As we get deeper into summer, you might be looking for outdoor lighting ideas to turn your area into a cozy place to spend time.
Whether it’s your deck, backyard, or front porch, one surefire way to make your outdoor area a pleasant place to spend time is to invest in proper lighting.
In this blog, you’ll learn four different ways to turn your outdoor area into a place you’ll love to relax in.
1. Use String Lighting for a Soft Ambient Feel
Outdoor string lights are one of the most popular ways to light hangouts.
Their amber colour provides a warm, inviting glow while still being bright enough to see your surroundings.
Setting them up properly, however, is not as easy as it looks.
Installed incorrectly, the lights can hang too low or be hung on un-sturdy poles and tree branches.
Identifying where the hanging mounts need to be installed to create your ideal lighting requires a keen eye for detail.
And if you’re using string lighting for your backyard, it’s important to ensure you:
- properly measure the area.
- purchase and install sturdy poles.
- have enough lights to cover the desired space.
Because string lights are so popular, there are a lot of brands that aren’t reliable enough to hang outdoors. It takes quite a bit of time to set up, and you don’t want to have to do it all over again two weeks later because the lights broke.
That’s why we recommend buying commercial-grade string lights for your outdoor lighting. Combined with a set of LED lights, you’ll have outdoor lighting setup durable enough to last several summers.
If you need help installing your outdoor lighting, contact us and we’d be happy to help.
2. Install Outdoor Wall Lighting for Subtle Style
If you’re looking for a more minimalist style, outdoor wall lights provide style and ambience without drawing attention to themselves. They allow you to relax on your porch at night and provide security while you sleep. Installed properly, an outdoor wall light can be the perfect addition to your area.
Installing wall lighting requires renovations to be made to the exterior of your house. You’ll need to supply power and install a switch indoors. This is done by cutting your outside wall and filling the opening with a cable box to control all the wires and fixtures.
We recommend hiring an electrician to help with the installation process. That way, your wall light will be installed securely and the electrician can ensure the cables and power supply are safely organized.
3. Light Your Outdoor Structures for Social Evenings
If you have a large yard, you might have built an outdoor area separate from your house to entertain and relax in. Whether it’s a canoby, gazebo, or other kind of outdoor structure, one of the best ways to light it is to combine different lighting styles to create an environment unique to your area.
Typically, you’ll use a combination of string lighting for the outside, wall lights on the pillars, and ceiling lights on the inside.
Amber LED lights are the perfect solution. They produce a soft, well-lit area, last long enough to not need replacing, and their low temperature helps keep your area from getting uncomfortable on warm summer evenings.
Mixing multiple lighting styles requires electrical know-how to install properly. If you need any help, don’t hesitate to reach out.
4. Consider Landscape Lighting for Better Visibility
Installing landscape lighting around trees, bushes, or gardens both improves visibility and adds a dash of style and ambiance when it gets dark outside.
There are three main kinds of landscape lighting you can purchase for your outdoor area:
- Low-Voltage Landscape Lights: 12-volt, energy efficient lighting (LEDs fall into this category).
- Solar Landscape Lights: Don’t require any wiring, but must be installed in areas that receive sun most of the day. Will turn on at night.
- Line-Voltage Lights: Much higher voltage than the other options. Requires conduits and an electrical box to install, which needs to be hardwired to your main electrical system.
Which one you choose depends on how you intend to use your lights.
For example, if you want to place them against walls or trees to bounce the light, line-voltage lights provide the power you’re looking for. But if you want pool lights to illuminate pathways or bushes, solar lights or low-voltage lights will suit you perfectly.
Key Takeaways
With so many ways to light your outdoor area and turn it into a cozy place to hang out, the final decision depends on your personal taste.
Quality lighting installed by professionals can turn your outdoor area into a place you never want to leave, especially on summer nights.