Go bold and upgrade outdoor spaces with outdoor statement lighting. Here’s how to choose the best fixture for your home…
Continue readingOur Favorite Outdoor Lighting Trends of 2023
If you’re passionate about transforming your outdoor space into a haven of style and warmth, you’re in for a treat. We’re diving into the top outdoor lighting trends of 2023, from the brilliance of smart lighting to the personality-packed allure of statement fixtures. They might just spark some brilliant ideas for future additions and improvements to your outdoor lighting.
Aesthetic theme
One way to make outdoor spaces more fun is to choose a theme that adds cohesion. And the lighting is a big part of it! Whether you’re going for a tropical paradise, an organic garden vibe, or a more traditional setting, selecting a theme helps tie everything together.
The right outdoor lighting can enhance and amplify the theme:
- Pendant lights with an antique bronze finish and a lantern-style design add rustic charm to outdoor spaces.
- For a modern and minimalistic outdoor aesthetic, sleek fixtures with clean lines and a black finish are the perfect choice.
- Wall sconces with a weathered brass finish and a cage design evoke work well for traditional theme or a coastal beach look.
Dark sky friendly lighting
We need outdoor lighting to be safe and enjoy our outdoor spaces. But we can use outdoor lighting in a way that doesn’t contribute to the light pollution problem. For dark sky friendly lighting, use fixtures that direct the beam of light and prevent glare from “leaking” out to other areas. And choose a color temperature that’s warm, rather than a blue tone.
Outdoor statement lighting
Statement light fixtures, a big trend in interior lighting, carried right into outdoor lighting design. An outdoor statement light is about combining style and functionality to create a look that’s unique and adds drama to the space. An outdoor statement light should match the overall look and feel of your home’s exterior, whether that’s classic, modern, or rustic-cozy.
Classic finishes
Classic finishes like black and brass continue to reign supreme for both indoor and outdoor lighting. These timeless choices add a touch of sophistication to your outdoor fixtures. Whether you’re aiming for a sleek modern look with black finishes or a more traditional and warm ambiance with brass, these classic finishes stand the test of time.
Fun with color
Thanks to LEDs and programmable lighting, outdoor lighting has become a canvas for creativity. Play with colors to set different moods or match the theme of your outdoor space. The ability to change colors adds a playful and dynamic element to your outdoor lighting, making it a lot more fun and versatile.
Precise landscape lighting
When it comes to outdoor lighting, precision is key. Use a combination of fixtures, spotlights, and the right temperature of light to highlight specific features in your landscaping. Consider angles and spacing to create a balanced and visually appealing outdoor environment.
Magical ambiance
String lights, bistro lights, water features, moonscapes, colors, and patterns—all contribute to creating a magical ambiance in your outdoor space. Experiment with different elements to craft an enchanting atmosphere that invites relaxation and enjoyment.
Blurred indoor/outdoor spaces
A trend that gained momentum during the pandemic involves blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces. Incorporate ceiling fans, chandeliers, pendant lights, and mood lighting to seamlessly connect your indoor living areas with the great outdoors. This trend emphasizes creating a cohesive and fluid transition and set up your outdoor spaces for easier entertaining.
Smarter safety
Enhance safety with automated motion sensors for security and strategically placed lighting on steps, pathways, and exterior areas like fire pits. Smart technology allows for convenient control and ensures a well-lit outdoor environment when needed. Plus, these smart systems are more energy efficient.
Subtle touches
Don’t underestimate the impact of subtle touches like wall sconces, wash fixtures, and downlighting. These fixtures add a touch of elegance and contribute to a layered lighting scheme, creating depth and visual interest in your outdoor spaces.
By incorporating these trends and considerations, you can transform your outdoor lighting into a functional, stylish, and captivating feature of your home. Whether you’re aiming for a classic, modern, or eclectic look, outdoor lighting trends offer a wide range of options to suit your personal style and enhance your outdoor experience. Get in touch for a custom outdoor lighting design that meets your needs perfectly.
10 Places for Outdoor Lights Around Your Home and Property
Wondering where you need outdoor lights around your home’s exterior, yard, and garden? Here’s a list of 10 key areas for outdoor lighting.
Continue readingHow to Handle Outdoor Lighting Challenges
Well-designed outdoor lighting can bring a lot of benefits to your home, venue, or commercial building: enhanced security, better curb appeal, and even increased property value. Some lighting installations are straightforward, and the most difficult part will be picking out the fixtures you want. But other properties can get a little more complicated. We’re here to help–with solutions for some of the common outdoor lighting challenges you might face.
Challenge #1: The great outdoors
Notice the key word “outdoor” that appears in the phrase “outdoor lighting.” Yeah, you know: out there with the wind, and rain, with storms and humidity, with burning sun in summer and freezing temps in winter. Outdoor lighting is up against a lot of factors: insects, larger pests, and exposure to the elements. The first outdoor lighting challenge you face is the simple fact that nature is great, but it involves a lot of wear-and-tear.
Fortunately, there’s a pretty simple two-step method for handling this challenge:
- Choose high-quality outdoor lighting fixtures, and
- Take good care of them with regular maintenance.
By the way, if you’re in the St. Louis area, we can handle the maintenance for you. Get in touch and ask about our annual maintenance package.
