How to Create A Warm, Safe & Inviting Outdoor Space

Interior designer Albert Hadley once famously said, “Design is defined by light and shade, and appropriate lighting is enormously important.” While he said this about the inside of a home, this is as true for your outdoor living spaces as it is indoors. Good lighting isn’t only about setting the mood, installing the right lighting makes your outdoor spaces safer and more usable after the sun has set.

Planning your outdoor lighting design is about more than simply picking out matching porch lights, it’s about creating a cohesive plan that compliments your home’s design and architecture and supports all of those evenings outside cooking, talking, or just simply enjoying time under the stars. The return on investment on outdoor lighting makes it a good investment, as well, because the average homeowner recoups 50% of the investment they make in their outdoor lighting.

If you are ready to begin planning your outdoor lighting, here are there of the most important and common outdoor lighting types you need to consider:

TASK

Especially important for areas like outdoor kitchens and outdoor pizza ovens, installing bright, clear lighting in your cooking area allows you to prep and cook items after the sun has set, making your outdoor kitchen a much more usable space year-round.

AREA

Ambient lighting around commonly used seating areas is important. If it’s too bright, it feels more like an interrogation than a conversation, make it too dark and you can’t see the people around you. The right balance of indirect lighting, such as deck caps and strings of garden lights strike the right balance of comfort and safety and make your outdoor areas an inviting place. For some extra whimsy and fun, we recommend looking at fairy lights for trees or hanging lanterns between trees and seating areas.

ACCENT

Whether it’s lighting a particularly grand piece of architecture or a pair of lights giving a wash of color to parts of your home that aren’t illuminated otherwise, not only serving to boost curb appeal, outdoor lighting can also work as a safety feature. Wayfinding lights along pathways and low level spotlights in garden features can help people navigate your yard while entertaining and bring attention to parts of your landscaping that would otherwise be difficult to see after dusk.

Outdoor lighting is an essential, but sometimes overlooked part of a well designed landscape and outdoor living space. You don’t need to wait until a special event to get some fun, whimsical and inviting light in your landscaping. Contact one of Frisella’s outdoor lighting specialists to find out how you can start seeing all the benefits of having high-quality, beautifully designed lighting outdoors.