Saturday, June 15, 2013

Landscape Lighting Ideas


Here is a listing of the best lighting effects and recommendations for the fixtures and placement to generate them. Discover the very best techniques for highlighting trees, emphasizing a fountain, or lighting a garden path.
Up-Lighting
This outdoor lighting technique uses low-voltage light fixtures with halogen or led bulbs that light a tree from the ground up to flaunt its shape and trunk structure. Place 1-2 fixtures at the foot of the tree and point upwards showing off the main trunk structure. To capture the canopy of the tree and flaunt the branches and leaves place a fixture 8-10 feet from the trunk. It is better to utilize fixtures which have a convex lens so that irrigation water runs off the lens.


Moonlighting
To produce this lighting effect, fixtures are positioned saturated in a tree and aimed downward. This is a superb solution to down-light a patio. Place multiple fixtures high up in the tree branches and cross light down on the hardscape below. The leaves and branches of the tree cast interesting shadows on patios and pathways and mimic the effect of a full moon lit sky.


Silhouetting
With this effect, a spread light is put between plant material, sculpture or even a fountain, and an adjoining structure. The consequence is that the thing is silhouetted in black against a soft white background. Spread lights are normally bi-pin halogen bulbs with a mirrored background. They produce a wide band of clean white light, great for backlighting a wall, house or structure to create a silhouette effect. Multiple fixtures might be required depending on what a lot of the wall you'll need to light.


Shadowing
This calls for washing a feature like a tree or statue so that it casts a shadow on a wall or fence. The play of light and darkness can be quite intriguing, especially if the thing is suffering from the breeze. Lighting the thing from low down and angling upward provides a bigger than life dramatic effect.


Grazing
To highlight an interesting texture or stone work, spread-lights or up-lights are positioned right next to the wall with beams directed upwards. This casts shadows that delicately capture the texture of the wall. This effect is terrific showing off your stone work on walls and pilasters. Grazing may be combined with silhouetting when planned properly.


Pathlighting
At its most elementary, path and step lighting exists to help keep the walker safe. You intend to make sure all obstacles and turns are well illuminated. Use lighting to "wayfind" through the night (direct the walker along the road you want him to take). A vigilantly lit path can give a sense of romance or adventure - it will make the viewer desire to go and see where in fact the pathway might lead.


Cross lighting
Lights the feature from two sides. You don't desire to overdo this effect since that can result in over lighting and a washed out look. But used judiciously, cross lighting can highlight the main feature of one's garden and soften the consider the same time. Shadows may be bigger than life on walls and structures.


Spotlighting
This technique runs on the fixture to highlight a focal point like a flag, statue or water fountain. Use a couple of spotlights to highlight your favorite feature in the garden.


Down-Lighting from structures
Down-Lighting may be used in numerous ways. Fixtures are positioned in patio covers, under eaves of the home roof line, on garden walls or put in trees to down-light patios and pathways. Use downlighting to exhibit off a bed of flowers, or perhaps a beautiful plant. Hang or fix the light just high enough to spread a circle of light around the feature you desire to emphasize. If that's not an option, think about a light that may be focused to have the size circle you desire. Downlighting can also be helpful for illuminating doorways and other entrances and exits.


Down-lighting from hardscape
Light fixtures may be installed upside down in benches, countertops, and wall windows to cast subtle lighting along pathways and patios. Throughout the day, fixtures are hidden underneath the hardscape but at night their light defines an area with a surrounding glow that draws guests in.


Pool Lighting

Swimming pool lighting is very important both for safety and for aesthetics.Use fixtures installed on the stone where people may climb from the water. You may also use underwater lights or ambient lighting in the surrounding landscape to create after-hours swimming inviting for your requirements and your guests.

Underwater lighting
Fixtures submersed in water features create a supplementary special effect at night. Light literally dances across walls and room ceilings when water passes over it. Use submersible lights in ponds, fountains and swimming pools. Moving water, especially, can change and produce fascinating ripples and glints. A fish crossing over the light produces wonderful effects of color and shadow. And lighting the water from underneath adds depth to what might otherwise be considered a flat surface. Don't'have a water feature to light? Use cool new "ripple lights" which have their very own small water pump and splash water across small dish over the light lens for outstanding water-feature like effects. Color changing pool lights are accustomed to provide both motion and color in the pool or spa. New Led lights are brighter and less-expensive than fiber-optic alternatives.


Washing
Place the light aside of what you need to illuminate and let the light "wash" over it, bathing a complete wall or row of bushes. This can produce a soft glow over the entire area. Try out the height and angle of the light to see what provides the best result.


Simply placing a light on top of a column may cast dangerous shadows. Add down lights to complete shadows.
A standard outdoor lighting mistake
Lights on top of pilasters (a rectangular column with a capital and base, projecting only slightly from the wall being an ornamental motif, often used to guide light fixtures in gardens) are fine when placed properly. Don't only light the most truly effective of a staircase or you will end up casting a darkness down the steps. Shadowed steps ensure it is hard to judge distance and can cause a slip and fall hazard. Always add lights at the bottom of the steps too to complete shadows and produce a safe staircase.


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