If you really want your outdoor spaces to be appealing for evening entertaining, lighting is an important element to include in your outdoor patio design and installation project. When you think about lighting your outdoor patio and outdoor spaces like walkways and landscaping, think about the mood you’re looking to create.
In most cases, people are seeking lighting that provides a welcoming and warm feeling for the enjoyment of family and guests during gatherings. To effectively accomplish this, there are three basic principles to consider when planning your patio project and complimentary lighting scheme.
- Safety. The primary purpose of outdoor lighting is safety. Lighting should be placed wherever walkways are narrow, steeped, graded, uneven, or near steps. Lighting should also be placed on and around outdoor furniture, like lamps on tables and lights along a dividing wall.
- Direction and way-finding is another important function of lighting. While having lighting along narrow pathways does help with this, think about the main areas where you would like people to congregate on your patio, such as around a fire pit, under a pergola for dining, or towards a specific sitting area away from the pool in the evenings. Place lighting near the seating in these areas and on the occasional and dining tables so that family and guests are attracted to the various locations on your patio. Don’t forget to light the “paths” between these areas, even if they are not narrow or obstructed. If your patio has an expansive space, this could be accomplished by placing solar lights in potted plant groupings or using a spotlight placed in a tree to shine on that section of the walkway.
- Another principle to follow to really make outdoor lighting pop is using landscape lighting in areas of your yard that you want to show off. If you have a beautifully aged cherry tree or group of aspens you would like to highlight, use a spotlight placed in the ground to shine up among the branches and draw the attention of your guests to these beautiful elements in your yard.
Outdoor patio lighting can really help enhance the safety and beauty of your property so that you can enjoy your outdoor spaces all year round. Strategically placed solar and electric outdoor lighting can help provide a safe, relaxing and welcoming environment for your guests and your family to create wonderful memories. Call us today to help you plan your patio, or even to just help you enhance your existing patio with a beautiful outdoor lighting scheme. 608-921-5349
