Garden Lighting Trends 2020
How to light your garden, A step by step guide from our award winning lighting designer Fraser Besant.When you are designing your garden and looking for lighting ideas it is important to have a good idea of the layout and what you want to use the space for. Split the circuits down allowing you to enjoy the different spaces and create different moods. You can easily dim your outdoor lighting which is popular as the sunlight doesn't just disappear, as the evening draws in and the sun sets you can bring on your lighting gradually.
When I am working on a garden lighting design I always start at the house and work my way from there. Many homes now have open plan kitchens with sliding doors or bi-folds leading out into the garden. So the first place to consider a light is on the external wall. Either side of the doors. We supply a large range of wall lights but the up/down wall wash light is still my favourite. If you have a grey, white or anthracite frame on the door then try to match this up for continuity.
Next you want to think of the immediate area outside the house. Many people will have decking or tiling to form a terrace or seating area. This will then lead into the grass area of the garden. I like to enhance this by fitting some small walkover lights to project a wash of light around the perimeter. This looks great and helps separate the spaces. It is also a great way to light up steps.
Finally you want to consider the design of the new garden. Planters, flower beds and features. Lighting can be used to enhance these and build up the light levels. Take for example a feature bush or tree. You can easily fit a low level spike light to focus a beam of light behind this. Many people will use trees and plants to form a border to their garden. So run a selection of lights either side of the garden to afford an even spread of light. This is also good to show depth and width on a dark evening. Spike lights are also a good way to illuminate walkways and paths in the garden.
So the primary areas of your garden are now covered. You have lit the main house, the decking area and the perimeter. Next you want to start lighting each space. The BBQ, a pond or an outside bar area. Over the years I have created some amazing outdoor spaces with some very creative and inspired designs. Below I will detail some of my favourite lights for getting the best out of your garden.
To light your BBQ area you can use an LED tape or my preferred source of light is a simple wall mounted fully adjustable spotlight. This allows you to point the light exactly where you want it. We sell these from £23.99 and they work with LEDs.
Our famous bespoke festoon lighting sets. Made to measure. There are lots of applications where a festoon lighting set would be ideal. Lighting a pergola, an outdoor dinning table, a large tree. But the coolest use of our festoon has to be the outdoor home cinema. You can buy a cheap projector and screen online. All you need is a warm evening and a blanket and your set. Festoon lights are the perfect way to light your outdoor cinema in style. Just send us the measurements and we can make the set to size for you.
Wall wash ground lights. If you have natural stone walls and features in your garden bring them to life with some up-lights. We now have a brand new ground light with an adjustable beam. You can open the lens up and spread a wide beam of light or if you have a slim wall you can close the lens and pinch the light into a more focused beam.
If you have a pond or water feature it is also possible to light this. We offer a range of IP68 submersible LED lights that would enhance any garden pond.
Modern Garden lighting
If you want a more modern source of light, something fun and unusual then check out these statement opal round feature globe lights. Starting at only £84.99 each. They come in a variety of sizes.
We also have this set of warm white LED decking lights available for only £40.00 for a set of 10 including a driver. Ideal for low level mood lighting.
The finishing touches.
As I mentioned before we also have a great range of exterior products to ensure you get the best out of your garden. These include patio heaters, outdoor dimmer switches and a huge range of wiring accessories. This is all on display in the showroom and can be brought online now.
If you have any questions please email us sales@ablectrics.com
