Your backyard is your perfect oasis, your getaway from all the stresses of the world. You might have all the best features: a gorgeous pool, a beautiful outdoor kitchen, stunning greenscapes, fountains, waterfalls, and more. None of those things can have the full impact without proper outdoor lighting. Part of enhancing how you and your loved ones feel is by following and adopting various lighting design techniques when improving your backyard. Here’s a guide at creating a magical experience with the right outdoor lighting in Yorktown, Westchester County, NY.
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Say Goodbye to the Floodlight
One of the worst ways to illuminate an outdoor living space at night is by using the old-school approach: a floodlight. A single source of light from a high place does little to properly light space, uses a great deal of electricity, and creates an unattractive atmosphere. The high-energy light bulb showers a large area with too much light from one direction, casting black shadows and glaring in the eyes of anybody facing it.
The best way to light an outdoor living space is to use several different lighting strategies from many sources. This will both reduce energy use and have a much more practical effect in creating a magical experience.
Say Hello to LEDs
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are superior to light bulbs in many, but not all, uses. LEDs use far less energy than traditional light bulbs and are less prone to breakage and require replacement. LEDs are also smaller and can be used creatively in trickier places such as high in tree canopies and embedded in masonry features.
They can also be programmed to shine in different colors without the use of a filter. LEDs are more versatile than any other lighting technology. They can be used in a wide variety of applications to help illuminate the gorgeous features of a landscape like a waterfall, walkway, significant tree, or patio.
Great Lighting Techniques
Lights Down Low: One of the best ways to light for safety is to place light sources near the ground so the beams don’t have far to travel. This can also focus the energy and create a much more vivid visual texture. Low-lying lights can be placed in or under plants, within masonry walls, or in other landscape features.
Highlighting: Larger light bulbs can be used to illuminate a prominent landscape feature such as a gorgeous tree or a huge boulder. This strategy can help dramatize an outdoor living space and help add texture to the visual landscape.
String Lights: One of the best ways to improve a festive atmosphere is installing string lights between lamp posts, trees, or other tall landscape features. The lights enhance the party mood and help wash the space in a wonderful warm glow. Just like winter holiday lights, they can be selected with different colors.
Submersible Lighting: Any sort of backyard water feature should be illuminated at night. The water, whether it is sloshing down a cascade or gently rippling on the pool surface, will create a visual spectacle as the light refracts through water. Lights can be placed inside pools, fountains, and waterfalls to create the magical combination of light and water.
Silhouetting: This wonderful lighting strategy helps generate an animated effect. Silhouetting takes place when something is placed between a light source and a flat surface such as a wall. It’s the perfect opportunity to add drama while providing ambient light.
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