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.
Earlier in the year, the evenings stay light until at least past the kids bedtime, and often even later than the time our friends all go home in order to get up for work the next day. I just don't seem to use my backyard lights until the shorter days of fall, when evenings get dark way before it's time to come in.
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.
To start with you should think of any areas that will be tricky in the dark for anyone who is not familiar with your backyard. To keep your guests (and yourself) safe, make sure that doorways, main pathways and steps and stairs are well lit. These are probably the areas that you will want to install permanent lighting. Keeping these main areas well lit will prevent any unexpected tripping.
Once you have taken care of the safety aspects of outdoor lighting you can concentrate on creating mood or an ambiance. I personally prefer a softer type of lighting. I like to make things light enough so I can see where I'm walking and I can easily make out my guests and food but dark enough that some candle light can be appreciated. One of my favorite lighting techniques is using rope lighting or string lighting on the trees at the back of my yard. This type of lighting provides almost no illumination but provides a very pretty whimsical effect.
Outdoor lighting can transform the average backyard into an extraordinary backyard. It is cheap and easy to change your outdoor living space into something beautiful. The bonus of these schemes is that if they don't work as you wish, you can simply redesign. Think about the safety issues first. Once you have accommodated all issues related to safety you can then play with different outdoor lighting designs.
Earlier in the year, the evenings stay light until at least past the kids bedtime, and often even later than the time our friends all go home in order to get up for work the next day. I just don't seem to use my backyard lights until the shorter days of fall, when evenings get dark way before it's time to come in.
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.
To start with you should think of any areas that will be tricky in the dark for anyone who is not familiar with your backyard. To keep your guests (and yourself) safe, make sure that doorways, main pathways and steps and stairs are well lit. These are probably the areas that you will want to install permanent lighting. Keeping these main areas well lit will prevent any unexpected tripping.
Once you have taken care of the safety aspects of outdoor lighting you can concentrate on creating mood or an ambiance. I personally prefer a softer type of lighting. I like to make things light enough so I can see where I'm walking and I can easily make out my guests and food but dark enough that some candle light can be appreciated. One of my favorite lighting techniques is using rope lighting or string lighting on the trees at the back of my yard. This type of lighting provides almost no illumination but provides a very pretty whimsical effect.
Outdoor lighting can transform the average backyard into an extraordinary backyard. It is cheap and easy to change your outdoor living space into something beautiful. The bonus of these schemes is that if they don't work as you wish, you can simply redesign. Think about the safety issues first. Once you have accommodated all issues related to safety you can then play with different outdoor lighting designs.
