A common misconception about outdoor landscape lighting is that it’s pretty easy to do. Just stick some lights into the ground, turn them on, and the result is a magical outdoor night time environment. In reality, it takes a lot of thoughtful planning, work, and creativity to pull it all off seamlessly. An essential technique to creating a stunning lighting design is to layer the lights.
This week’s blog post will uncover what layered lighting is, why layered lighting is a popular lighting technique, and offer some tips to layering lighting to create stunning outdoor settings.
What is Layered Lighting?
Layered lighting is a lighting technique that combines three different types of lighting to create a balanced, harmonious, welcoming, and unique atmosphere. It transforms a bland or too sterilized outdoor environment to one that has depth, interest, and functionality.
There are three different types of lighting. Each of them serves a different purpose. But when they are combined, the result is a stunning outdoor setting.
Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting lights up the entire outdoor space. It sets the foundation for light layering. Ambient lighting provides enough light to see clearly without being overpowering. For a comfortable and inviting environment, choose ambient lighting that is soft and diffused. Ambient lighting can be achieved by adding overhead lights, wall lights, post lights, or string lights.
Task Lighting
Task lighting provides a more focused light in areas to better perform tasks. This type of lighting also tends to be brighter than other types of lighting. Whether for cooking, reading, or walking, task lighting provides enough illumination to accomplish the task safely and efficiently. Place task lighting directly overhead an area such as an outdoor kitchen or path lights along pathways. Install task lighting to ensure clear visibility, enhancing safety while performing and completing tasks.
Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is used to highlight the unique features of an outdoor space. Use accent lights to highlight trees or statues. Accent lighting draws attention to these features and allows for them to shine at night too. Up lights and well lights are popular light fixtures to use in accent lighting.
Incorporating these three types of lighting will create a cohesive, balanced, and well-lit environment.
5 Tips to Layering Lighting for Outdoor Settings
Layering lighting all depends on the outdoor space, its purpose, and the desired mood. The end results will vary, though each would be a stunning setting. Use these tips for layering outdoor lighting to make a stunning and personalized oasis:
- Know the Space: Take note of unique or key elements of the space and consider how lighting will make them pop at night. For example, if there is a flagpole, consider lighting it up with up lights. If there is an outdoor deck or stairs, use deck lights to not only provide some ambiance, but guide people safely through the space at night.
- Keep in Color Temperature in mind: The color of the light will affect the mood. Use warmer light to make a space inviting and cooler light to make accomplishing tasks easier.
- Don’t be too Bright: Having really bright lights can cause discomfort, glare, and light trespass. Evenly distribute light to dark spots and overly bright areas. A balance between light and dark areas can create a natural and welcoming environment.
- Use Different Types of Lighting: Incorporating different light fixtures such as up lights to highlight trees, string lights to create a cozy mood, and adding path lights to nearby walkways is a great way to add visual interest and variety to an outdoor space.
- Don’t be Afraid: Experiment with different lighting and their effects to create a one-of-a kind outdoor space suited to specific needs and moods. String lights, lit up fountains, and well lights showcasing the architectural features of the outdoor space adds personality and charm.
Get the Lights at LightCh8in
Outdoor lighting is much more than just simply providing illumination at night. The best outdoor landscape lighting design will incorporate multiple layers to not only provide light, but to create a mood, allow for completion of tasks, or highlight the key features of the outdoor space.
Sign up or log into your LightCh8in account now to shop everything you need for outdoor landscape lighting. We’ve got all the outdoor landscape light fixtures, accessories, cables, and bulbs to create a layered lighting design that will surely enhance any outdoor space.