Every landscape deserves to reach its full potential of beauty. However, we are not just talking about daytime beauty: Also consider the impact of strategic outdoor lighting techniques that could make your West Bloomfield Township, MI, landscape “shine” at night. Here are some outdoor lighting ideas for putting your beautiful landscaping in the spotlight, so to speak.
Related: Safe and Secure: 4 Reasons to Revisit Your Outdoor Lighting in West Bloomfield Township and Troy, MI
Make Walking Around at Night More Pleasant
Your landscape can retain its beauty at night when outdoor lighting is prioritized for primary waking areas, such as the walkways, the patio, the pool deck, and the driveway.
The best way to light your walking spaces could involve focusing the lights close to the ground. The shorter distance from the light source to the walking surface can require using much less energy than overhead lights. This can also virtually prevent the creation of shadows that are unavoidable by using lights mounted high on the home.
For example, the old-school floodlight is known for harshly illuminating a landscape while blinding anyone walking toward it, and causing deep shadows when walking away from it.
Placing lights below knee-height to illuminate walking surfaces is not only more practical, it could be more aesthetically pleasing.
If your landscape design calls for it, you could incorporate these outdoor light fixtures in masonry structures or plantings. This can disguise the sources of light and declutter your landscape for a chic and well-executed aesthetic.
Work with Fire
The fire features of your landscape can be not only essential for creating warmth and community, but they could also create a substantial amount of ambient light as well. Fire pits, fire tables, and outdoor fireplaces are sources of light that create a welcoming atmosphere.
The light from fire features is pleasing, but you may also need to consider how to illuminate the spaces when the fire isn’t lit. This can be in the form of subtle walkway lights that surround the patio yet don’t compete with the firelight. Or you may want to consider fixtures such as bullet lights that would highlight the structure of the fire feature.
Work with Water
Any water feature you have in your landscape, whether it’s a water fountain, waterfall, reflecting pool, or even your inground swimming pool, are an opportunity to add light to your landscape while taking advantage of the refractive properties of water. The slightest ripple on the surface of the water can turn the wash of light into a dancing backdrop. Lights can be installed underwater or above the water for different effects.
Create Layers of Light
To prevent an overly harsh contrast between a well-lit patio and the surrounding landscape—without ruining the magical feeling of a nighttime landscape—a layered effect could be deployed.
Increasing depth perception in landscape lighting is done with the combination of multiple lighting strategies rather than relying on just one lighting technique. However, keep in mind that less is more: Use just a few light fixtures and relatively low light intensity to maintain a beautiful night time atmosphere.
For example, spotlights could turn some of your favorite landscape features into dazzling nighttime focal points. Backsplashing could make use of a blank wall to bounce light outward over the landscape. Consider the use of moonlighting to take advantage of light from the tops of trees, letting it wash downward in gorgeous white light. And think about whether you would like a few solar-powered walkway lights that are placed in “random” spots throughout the landscape to create visual depth.
Related: 5 Ways Landscape Lighting Can Enhance a Patio Renovation in Rochester Hills and Sterling Heights, MI
