Five Down Light Ideas For Landscape Lighting
Before we look at how downlighting can be applied in outdoor settings, it is vital that we first define what down lighting is and how it looks like.
What is downlighting? Downlighting is when fixtures are mounted in elevated locations and aimed downwards so that the light they emit illuminates a target down below. These lighting fixtures can be installed in various places including a home’s soffit, a metal pole or even a tree limb – basically anything that provides an elevated position where a fixture can be perched.
1. Patio
Outdoor living spaces including patios are a great place to enjoy the effects downlighting has to offer. Downlighting offers a functional light for both the social and tranquil situations that often take place on a patio.
Soft lighting does not overwhelm or distract you, which makes it ideal for patio spaces. The key thing when it comes to beautiful lighting is subtleness – as they say, less is more.
2. Pond
Whether it is the cool temperature water features lend to the night air in summer or the soft babbling of splashing water, ponds have a way of bringing tranquility to the outdoor experience. Extending their effects into the evening could be as simple as simply highlighting your pond with the right lighting.
Downlighting a pond creates an overall calmness and a sense of character to something that would otherwise be a dark space.
The great thing about water is that it creates lots of reflections; a defined glow will emanate from a pond when it’s properly downlit. The reflection created is great since it is a two for one. Reflection tends to give everything it touches more definition – light and shadow dances and sparkling ripples from the moving water create a dramatic scene depending on the contrast between shadow and light.
3. Statuary
According to this lighting designer’s opinion, statuary lighting should be applied from above when and if possible. Lighting statues from below often create a shadow that looks unnatural.
When statues are lit from above, a more natural-looking effect is created. The shadows lie as they should while the statue is put in the best lighting.
To effectively light a statue, you will need an eye for what looks most natural; and the most natural-looking statue lighting will often leave a great impression on viewers.
4. Path
When it comes to safety lighting, pathways, curbs and other areas with lots of foot traffic like steps need to be properly illuminated. Downlighting paths can help travelers see where they’re going and how they can get from point A to point B safely.
Downlighting from a tree or several trees can create beauty in the way the tree’s branches and leaves stretch their shadows across the pathway. The natural looking effect of this approach will add real charm to the places that’d otherwise be dark.
5. Security
Security lighting is essential for one main reason – ensuring a property’s safety at night. The great thing about landscape lighting is that you can achieve security lighting without having to sacrifice ambiance or beauty.
While setting up a giant floodlight on top of a 40-foot metal pole could provide ample security lighting, who wants their property looking like a well-lit prison yard when night falls?
If you would like to discover more tips and tricks from Robert Huff Illuminations; visit our blog. Call or contact us today for more information!