Classic lighting design is about identifying and blending four core lighting groups: ambient, accent, decorative and task lighting. And when it comes to the outdoor lighting very much the same principles to create successful interior lighting apply; but before we examine these further, there are a few key differences to take note of.
First there are significant differences in scale. Inside rooms have walls and ceilings that define their extent and they are actually quite compact when set against even the smallest garden. Outside the ceiling is literally sky high and such boundaries as there are tend to be quite low and pretty much disappear altogether at night.
This presents a number of problems and benefits where garden lighting design is concerned. Indoors, much of the light gets reflected from the ceiling and walls which simply increases the level of ambient light in the room. Outdoors however, light simply vanishes into space which creates a strong contrast with nearby areas and causes them to appear even more dark.
This shortfall in secondary ambient light does mean that many normal interior lighting techniques aren't suitable outdoors. However there are some advantages since the high contrast darkness can be used to develop unusual effects and even to create a night garden that is seemingly unrelated to its daytime twin simply by playing up some features and playing down others.
There is also the matter of how you plan on using your outdoor spaces. A classic garden design theory is that you should regard your garden as an additional room (or set of rooms) and design accordingly, lighting included.
You almost certainly employ different lighting arrangements for various rooms based on their intended use, so bedroom lighting would be quite distinct from kitchen lighting for example. So if you planned on using your deck as a place to entertain then it would be prudent to install lighting suitable for that purpose. Likewise, you would (presumably) use quite different lighting for a pathway or to illuminate say a water feature - different purpose.
Which brings us finally back to the four primary lighting categories and their use outside.
Whereas ambient light is used indoors as a foundation for the other lighting types, outside it is difficult to use it this way due to the lack of reflective surfaces and so ambient light tends to be deployed as a lighting form in its own right. Ambient light in a garden is often used simply to create a pleasant indistinct background glow and solar powered garden lights are ideal for this application.
Accent lighting is simply the art of picking out and/or enhancing those features you wish to emphasize at night. It can be used to accentuate color or detailing and also to lead the eye. Most garden accent lighting uses spotlights and these days predominantly LED spots since they deliver much more crisp and vibrant light and can also "get in close" since they don't output any heat.
Decorative lighting performs a similar function in that it is intended to look attractive and catch the eye, with the difference that the light fitting itself is the focal point. Once again LED garden lights are now used quite heavily for decorative effects.
Outdoor task lighting is generally less to do with providing light sufficient for reading and so on and more concerned with enabling people to see where they're going. It's found in path lighting or set into a deck and around BBQ areas.
The key to effective garden lighting is the same as with interior lighting design, which is to combine all four of the basic lighting types (it also helps if you can arrange to be able to operate task lighting separately). Like indoor lighting, reliance on just ambient light will result in a drab and indistinct look, while using only accent lighting is likely to come across as harsh and over dramatic, and if you over rely on decorative lighting it will almost certainly come across as disconnected and frankly cheesy.
The easiest way to guarantee a suitable blend of outdoor lighting types is to purchase assorted types of light fitting. For example a variety of spot lights with differing beam angles and intensities plus a range of lanterns and bollards. Add some coloured lights to the mix and be sure to install both low voltage mains as well as solar powered lights. These days the best examples of both in fact use LED lights and they work very well together.
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