Patios play many roles. On hot days or during social gatherings, the patio becomes an extension of the kitchen, an outside dining area and place to entertain guests. An inviting and well-designed patio will enhance your yard and home year round. With appropriate lighting, you can ensure the patio will be inviting all through the night. Professional lighting designers such as those at Outdoor Lighting Perspectives will help you design and create the perfect outdoor patio lighting system.
Decide Where and What to Light
The last thing you want to do is degrade your beautiful patio with insufficient or poorly placed lighting. Consider where guests gather, where the barbecue goes, traffic patterns, and the types of activities when deciding what to light. Plan to light the perimeter of the patio to enhance safety.
Design Creatively
If designing a new patio, incorporate lighting into the design rather than add it as an afterthought.
Patio lighting should be soft and inviting. For most patios, it is a good idea to avoid blinding floodlights and opt for attractive and unique fixtures. Features like path lights, spotlights, and garden lighting provide light where it is needed. Avoid designs that interfere with night vision or disturb nighttime tranquility.
Remember the Garden
Gardens look sensational when illuminated at night. Most patio spaces are near a garden or flower beds. Trees, pottery, and water features are beautiful when enhanced with light at night. It makes the yard and patio feel alive, and highlights all the time and energy you have invested in your yard.
Balancing Function and Style
When designing and picking which light fixtures are best for the patio, choose function first, then style. There are so many lighting fixtures available that once you find the style that is most functional, you will be able to find a design that suits your taste and budgets. Generally, try to avoid lights that flood the area with brightness and opt for directional or soft, diffused lighting.
Bright outdoor path lighting is a feature particularly important to integrate to minimize the risk of trips and falls. Many patio designs begin with the path lighting first as it sets the tone for the rest of the yard. In some cases, path lighting may be sufficient to make an outdoor space inviting and usable. Work with professionals to draw up plans for the best lighting for your particular patio.