How to Create a Beautiful Outdoor Space with Lighting

The exterior of your home can be just as beautiful as the inside, it’s an important part of your home and it deserves the same attention. Your outdoor space should have a comfortable, cozy, and welcoming feeling like the rest of the house. One of the best ways to elevate your outdoor space is by adding lighting that complements the rest of the house. Lighting has the power to set the mood and tone of your home, bringing life to your yard after the sun sets. 

Using soft and beautiful lighting around your patio or seating area can create a subtle and welcoming space. One aspect of lighting that tends to be overlooked is color temperature for outdoor bulbs. When picking out bulbs for your outdoor fixtures most people tend to stick to softer colors. 2700K has a warm glow to it that brings soft shadows, warmer temperatures, and cozy vibes to the outdoor atmosphere.

Lighting can create dimension in your space, the best way to accomplish this is by highlighting key features like trees, plants, and pathways. Lighting Design sells a variety of pathway lighting and other dynamic outdoor lighting fixtures such as this LED Pathway Light from Hinkley or this LED linear pathway light from WAC. Spotlights are another type of outdoor light that add dimension to the exterior of your home. A spotlight highlights or places emphasis on features of your yard without casting light anywhere else. Spotlights are typically used to highlight the best aspects of your yard such as trees, water features, or even a sports court. You can find spotlight options here on our website!

Another perfect way to set the mood of your outdoor space is using string lights! This type of moody lighting provides a good finishing touch to your space and creates a fun intimate ambiance, fun string lights are always a crowd pleaser. These lights are easy to hang and can be hung from trees, under a patio or covered deck, from the fence, or even winding up posts in your yard. These lights can be found on our website here by Elegant lighting.

Lighting also adds functionality to an outdoor area, an exterior fan with a light can brighten up any space at night and is perfect to keep it cool during the day. A fan is a great choice because it helps circulate air, reduce heat and reduce humidity. It is there as a decorative element but it also has a functional purpose. It's important to remember when choosing a fan that it needs to be designed for the elements, usually they come wet rated. Some of our favorites here at Lighting Design are the Artiste by Hinkley or the Vail by Hinkley. Read our Five things to Know Before Purchasing an Outdoor Fan blog for more info.

It can be easy to get carried away with outdoor lighting but it is important to remember you are trying to create dimension in the space, not overlight your backyard. Keep in mind the comfortable mood you are trying to set for the area and to highlight the most appealing aspects of your space.

Great lighting can make your space inviting after dusk and can serve as a focal point after sunset ultimately transforming the look of your home.