Stylish backyard lighting ideas are the key to good garden design.Do it right and it will enhance your space like anything else
Good backyard lighting ideas can transform your yard and maximize its potential as an extra space to enjoy at night.The right lighting can accentuate focal points like plantings and help demarcate different areas for relaxing, cooking outdoors, or partying and drinking.
Discreet uplights can be used to enhance plants and trees for added drama as their shapes take on an architectural quality when embossed.The same goes for garden art or sculptural pieces, which can be a key focal point in a garden at night if you use the right lighting to draw attention.
If you’re using recessed lighting to give your backyard idea an interior feel, you can also create a relaxing ambience, which is perfect for defining a welcoming space when you’re entertaining friends.Good lighting also has a practical element as it can be used to illuminate paths and frame entrances.
Browse our professional backyard lighting ideas to help you create a brightly lit night garden that’s a true design feature.
“Our backyards are now more used for socializing and entertaining, so there is a growing focus on how they transform after dusk. Incorporating a lighting scheme into your design can bring a new vibe to your garden—and of course it’s practical too ,” explains John Wyer, CEO of garden designer Bowles & Wyer.
With so many backyard lighting ideas to choose from, when planning how to beautify your backyard, keep in mind the look you want to create and the purpose of your choice.This could be to accentuate a path, create a focal point, such as enhancing plants or garden art, demarcate a space, such as a recreation area, or guide you down some steps or down a path.
“Smart but discreet backyard lighting can add more dimension and drama to your garden,” says garden designer Charlotte Rowe.”It helps extend the life of the garden, creating an atmospheric space or outdoor room even after dark.”
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No matter what you hope to achieve, that’s for sure – every backyard needs good lighting to help you get the most out of your space at night.So why not create an impressive array of focal points and help define your space with our selection of stunning backyard lighting ideas?
This stunning modern space is perfect for anyone looking for sloping backyard ideas.It has a sleek modern water feature, raised dining deck and smart planting, all thanks to discreet lighting once the daylight starts to subside.Make sure your backyard lighting idea includes a built-in timer to add an automatic vibe at dusk.It’s a small detail that makes a big difference.
“This garden design shows how important it is to have lighting even when it’s not too dark,” says garden designer Charlotte Rowe.’There are lights in the water feature to play with the movement in the water, highlighting the stepping stones.Hedges and trees in the lower garden are also lit with spiked points for added drama.
Stunning backyard lighting adds another dimension to this sunken garden, creating an inviting entertaining space that helps the garden come alive at night.The lighting scheme, designed by John Cullen Creative Director Sally Storey, combines inside and out, picking out key features throughout the space to enhance the overall effect.
The path to the outdoor seating area and kitchen is illuminated by floor lamps that guide you through the space.Spiked spotlights accentuate the architectural nature of the trees and sculptures to softly illuminate the surrounding area.A subtle glow is created beneath the seating area, adding another interesting dimension.
The most flexible solution for backyard lighting is often to use spike lights that are repositioned as the seasons change to ensure you highlight the best possible effect.This design shows how lighting can be used in this way to bring a space together, and it’s full of backyard lighting ideas you can steal.
Using a combination of decorative lighting effects always produces the best results.For example, accent lighting lets you create drama to enhance a sculpture at the end of a path, while a recessed light in the gravel enhances the sharp silhouette of a row of wrinkled trees.
The flat-topped parasol plane trees along this avenue are illuminated, the light grazing softly over their trunks.This directs your eye to the focal urn at the end of the avenue,” says garden designer Charlotte Rowe. “Intense ambient lighting also enhances the large timber arbor on the right.”
Illuminating an overhead tree canopy like this one is always magical too, giving it an enchanting feel that’s perfect for enhancing a small backyard space.
‘Well-placed backyard lighting can effectively divide your space.It creates small intimate areas snuggled up among the foliage, almost like beads on a necklace,” says garden designer John Wyle. “The best way to do this is to think about purpose – dining, relaxation, water features.Or you can even give new life to the winding paths by adding subtle spotlights.
Lighting can also add a completely different vibe to your backyard and should be used to accentuate the forms and textures you create in your garden design.In larger backyards, it can be used to add a sense of mystery.Where does the labyrinth illuminated by the downlight lead?What is that stunning spotlight tree in the distance that needs to be seen up close?
Lighting is also your best friend when throwing a party for your backyard.Nothing complements a scene like an outdoor space illuminated by glowing lights.
Inspiring and innovative lighting can be used on existing buildings, such as the walls of this enclosed courtyard, showing that no matter how small your garden is, it can be turned into an exceptionally bright space.
‘The long ditch has spotlights under each wooden pontoon that crosses the water, and an upward light at the end for spraying water.This helps move your eye from the water feature to the final wall,” says garden designer Charlotte Rowe. This gives the impression that the space is larger than it actually is.
