The summer is here and everyone is looking forward to taking advantage of every little piece of sunshine. Outdoor lighting can allow everyone to enjoy the balmy evenings, but can also highlight the features to see from inside on a cold evening, and provide security to the property. Getting outdoor lighting right can really complete a whole home, and really enhance the space.

Focus on Key Features

When designing the outdoor lighting, it is important to focus on the key features. They could be large trees, fountains, entrances or sculpture, but they will be focal points, and these should be illuminated first. This will draw everyone’s attention and really make them the features they should be. Spike spotlights are good for any features with flower beds around them, since the spot can be placed in the right location, and moved for gardening. If you are placing lights underwater they need to have an ingress protection rating of IP68 and be low voltage.

Do not put uplights all around the garden. Make sure they are washing light onto something. Think about washing light across floors from under benches and in the sides of raised flower beds.

Illuminate changes in floor level

Transitions of floor lights are very common in gardens, whether it is the end of some decking or steps down to a lower area. It is very important to provide light onto these for safety, but it can also make a lovely feature. A very common mistake that is made is to use recessed uplights, which are small spotlights set in the floor. This is terrible because it does not light the step itself, and shines light into the user’s eyes, meaning they cannot see the step they are approaching. Wall mounted floor washers, or built in LED strips under the steps provide far better light, and give a softer, more ambient light.