With summer not far away, you will be spending more time outdoors entertaining and playing with the kids, not to mention taking time out for yourself to bask in the sun’s rays. But what about once the sun has set and your surroundings turn pitch black? Just imagine the beauty and magic you could create with some outdoor lighting. Not only is outdoor lighting aesthetically pleasing but it serves other benefits including safety and security.
So, you have decided that you would like to invest in outdoor lighting, but you don’t know where to start. Don’t worry, we are going to walk you through the types of lighting available to you. Just remember that you don’t want to reproduce the colours and beauty of your garden as it appears during the day. Instead, you want to capture the contrasts, highlight interesting features and create shadows to bring to light a garden filled with mystery and intrigue.
Bondilights’ lighting architects and designers know just how to create that perfect look by playing with light elements and opening your spaces up to a world of possibilities. So, without further ado, let’s delve into the different types of outdoor lighting.
Light up the paths
Probably one of the most important spaces to illuminate is the path. Providing ease and safety for foot traffic, path lighting can create a stunning setting through your garden. Bear in mind that it’s important to position the LED lights in a way that delivers the best impact.
For LED path lighting we love LED bollards. Manufactured in three different sizes, our LED bollards are best placed in the garden beds or next to the pathway on either side. Not only will they create a nice wash across the path, but they will also enhance your plants and other features.
Light the flight of stairs
At the top of the safety list for outdoor lighting is the stairway. You want to make sure that no one stumbles down or even up the stairs at night. If you are lucky enough to have steps leading to your front entrance, you can really take advantage of stair lighting by illuminating your front door, surrounding trees and plants, and other features, while safely lighting up the steps.
For more modern angular aesthetics opt for the LED recessed wall light. If your outdoor design is more traditional, we would choose the LED deck circle light.
Shed light on the trees
Emphasise the shape and definition of your trees by placing uplights at the base of the trunks. And for that huge mature tree in the dark corner, why not put it at centre stage with a spotlight?
For the more orderly modern courtyards consider a row of spotlights to capitalise on the sharp angles and curves. There’s our LED garden spike light that comes in either cool or warm white. The spike can be bent to give you the best angle of light depending on the height of your trees.
The Piccolo 20 works like a charm when used as a spotlight row in smaller gardens or courtyards.
Spotlights in the limelight
If you have architectural features you would like to highlight, spotlights are the way forward. They are also great for illuminating potential danger areas such as the poolside. Just be careful not to throw too much light at the one spot because it will turn surrounding areas pitch black. The Piccolo 20 is perfect for lighting up these dark corners.
For that high powered spotlight opt for the LED garden spike light to showcase your favourite tree or big architectural feature.
Lighting comes together
Do you have a whole cluster of trees you would like to highlight? Instead of throwing a lot of light at a prize-winning tree, think about casting soft light at a group of trees, the poolside or seating area.
Cluster lighting works well when it is aimed at interesting features such as palms or large ferns. You can add depth to the scene by lighting the feature up from different angles.
Our LED garden spike light is the way to go for cluster lighting.
Highlight the light
It doesn’t always have to be about that architectural sculpture or old tree. A Bondilights’ LED light can be a feature all on its own. Break up a long wall or stretch of concrete with a feature light and think big while you’re at it.
Our LED bollard light is great for this purpose. It brings light to a large or long space and acts as a stunning feature all by itself.
Shade and shadow
Any lighting architect will tell you that it’s just as much about the shade and shadow as it is about the light. Backlighting delivers powerful imagery in a garden when sculpture features and geometrical lines are the subjects.
Installed on a wall, post or stairs, the LED cube up and down light is ideal if your aim is to showcase the colour and texture of a large sculpture or reclaimed brick wall.
Illuminate the poolside
Get the pool party atmosphere happening with sharp colours, bright lights and deep shadows. Not only can you achieve that mystical vibe to your pool area with lighting but more importantly you are creating a safe environment.
The LED cube up and down light is an excellent choice if you have walls or large posts near your pool. It will deliver your choice of warm or cool white light casted up and down the wall.
Throw light on water
Do you have a fountain or other water feature? Create drama between light and shadow by throwing light at it. Illuminating a water feature at night will create dimension and visual intrigue. The LED pivot light is perfect if you have a wall close to your water feature. As its name suggests, the pivot light is mounted on a swivel arm which gives you great aim.
Lasting words
With summer not too far away, it’s time to light up your outdoor life and think about contacting our lighting specialists at Bondilights Sydney to talk about how we can transform your night garden into one you won’t ever want to leave.