall light should be approximately one-third the height of the door. You’ll also want to make sure you’re choosing sturdy lighting, one that’s made of high-quality and weather-resistant materials.

When buying, if possible, go for LED options as they use far less energy than other bulbs, plus they are virtually maintenance-free.

Look at the Space from Inside Your Home

Looking at your outside space from inside your home will help you decide on which lighting to choose and how place it around your garden. Consider how patio spaces, decking areas, and pathways look like from inside your home. Lighting areas that can be seen from a living or dining room will give a room-expanding view to the outside at night. Think path lighting for garden areas, or use solar outdoor lighting for a quick and easy style update.

Your dinner guests won’t want a bright spotlight on them while they’re enjoying their outdoor meal, so stick with lighting that gives a soft glow. Outdoor entertainment areas benefit from subtle, indirect lighting that helps create a restful mood.

Don’t Forget About Security

Outdoor lighting not only provides ambience, but it can also secure your home. Make sure all entry points of the home are well lit and you could also mount a wall lantern on each side of the garage door or install a single fixture above.

For added security, illuminate any side of the house in the shadows with spotlights installed on your eaves or use wall lanterns at side doors, windows, and garages.

You should also ensure steps and stairways are also well lit and, if you have flood lights, they should be on a separate circuit to ambient lighting

The Light Company

We hope you find these summer outdoor living tips helpful when deciding how to light your outdoor spaces. At the Light Company, we stock a huge range of outdoor lights, ranging from wall lights and post lights to porch pendant lights and outdoor table lamps – all from leading brands like Laura Ashley, Frank Lite, David Hunt and där lighting.

Visit our website here to make your choices today.