Outdoor Lighting Design Tricks and Tips
Established lighting design theory revolves around the idea of identifying and mixing together four main lighting types, namely decorative, accent, ambient and task lighting. And out in the garden we find that things are in principle little different for designing effective outdoor lighting. However, there are some important differences to be aware of before we look further at each of these lighting types.
Firstly there is an issue of scale. Indoor spaces are bounded by ceilings and walls and are thus quite restricted when compared to even a tiny garden. Outdoors the ceiling stretches up to the stars and when night falls it’s not clear where the edges are either.
This brings both opportunities and challenges for outdoor lighting design. Most indoor lighting is reflected from ceilings and walls and contributes to the overall ambient light. Outside however, lights appear to us as zones of brightness that, rather than spilling onto surrounding areas instead create a contrast, making then seem even darker.
This lack of reflected ambient light means that many common indoor lighting techniques won’t work in the garden; but it also means that you can use this darkness to create interesting effects and in extreme cases design a night time garden that apparently bears no relationship to the daylight version by emphasising certain features and concealing others.
There is also the question of how you use your outdoor spaces. Traditionally, garden designers have espoused the concept of viewing the garden as simply another room (or suite of rooms) in your home, and this idea spills over into lighting.
You most probably use quite different lighting for specific rooms largely to suit their functional purpose; bedroom lighting for example as compared to kitchen lighting. Accordingly, if you intended to designate your deck as an entertainment area then you would also expect to fit lighting designed to support that purpose. And looking at other zones in the garden, say a water feature or walkway, it is again likely you would adapt the lighting to the intended purpose.
Which brings us then to the four main lighting types and their application outdoors.
Whereas indoors ambient lighting mainly provides a platform for the other types of lighting, in the garden this really isn’t possible without the confines of reflective walls. Accordingly ambient light quite frequently takes centre stage outdoors; many solar powered garden lamps provide good examples of the sort of soft, diffuse light that can be used to introduce a pleasant and understated glow to any part of the garden.
Accent lighting on the other hand is all about highlighting key features and picking out detail and color. It is used to lead the eye around the garden and commonly relies on spot lights and these days LED lights.
Decorative lighting performs a similar function in that it is intended to look attractive and catch the eye, with the difference that the light fitting itself is the focal point. Once again LED garden lights are now used quite heavily for decorative effects.
Task lighting outdoors is obviously not so much about light suitable for reading and doing things as providing ample light for people to get about safely. This encompasses the ubiquitous LED deck lights, pathway lights and lighting around entertainment zones so folk can see what they’re easting and drinking (roughly).
The key to effective garden lighting is the same as with interior lighting design, which is to combine all four of the basic lighting types (it also helps if you can arrange to be able to operate task lighting separately). Like indoor lighting, reliance on just ambient light will result in a drab and indistinct look, while using only accent lighting is likely to come across as harsh and over dramatic, and if you over rely on decorative lighting it will almost certainly come across as disconnected and frankly cheesy.
The easiest way to guarantee a suitable blend of outdoor lighting types is to purchase assorted types of light fitting. For example a variety of spot lights with differing beam angles and intensities plus a range of lanterns and bollards. Add some coloured lights to the mix and be sure to install both low voltage mains as well as solar powered lights. These days the best examples of both in fact use LED lights and they work very well together.