“We also lit the multi-stemmed Amelanchier trees and the ruffled hornbeams at the end of the garden, and the light swept through the old brick walls around the garden,” added Charlotte.The results show that clever backyard lighting ideas that focus on small details can be transformative.
Mixed indoor and outdoor entertaining areas are great for creating a relaxed atmosphere, like this sheltered courtyard space by Osada Design and John Cullen Lighting.This is the place to really get away from city life.
As night falls, a sophisticated lighting system adds drama, illuminating the flow of trees and water, highlighting the plants in pots as well as the main architecture of the building, while creating magical shadows, creating a space that can be seen in the Enjoy space day any time.
This is a unique backyard that uses planting, water and lighting to add drama, turning a small area into a special place for entertaining.
With the development of recreational pools, this pool has to be at the top of our wish list.Who wouldn’t want to hit the magical lighted path and slip into a whirlpool spa to relieve the stress of the day?We love its retreat-like feel, which is enhanced by adding lanterns and candles around the edges.
“This spa has a light inside to give it form, but it also has bright pear trees around it,” says garden designer Charlotte Rowe.”We’ve also been recommending the use of natural light in the form of lanterns and night lights in addition to electric lights.”
When it comes to backyard lighting ideas, don’t forget battery powered flameless candles, as they are one of the easiest and best backyard ideas for creating the right mood on a budget.You can set timers on them so that they also start automatically at dusk.
Discreet backyard lighting ideas can be used to create a warm atmosphere for evening gardens.Trees have architectural qualities when illuminated from below, with angled upward illuminators enhancing the shape of the leaves and the structure of the trunk and branches.This will also add to the drama that can be enjoyed inside the house.
Choose uplights embedded in the ground.Alternatively, set up lights on movable spikes to illuminate the trunk and branches of specimen trees as they move according to mood and season.When a tree has its moment, simply switch focus to another tree by shifting the light.
Illuminated pool ideas are perfect for a night dip and add a Hamptons-esque vibe at dusk if you’re entertaining in the garden.What could be more enchanting than a well-lit pool?
In this design by John Cullen Lighting, the poolside trees are also spotlighted to emphasize their architectural qualities, while upward-facing luminaires are used on the house to add a warm glow.
In the distance, a combination of peaking floodlights and spotlights enhances the perimeter planting, helping to bring the entire look together seamlessly.
Using soft sandstone paving and steps, this small split-level garden looks spectacular bathed in warm light at night.”Lighting was a very important part of this backyard because it gave a new dimension and feel to the space,” explains landscape architect Stefano Marinaz.
For this project, there are three different lighting channels, one for the trees, one for the steps and benches, and a third for recessed lights at the back of the yard, so that the client can independently control the on/off they want.Another set of lights.
“The LED lights used for this project consist of a series of recessed spotlights that follow the steps from the ground floor to the ground floor of the garden,” explains Stefano.’We installed a spiking LED light under each multi-stemmed Amelanchier tree.
‘Under the limestone solid block seat we have a recessed channel for the LED strip.At the end of the garden we used some small recessed lights to wash the wood cladding.
Check out backyard lighting ideas on different levels for spectacular results to achieve a similar effect to this space.
To brighten your backyard, start by determining the look you want to achieve and which areas need special attention when it comes to lighting.Choose the focal point you want to stand out, whether it’s a tree, entryway, pergola or water feature.
Create a plan to determine the needs of each area, then discuss your ideas with an electrician.Unless you’re using solar lights, you’ll need power, which means outdoor sockets and switches and armored cables for safety.This requires professional installation.
LED lights are energy efficient and are now available in a wide range of options.Consider solar lighting if your garden is full of sunlight, but keep in mind that it’s not a good option in winter.Avoid flooding the garden with light as it will look too harsh and you will not get the most effective ambient light.
Garden lighting has been revolutionized with improved LEDs, which are energy efficient and one of the safest options for the outdoors, eliminating the need for cables and power.
Look for warm white LED bulbs that can clip onto outdoor structures like a fence or pergola, so you can free up more space at night by creating a more intimate setting.If you want an easy option to brighten a larger party space, opt for an interconnected set.To set the mood, also consider using flameless electric candles or real candles in hurricane lights.With the exception of solar lighting and candles, all other garden lights need to be connected to a power source.Solar lights can be used on edge paths and patios and enhance planting.Some are also suitable for use as spotlights.They are most effective in open areas with sufficient sunlight, and naturally they do not perform as well in winter.
There is now a huge selection of LED lights for backyard lighting ideas, including a range of quality lights that can last up to 20 years.
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Post time: Feb-15-2022
