Backyard Lighting Ideas for Memorable Evenings Outdoors
Some nights are made for being outdoors… dining, entertaining, or just chatting with a glass of wine or sweet tea under the stars. On nights like this, make sure your backyard is lit up for the occasion. Outdoor lighting is necessary for safety and security, but with string lights twinkling in the trees, lanterns lighting the way, and more you can also make it beautiful. We’ve put together some of our favorite tips and ideas so you can plan like a pro.
Layering Outdoor Lighting
Just as you would indoors, it’s wise to plan your backyard lighting scheme in terms of layers: ambient, task, and accent lighting.
Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting is general lighting for overall visibility, and a series of unique post lights is a simple place to start. To choose the right style, coordinate light posts with the architectural style of your home. For a more traditional vibe, look for a post light that harkens back to Old World streetlamps; for more contemporary, check out modern, industrial-inspired light posts.
Another excellent (and simple-to-install) option is a lantern. Hanging lanterns or wall lanterns can be hung from a porch ceiling or pergola to give sufficient lighting for entertaining or curling up with a book. String lights are even easier to set up, with a wide range of bulb sizes and colors that will bring a touch of playfulness when mounted along patio railings, hung from trees, or strung across your backyard.
Task Lighting
Task lighting gives sufficient brightness for specific activities like walking, outdoor cooking, or reading. If you have an outdoor kitchen, ensure that you have enough light to cook by with pendant lights, which come in so many styles and finishes that you’re sure to find one with the look you want. Path lights are small lights designed to be placed along walkways, to keep family and friends from stumbling in the dark. Because their beams point down toward the ground, they will not add light pollution that might detract from your ability to see the night sky.
Accent Lighting
Accent lighting serves a decorative function, by highlighting features that you want to emphasize, whether it be an architectural detail on your house, a particular tree or plant, or a section of your garden bed. Lanterns work wonderfully as accent lights, as do small spotlights that you can direct anywhere you want to draw attention.
Backyard Entertaining
To help you plan your lighting scheme, let’s look at some common areas in the backyard.
Patios and Decks
Stay out your patio or deck as the evening grows darker, with thoughtfully placed lighting fixtures. Pendant lights, lanterns, and string lights are all good choices, and can even be installed on dimmer switches so you can adjust the lighting to set the right mood for the occasion. If you’re looking to add a touch of elegance, you can install lovely wall sconces on your deck (just make sure that they are rated for outdoor use).
Outdoor Dining Area
For al fresco dining, why not go with an outdoor chandelier? Fixed to your porch ceiling, it is sure to be a conversation piece as well as bringing enough brightness for any activity. If you want fixtures that are a bit more understated yet still highly functional, hang pendant lights over the outdoor dining table.
Fire Pits
The warm, crackling light of a fire pit is a wonderful addition to your backyard – but unless you have a bonfire, a fire pit on its own will typically not generate enough brightness to illuminate the area. Add recessed ground lights around the perimeter to highlight it as a feature and also keep guests from tripping and falling, or place a post light with a softly glowing lantern to one side
Functional Lighting for Backyards
Pathways and Walkways
Pathways and walkways are another place that you want people to keep their footing after the sun goes down. Path lights will do the trick: you can either choose ones that are hard wired into your home’s electrical system or select solar stake lights, which charge by day and automatically switch on after dusk. If you’re looking for something more substantial, bollard lights are short posts with integrated lanterns that offer a timeless look.
Steps and Stairs
Install subtle but effective step lights into the risers of stairs to help people keep their footing, as well under hand railings or in post caps, to shine downward onto the steps.
Garages and Sheds
Floodlights will bring peace of mind by adding extra security in what might otherwise be dark and shadowy corners of your backyard. If you want to save some money on your electric bill, then choose a floodlight with a motion sensor.
Outdoor Kitchens
Whether you’re slicing up vegetables or prepping a steak for the grill, ensure that you can see clearly in an outdoor kitchen. Start out with pendant lights over an outdoor kitchen island, then add task lighting such as under-cabinet strip lights to ensure safety and efficiency.
Garden Features
Flower Beds
A lush or stately garden is meant to be enjoyed, and not only during the daylight hours! Strategically place path lights or solar stake lights throughout your beds to create pools of light – which will bring more visual interest than one continuous field of brightness.
Trees and Shrubs
Light up a magnificent tree or shrub with outdoor floodlights by placing them on the ground near the base and pointing them upward into the branches (a technique known as uplighting). As you’re adjusting the angle of the floodlights, be sure that they illuminate the tree’s trunk as well as the branches, to create a unified effect.
Water Features
Whether you’re going for a night swim or just appreciating the beauty of a pond or fountain, lighting your water features will enhance their visual appeal. Spotlights, lanterns, or solar stake lights are all excellent choices; the light they cast will shimmer on the surface. You can even install submersible lights into the walls of a pool or artificial pond, to light the water from within.
Architectural Lighting
Don’t forget to light the exterior of your home. It’s the most valuable feature of your property, and the right lighting can really showcase it from the backyard. Do this by setting spotlights near the base of the wall facing the backyard and angling them upward. This will reduce dark spots, while also emphasizing the texture of a stone or brick exterior. If your back porch has columns or archways, you can also uplight these to create a dramatic look.
Other Backyard Lighting Tips and Techniques
Weather-Resistant Fixtures
Whatever your goals for your backyard lighting, double check that any fixtures you buy are rated for outdoor use. The extra durability of these lights will help them weather storms all year long.
Light Bulb Temperature Considerations
Once you’ve selected your fixtures, it’s time to consider bulbs, which come in a variety of temperatures measured in Kelvins. Those with low Kelvins (around 2,000 - 3,000) give off a soft warm white glow that will provide plenty of light for outdoor use, although you might want brighter bulbs for task lighting in areas such as outdoor kitchens.
Energy-Efficient Bulbs
We recommend choosing LED bulbs, because they will help you save money on electricity and can last for up to a decade without needing to be replaced. And if you install them on dimmer switches – whether they be string lights, pendants, lanterns, or other fixtures – then you can adjust their brightness up or down at will.
Let’s Make Your Backyard Shine, Together
At Visual Comfort, we have an incredibly wide variety of outdoor fixtures designed to brighten your backyard. Visit visualcomfort.com to find the lights that will extend your enjoyment well into the wee hours.
FAQ
What’s the best way to light your backyard?
Solar lights are super easy to install, as they can be placed into the ground where you want them straight out of the box, with no electrical expertise required. Pathway lights require an electrician, but will work beautifully even after a cloudy day. Post lights and lanterns are also ideal for backyard use.
What are the best bulbs for the backyard?
LED bulbs are the most energy efficient choice and have a long life. They also stay cool to the touch so they’re safe around your garden, pets, and kids. Almost any kind of fixture manufactured today can be used with LED bulbs, from chandeliers to pendants, string lights to submersibles.