Summertime is the perfect time to host an outdoor event at night. The weather has finally cooled down from the scorching daytime heat, and it’s not too cold like frigid fall nights. However, there is only one problem…it’s dark. Luckily, this issue can easily be resolved with an assortment of tasteful outdoor lighting. From al-fresco dinner parties, to open-air weddings and full-family pool parties, outdoor lighting can enhance any event you can think of! So let’s talk about the importance of professional outdoor party lighting for gatherings of all kinds.
Safety First With Outdoor Party Lighting
Before we get into some ideas it’s important to remember that outdoor lighting isn’t just pretty, it also actively contributes to the safety of all of your guests. You never want anyone visiting your home to suffer an injury due to a poorly lit walkway or outdoor space–especially during a party. It is the easiest way to kill the fun. Outdoor lighting ensures safety, visibility, and style. From string lights, up lights, deck lights and pathway lights, each kind helps in its own unique way.
At Georgia Lightscapes, we consider our client’s safety with each and every set-up. Lighting your home should have multiple benefits and we hope that safety for you and your guests is at the forefront. Check out our recent blog post on enhancing security with outdoor lighting for more tips!
Best Backyard Lighting Ideas
A well-lit outdoor space features lighting that is strategically layered for both ambiance and safety. Even if you don’t have a ton of space, or an elaborate yard set-up you can still add a bit of glamor to your backyard with placement lighting. Positioning your lights wisely will produce elegant staging focal points for your events. So here are some good tips:
Illuminate Walkways
Adding light to rock-hewn trails will not only help people navigate the dark but also give an illuminated purpose to pathways for your guests. Walkways are an easy place to add light to. Soft path lights usually don’t require wiring and can be lit by LED or solar-powered options. Simply place them along your preferred path in the dirt or between plants. Most path lights are weather-resistant with durable spikes at the end for an easy pick-and-place ability and emit a soft, warm light. A good tip to remember is to try to stagger them alongside your path so it doesn’t resemble an airport runway.
Another great way to light a walkway is with downlighting or ‘moonlighting’. Named because it emulates the shine of the moon, downlighting can be an excellent way to light up stairs or a path so people can see everything around them. Trees or tall bushes make for a great place to put these lights since they cast downward and wash over a space.
Highlight Architecture
When you are focused on lighting your outside backyard, it can be easy to forget that you can use basic home architecture to your advantage. Arches, columns, windows, gabled roofs, balconies, and exterior corners are all great focal points for illumination. At Georgia Lightscapes, we offer up lights and peak lights as some of the best options for this type of radiance. LED low-voltage brass uplights add direct brilliance. They are bullet-shaped fixtures that feature a round, clear tempered glass lens and draw attention to your favorite piece of architecture! Peak lights are finished in warm matte bronze and installed where the soffit meets the roof line. This adds a more dramatic effect, leading the eye upwards as guests take in the full view of the home.
By taking the time to light up different framework structures around your home, you can make sure your backyard is safely lit without having too much-concentrated shrine in one area. Too much light can be unappealing to guests and inefficiently set the mood.
Brighten Up Plants
Assuming you have a little bit of a green thumb, arranging outdoor lights inside and around your plants can be a unique way to show off multiple features of your home. Rather than focusing on direct patio lighting, cleverly stationing small lights inside or under plants creates complex, sculptural shadows. You don’t have to be professionally light-certified to do this either. Grabbing individual, solar-powered/LED lights are excellent for illuminating plants. They sit unseen during the day and bring a soft light after dark.
If you don’t have a flourishing garden full of flora and fauna, try to incorporate the surrounding trees, bushes, or easily purchasable hanging plants. Round lights work wonders for brightening up small shrubs and flower patches. Spotlights are the best for hidden corners or vertical bushes. String lights effortlessly elevate any tree, producing a fresh nighttime lightscape from end to end in your backyard.
When you incorporate the right amount of outdoor party lighting, conversations can keep flowing all night long. If you need help deciding what type of lights work best with your home, feel free to check out our residential lighting portfolio.
Need Help With Your Outdoor Party Lighting? Call the Professionals!
Georgia Lightscapes is here to help you reach your illumination dreams. We are a start to finish electrical company. Our goal is to see your home and business beautifully illuminated with an outstanding lighting, long-term relationship. No matter what your goal is, our primary purpose is to make your project a pleasant and rewarding experience! Our professional staff works with you to achieve your landscape accent lighting ambitions. We have lit up many homes throughout the Atlanta area and cannot wait to lend our extensive expertise to you.
Georgia Lightscapes is a premier commercial electrical lighting contractor for Atlanta, Georgia and the surrounding areas. We specialize in budget-saving projects, turnkey LED conversions, commercial electrical contracting, outdoor lighting systems, and so much more!
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