A bright light here, soft one there make for ideal outdoor mix

Well planned and artistically installed outdoor lighting can be visually refreshing and aesthetically redefine the overall look of a home, especially at night.

Landscape, outdoor or garden lighting is basically the use of outdoor illumination in private yards, gardens or exteriors of privately owned places to enhance these spaces, ensure safety, provide night-time aesthetics, make them visible and accessible, and facilitate night-time recreational  and social activities.

“Like  interior lighting, landscape illumination makes use of overall/ambient, task and accent lighting and can be divided into three categories: security lighting, ambience (mood) lighting,  and architectural lighting.

These effects can be achieved using spotlights, pathway lights, bollard lights, artisan lights, spread lights, in-ground lights, deck lights, step lights and brick lights, among others,” says Mr James Kahiga, a lighting consultant and designer at Lighting Solutions Kenya Ltd.

If strategically installed, landscape lighting perfectly highlights the patio and yard, adding beauty to the home’s architectural structures and drawing attention to their unique features.

The key factors that contribute to the effectiveness of garden lighting are the way you play with light and darkness in highlighting and bringing to life features that might not typically be eye-catching during the day, as well as  the way you create contrasts and shadows by projecting light on the structures and vegetation in the garden or yard for artistic effect.

“Exterior lighting depends on the lighting fixtures’ ability to withstand variable weather conditions, the manner in which the cabling is done whether underground or otherwise, and also the quality of the fixtures,” notes Ms Lilly Mutisya, the projects coordinator at Legacy Lights Design and Installation.

She adds that for efficiency, you should consider having an external power outlet or investing in solar-powered fixtures.

When it comes to artistic purposes, except for path lights, which are designed to be decorative and functional at the same time, landscape illumination seeks to create only the observable effect of the light while keeping the source of the light hidden. The fixtures should thus be concealed, Mr Kahiga says.

So what elements of the garden should one light up and which should be left in the dark for best results in landscape lighting?

According to the experts, you should identify the  outdoor feature that you  feel should be highlighted, whether it is  a sculpture, a statue, a pool or pond, a beautiful tree, a flower garden, swimming pool or decorations on the walls of the building.

You could also identify areas that might not be conspicuous during the day and seek ways to enhance and play them them up at night. For instance,

you can use lights in such a way that a tree stump in the yard, simple shrubbery outside the patio, or a big stone in the garden takes on an entirely different character  at night as a result of an intricate interplay of light and shadows on it.

Utility structures such as front staircases or a snaking pathway in the garden can also be illuminated to ensure that they are not only safe to walk in, but that their look is enhanced through lighting.

And to  ensure that  the entrance to your home is inviting, ensure that it is well-lit, and with lights that create a warm feeling.

To achieve this effect, the lighting   provided by wall sconces are ideal. 

“Landscape lighting fundamentally revolves around integrating varied light types and designs to create wide-ranging yet appealing lighting effects,” says Mr Kahiga, adding that in addition to picking the right hardware and installing it, creating a pleasing lighting scheme is also about creativity.

He further points out that architectural and ambience lighting should be easy and not glaring to produce a cozy feel, while security lighting should be somewhat intense.

UP LIGHTING

This is one of the most basic techniques of garden lighting and can be used to highlight architectural features in the garden such as sculptures, water fountains, mini waterfalls or even trees.

You can use this technique to create a display, particularly with a taller structure or trees, as you like.

For instance, you might highlight the trunk of a tree, or the area underneath the tree’s canopy. The effect, as the name implies,  is created by strategically placing  lighting fixtures on the ground and pointing them upwards towards the structure being highlighted, thus creating  “up lighting” and giving the ambience a dreamlike feel.

Spotlights, well lights and in-ground lighting are viable options if you wish to use in this technique since they remain concealed while accentuating the structure they are illuminating.

SILHOUETTING

This  is another  technique for highlighting dramatic features outdoors that might not typically draw attention during the day.  In this technique, light is placed behind the feature being highlighted and directed towards the main viewing point, while ensuring that the lighting fixture itself remains out of sight. The effect is that the object is silhouetted against a background.

Multiple lighting fixtures can be used, depending on how much of the background you wish to illuminate to create the effect.  Spotlights, well lights and spread are good choices for this technique.

SHADOWING

Using spotlights, well lights and floodlights, you can also go for a shadowing effect, which involves bathing a feature such as a tree, sculpture or statue in the garden with light so that it casts a shadow on a wall or fence. It is basically the opposite of silhouetting.

The light source is placed between the main viewing point and the item being lit, with the light focused on the item.  The interaction between light and darkness in this case is enchanting, particularly if the object is, say a plant that sways in the wind.

Illuminating the feature from a lower position and angling the light upwards provides an even more dramatic effect created by the shadows.

MOONLIGHTING

This technique mostly uses spotlights. The lighting fixtures are placedd high up in a tree and aimed downwards. It is especially ideal for lighting a patio or footpath.  Multiple lighting fixtures high  up in the branches of a tree are directed  downwards at the garden below, with the trees’ leaves and branches casting shadows on the patio or pathways and simulating the surreal effects of a moonlit sky, as the light source bathes the branches and ground underneath  with spaces in between.

GRAZING

This technique is effective in highlighting an interesting texture or a work of stone.  When using it,  spread-lights or up-lights are placed next to the feature, with the light directed upwards at it, delicately casting miniature shadows that are produced by the texture of the feature.

It can be used alongside silhouetting, especially when the space has a large number of structures that can be highlighted. Well lights and hardscape lights are particularly ideal for  grazing, creating vivid light-and-shadow interplays.

