Gardens are another room for your house, they’re not just outdoor spaces any more. They’re function spaces, which need matching to their intended use, just like a dining room or a kitchen. And lighting is just as important outdoors as it is indoors.
Common Mistakes in Lighting
The human eye is always drawn to the brightest point in a room, so you need to be careful when it comes to glare. Think about the soft uplighting in art galleries, and apply this to your garden. Ensure you point lights away from general sight, and use glare cowls on your spotlights, and half shields on recessed uprights to reduce the amount of stray light.
One of the common mistakes people tend to practice in garden lighting is selecting and illuminating specific individual features such as a single tree. This mostly gives an impression of elements that are suspended oddly within the garden space. It might eventually end up making a disconnected impression. It’s much better if you place light along with the view so as to aid the eye to a specific focal point.
The highest cost incurred in garden lighting depends on the garden design in place. In most cases, when it comes to lighting, the smaller the garden the greater the cost incurred per m2. You should also have it in mind that the most visible parts of your garden regularly get the most finishes.
Moonlighting
Placing a spotlight in a tree so as to create speckled pools of light is a good way to light a path or terrace. Never light across a distance.
Colour Matching
Make sure all your LED light sources have an even colour temperature. Ensure you check the numbers since a certain colour can mean different things across manufacturers.
Hide Cables
It is always advisable that you contain your electric cables within a mesh-reinforced tubing. It’s to hide them, but to keep your guests safe too.
Cover Connections
This might t seem obvious, but make sure all of your electrics are sealed to a waterproof standard. This is different o normal sealing, because moisture can travel up cables from the smallest opening. Once it reaches the main circuit or the bulb, it’s lights out.
Create Contrast
When you’re lighting your garden steps, make sure you create an offset contrast. Again, this helps keep everybody safe, but it also creates a subtle effect that brings depth to your garden.
Eden Restored is a team of passionate garden designers working throughout London, Kent and Surrey.
We deliver value-for-money on projects of any size, from inner-city courtyards to countryside cottages.
To discuss your ideas and how we can help throughout the entire process, get in touch.