There are many innovative and trendy outdoor lighting designs available to homeowners. With unique options available, outdoor lighting design can transform the nighttime ambiance of your outdoor space. As we discussed in a previous blog post, landscape lighting has a whole host of benefits, including increasing safety around your home. Let’s explore some innovative outdoor lighting designs and solutions.
Architectural and Landscape Lighting
Architectural lighting is used to highlight a structure. It can accentuate the features of your home’s facade, using light to provide visual depth.
Landscape lighting, similarly, is designed to highlight features of outdoor spaces, such as gardens, water features, and pathways.
Architectural and landscape lighting can greatly enhance your property’s curb appeal and attractiveness when visible at nighttime.
Innovative designs for architectural and landscape lighting ensure that all the lighting is integrated and pairs well together, creating a positive overall effect.
Proper lighting around your property can transform it from uninspired to stunning, maintaining its curb appeal at all hours of the day.
Adding architectural and landscape lighting is one of our top suggestions for making your front yard more inviting.
Smart and Energy Efficient Outdoor Lighting
Smart Outdoor Lighting
Recent technology makes outdoor lighting easy to manage, with features such as automatic timers and fixtures that can be controlled with a mobile app.
Outdoor lighting can also be integrated with an existing smart home system, providing you with additional safety features.
Energy-Efficient Lighting
Energy-efficient outdoor lighting is a great option for homeowners looking for easy, low-maintenance lighting options. Many outdoor lighting models today use LED bulbs to provide greater longevity and brighter, clearer lighting. With LEDs, your outdoor lighting can be both efficient and eye-catching, as many models feature customizable colour settings. LED lights also produce less heat since they are more efficient, meaning they’re a great option for underwater lighting, too.
When choosing what types of lighting to install in your outdoor space, consider how often and for how long the lighting will be used. Incorporating energy-efficient lighting may be a more expensive option in the short term, but including them in your landscape design is a great long-term choice, thanks to their longevity.
Pond and Water Feature Lighting
Pond and Waterfall Lighting
A natural pond is a beautiful, tranquil feature in any outdoor space. When night falls, however, many of the distinct features that make a pond or waterfall stunning during the day become hidden. Adding strategically placed lighting can illuminate your pond and waterfall, making it impressive at any time of day.
Underwater lighting features can illuminate the characteristics of your pond while maintaining the appearance of natural, diffused light. Ponds, water features, and pondless waterfalls can all benefit from underwater lighting, which makes the water distinctly visible, even at night.
Water Feature Lighting
Similar to ponds and waterfalls, adding lighting to your water feature extends its visible beauty into the evening hours. For some water features, underwater lighting may be an option. For water features without built-in lighting capabilities, a simple landscape spotlight strategically placed nearby can accentuate the water feature’s unique design.
Customizable Lighting
String Lights
String lights, also known as festoon lights, are a versatile option for outdoor lighting design. Their soft light can create a beautiful ambiance in your outdoor space. String lights are a great DIY lighting option because they are easy to move, install, and store, making them a cost-effective option for homeowners. With no hardwiring required, homeowners can feel confident creating their own string lighting design in their space.
How to Create an Innovative Outdoor Lighting Design
To create an innovative, unique lighting design in your outdoor space, consider the key features you’d like to highlight. This could include architectural lighting to show off the structure of your home, spotlights to show large trees or underwater lighting in your pond area.
Different types of lighting can complement each other, helping your space appear organized and well-designed. Combining various lighting options can make your space more interesting and help you stay on budget by choosing cost-effective fixtures.
If you’re looking to DIY your lighting, consider using cost-effective options like string lighting or solar pathway lights. However, for more complex situations, such as pond or water feature lighting, it’s probably best to consult a landscape professional.
Ready to Create Your Dream Lighting Design?
By incorporating these innovative lighting ideas and trends, you can create a visually stunning, functional outdoor space that enhances your home’s curb appeal after dark. If you’re curious about how outdoor lighting can transform your space but aren’t sure where to start, reach out to us! We can create a stunning outdoor lighting design that will have you wanting to spend all your evenings outside.