The key point, however, is to take advantage of texture over  a flat plane, with rutted and irregular outlines working best.

AMBIENT LIGHTING

Sometimes a space needs more ambient lighting, and this is where the washing technique comes in handy. In this technique, a subtle floodlight fixture can be placed beside of the feature to be illuminated so that the light “washes” over it, covering  the entire wall, fence or row of vegetation and creating a soft radiance over the entire area.

To best capture this feel,  flood the wall or hedge with light using a wide-beamed soft floodlight placed between the main viewpoint and the surface to be illuminated. You can  experiment with  different heights and angles of light to see which combination(s) provide the best result.

PATH LIGHTING

It is probably the most common and important type of landscape lighting technique, says Mr Kahiga. It involves using path lights, among others, spread out along a walkway, driveway or path to outline it, hence defining a space or feature outdoors, making it visually appealing, as well as serving the function purpose of guiding  users.

I n addition to this practical function,  path lighting  creates a romantic and adventurous feel, especially when creatively done.

While it might seem like a straightforward task, path lighting can go wrong if not well thought-out,  so consider the amount of light needed to avoid creating an over-lit or an under-lit courtyard.

Try placing  deck, step and brick lighting, bollards and pathway lighting fixtures, on both sides to enhance the welcoming feel.

CROSS LIGHTING

This is a technique in which light washes the feature to be highlighted from two sides. Moderate illumination is ideal here since it helps avoid over-lighting the feature and giving it a washed-out look. However, cross lighting can highlight the main feature of a garden and soften the look at the same time, creating dramatic shadows on walls and structures.

GARDEN LIGHTING

It can be achieved through down-lighting from structures and the hardscape. In this technique,  lights are placed on patio covers, in spaces under the roof, on garden walls, in trees, upside down on benches, countertops and wall openings to illuminate patios and pathways. It  can also be used to highlight flowers or plants.

The light fixture is placed just high enough to spread a circle of light around the feature that you want highlighted. During the day, these fixtures remain hidden beneath the hardscape but at night their lights glow, defining  an area and drawing attention to it.

WATER LIGHTING

“Underwater/pool lighting is another beautiful form of exterior illumination which is mainly appropriate for swimming pools in the home or property, for both safety and aesthetics,” says Ms Mutisya.

In this technique, the fixtures are submersed in the pool, creating a special effect at night as reflected light dances on walls and nearby ceilings when ripples are created in the pool. It also gives the pool a mystical  feel.

Submersible lights produce attractive mini-waves and twinkles. When used in a pond, fish criss-crossing above the lights add an aspect of motion.

Underwater lights or ambient lighting in the surrounding landscape are effective and also make late-night swimming possible.

SPOTLIGHTING

This technique uses a light fixture to highlight a central point such as a statue, water fountain, or decorations on the walls with one or two spotlights handy in achieving this effect in garden lighting.

Just like in indoor lighting, most landscape illumination currently comprises low-voltage light emitting diode (LED) lights since they are safer to work with, less costly to install, provide good illumination, consume little power and are easy to maintain.  However, installation costs vary, depending on the size of the property or home and the complexity and natures of the lighting technique(s) involved. “Quite like indoor lighting, garden lighting is  important and requires planning to ensure the outdoor space is usable at night. It should also make the home or  property in general safe by putting off night interlopers and also enhance the home or property’s night-time curb appeal,” says Ms Mutisya.

She adds that using multifunctional lights is  a good way to go because it ensures  that you one don’t  spend too much  on different sets of lights.

Different types of lighting produce differnt effects and illuminate features in different ways so it is sometimes difficult to determine which types of light to use. Consequently, it is advisable to work with an expert when setting up outdoor lighting.

In addition, it is advisable  to install landscape lights at night since doing so during the day doesn’t really give you a real feel of  how vegetation and other garden features cast shadows. Besodes, you risk using the   wrong fixtures,  the two experts say.

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FYI

 

Types of lights

Spotlights: These are strong lights used to highlight and illuminate a particular spot as opposed to spreading light across a wide area.

 

Pathway lights: These are light fixtures mounted next to, or alongside, driveways, pavements, paths, walkways sidewalks, alleys and pathways to illuminate them for users. They can also be used as accent lights to showcase the backyard, garden, or architectural features of buildings.

 

Bollard lights: These are lights are enclosed in a vertical post  on  the ground and tend to be mostly cylindrical. However, there are square bollard lights as well. They are used mostly for landscaping but can also be used to define pathways or to serve as accent lights in the backyard.

 

Artisan lights: These are arty light fixtures that are encased in creatively designed installations such as chandeliers or decorative sconces and are mostly used to enhance the yard.

 

Spread lights: These  lights are designed to outspread, illuminating expansive areas and covering large distances. Usually multifunctional, they are ideal for garden beds and distinct outdoor spaces.

 

In-ground lights: They are used to highlight trees, shrubs or interesting architectural features and are installed in the ground so that they shed their light upwards. They are a low-profile way to accent  features in the home or garden.

 

Deck lights: They are  installed in the deck or patio to provide ambient lighting. They can be installed on the deck’s ceiling, under the wooden banisters that surround the deck or even the steps leading to the deck.

 

Step lights: These are  fixtures that are placed on staircases, stair-steps and stepladders. They not only highlight the features but also ensure that they are safe. They add beauty to the deck’s  stairs.

 

Brick lights: They are light fixtures that are recessed in a brick wall with their faces paralell to the surface of the brick to illuminate the surroundings.