How to Use Landscape Lighting to Light Your Outdoor Patio and Beyond
Did you know exterior landscape lighting is on the most wanted list according to the National Association of Home Builders? It’s no wonder that more homeowners are looking for ways to light up their outside space.
If you’re looking to make your patio really sparkle at night, then we’re here to help.
Here are a few great outdoor lighting design ideas that you have to try at your San Diego home!
Patio Landscape Lighting Ideas
Did you know exterior landscape lighting is on the most wanted list according to the National Association of Home Builders? It’s no wonder that more homeowners are looking for ways to light up their outside space.
If you’re looking to make your patio really sparkle at night, then we’re here to help.
Here are a few great outdoor lighting design ideas that you have to try at your San Diego home!
What Should I Light?
The first place many homeowners get stuck is they don’t know what areas they should light. The 3 main spaces to look into are:
Entertainment Space: This is the lighting that will give you the ambiance for your entertaining needs and gatherings. Properly lit patios can transform your outdoor space and make it warm and inviting for yourself and your guests.
Security Space: This is the outdoor landscape lighting that you want to have to deter anyone from messing with your home. Properly placed lights will help keep strangers away and give more peace of mind by allowing you to see what’s going on outside.
Safety Space: This is the exterior lighting that will help avoid any accidents from happening. The last thing you want is a beautiful patio that isn’t well-lit and you or your guest end up breaking or twisting an ankle.
Have a Game Plan for your Landscape Lighting
Having a game plan on how you are going to use your patio area will make lighting it an easier process. Keep in mind the activities that you enjoy and will be doing outside. Having a game plan is critical to get the effect you want.
If you have a larger space, you can use outdoor lighting to define the different areas with different types of lights, such as string lights, spotlights, and floodlights just to name a few. If you have a smaller space, you can group lanterns and candles together for a more intimate feel.
Entertainment Space
This is the most decorative part of the lighting. If you have an outdoor seating area you can place table and floor lamps to enhance the area. If you have a dining table, you can add outdoor pendants.
The key with lighting your entertainment space is to not overdo it. Your outdoor area doesn’t need the same amount of light as your indoor area. Having too much lighting can create a glare making it difficult to see and harder to enjoy the outdoors.
If your goal is to add ambiance to your patio area, overhead lighting is a great option to create the mood. You can add outdoor pendants or string lights over the area to create a perfect outdoor atmosphere.
Another way to add ambiance is using wall sconces. When choosing your sconces, make sure the lights are pointing up at the wall and not aimlessly into the air.
If you have a covered outdoor patio you can put dimmers on your light of choice to control the light output. Options for covered spaces include recessed lighting, flush mount ceiling fixtures, and the outdoor pendants mentioned above.
When setting up lighting around your outdoor activities, such as grilling or games, you will want to install more direct lighting. For common spaces, for reading or board games, overhead lights are a great option.
If your patio space doesn’t allow for an overhead option, an alternative is using portable floor or portable table lamps.
Accent lights will complete your entertainment space lighting. Using steps lights or small deck lights will highlight steps or define a boundary. LED spotlights and floodlights can create a wow accent.
LED landscape lights are a great option because they not only look stunning, they also use 25-80% less energy than traditional incandescent lights. They also can last 3-25 times longer than a regular lightbulb.
Landscape Lighting for Security
Having strategically placed patio lighting will deter those up to no good. Having a motion sensor light will help you keep an eye out and catch someone by surprise if they aren’t supposed to be there.
Well-placed overhead lighting and well-placed wall sconces will give the right lighting to keep your place more secure while still giving your patio area ambient lighting.
Safety Space
This is important to keep in mind because although you’re familiar with your outdoor patio, your guests might not be. If the patio isn’t lit correctly you might have an unfortunate accident.
Using ambient landscape lighting to illuminate potential hazards works great. You can add lighting to trees or hedges to create a boundary and avoid bumping into them.
Accent lighting is helpful to avoid someone tripping over steps or curbs. There are several options to distinguish between both of these such as path lights, step lights, or bollards.
When placing these lights, keep in mind you don’t want them high up. Instead, you want to place them low to the ground to focus the light where it’s needed. If they are placed too high, they will create a glare.
Enjoy Your Space
Once you have your patio lighting all set up you can enjoy your outdoor space. Take the above patio landscape lighting ideas to help you create the best ambiance for your space.
If you want to save time and have a professional create your perfect illuminated patio outdoor area in San Diego, contact us for a free home consultation. We can help you find the perfect exterior landscape lights for your path, pool, garage door, and more.