Challenge #2: Failed connectors
Whoever named lighting system components wasn’t too creative. Case in point: lighting connectors. It’s easy to guess what function they serve–they connect outdoor lighting fixtures to the power supply. To avoid failed connectors, it’s important to consider both the quality of the connectors and where they’re positioned.
Poorly designed, cheap connectors made from low-quality material will not last long in an outdoor environment. In fact, they probably won’t last too long anywhere. Certainly, the rigors of the outdoor world will speed their demise. Well-designed outdoor lighting systems will position the connectors defensively–that is, in more protected positions that reduce the impact of wind, rain, sleet, sun, and all that other outdoor stuff. Proper positioning of lighting connectors helps prevent exposure and deterioration.
Only an experienced outdoor lighting professional should deal with problems with your lighting connectors and wiring. We’re happy to help.
Challenge #3: Bugs, pests, and pets
Some types of ants are attracted to electricity, and like to build their mounds around lighting fixtures. Spiders appreciate lighting fixtures as mounts for their web-spinning endeavors. All sorts of insects see light fixtures as a cozy little place to hide out from bigger pests or bad weather.
Speaking of bigger pests, we think rabbits and squirrels are really cute. They’re also not very kind to outdoor lighting. They’ll chew through exposed wiring and dig around fixture supports. Pests like shrews and mice cause similar types of damage, and may even be able to get inside fixtures, especially if they’re not well-made and tightly fastened.
Here’s what to do about this challenge:
- Choose high-quality fixtures (no surprise here) because they have better designs and materials. They’ll be harder for these little varmints to break into and tougher to damage.
- Have your outdoor lighting system professionally installed, so that all wiring is properly buried.
- Keep fixtures clean and maintained. Clean off spider webs, pick up branches after a storm, make sure fixture supports are straight and mounting hardware is properly installed.
Finally, if you have ongoing problems with a particular type of pest, it might be time to call in some pest control help.
Challenge #4: Burnt-out light bulbs
If burnt-out light bulbs are a problem, the first thing to do is a system check. If you’re running old fixtures that still use incandescent bulbs, it’s time to upgrade. LED bulbs are energy efficient, can be adjusted to the color temperature and brightness you want, and have a long life. Some fixtures can be upgraded to LED bulbs with no problem. Other fixtures may be too old, and you’ll need to upgrade the fixture itself.
If your lighting system is fairly new and you’re using LED bulbs, you shouldn’t have an issue with burnt-out light bulbs. Sure, bulbs will need to be replaced as part of regular maintenance, but you shouldn’t have frequent bulb outages. If you do, there may be an issue with the other parts of your system, and it’s causing voltage spikes. It’s best to have a lighting professional take a look at your system, examine the components, identify the cause and repair it safely.
You may have noticed two recurring bits of advice: choose high-quality fixtures, and do regular maintenance. It’s good advice. When it comes to outdoor lighting, the money you save on cheap fixtures isn’t saved at all. You’ll have to spend it on repairing damage or replacing fixtures sooner rather than later. High-quality fixtures, on the other hand, cost more but are made from contractor-grade materials and often include lifetime warranties. When you combine great fixtures in a well-designed lighting system with regular maintenance, you’re already overcoming most of the outdoor lighting challenges out there.
St. Louis homeowners, business owners, and venue managers: we’re here to help with your outdoor lighting challenges. Get in touch for a free consultation.
Your Guide to Outdoor Light Fixtures and Lighting Components
Outdoor lighting can make all the difference for your home: curb appeal, a polished look, enhanced safety, and outdoor living spaces you love. But not all outdoor light fixtures are the same; each type has certain uses and benefits. For example, floodlights installed at corners and near entries are great when you need high visibility. They’re not so great when you want to create a welcoming glow for guests or enjoy a quiet drink under twinkling lights. Let’s take a look at the different types of outdoor light fixtures, their components, and which fixtures will work best for the different outdoor areas of your home.
Materials used in outdoor light fixtures
Outdoor light fixtures come in a variety of materials, from plastic to stainless steel. All lighting fixtures will have a variety of materials used in their different components. When we refer to the material for outdoor light fixtures, we’re talking about the main material used for the light cover (or case) and any supports or mounts. High-quality materials will weather better and last longer, so keep that in mind when choosing fixtures.
- Plastic: some plastics are quite durable, but in general you’ll find that plastic is only used as a main component on cheaper light fixtures, like those solar-powered sets you get on the discount rack at the hardware store. If you pick up plastic fixtures, don’t expect to use them for more than a single season.
- Aluminum: aluminum is a lightweight, flexible metal that doesn’t rust (though it will eventually corrode), so it’s ideal for use in outdoor light parts. However, there are different types of aluminum. Some are so thin that they’ll easily get dinged and dented. Look for outdoor light fixtures made with marine-grade aluminum, which is stronger and has a higher resistance to corrosion.
- Stainless steel: a popular choice for modern designs, stainless steel has a clean look which works well for minimal and sleek fixtures. In its natural state, it will reflect the sun, but it’s often powder-coated to both reduce the need for maintenance and provide different finishes to match the home’s decor.
- Brass: brass is an alloy of copper and zinc that holds up well, lasts a long time, and looks great. Since it’s so durable and ages well, you’ll often find that solid brass light fixtures have extended or even lifetime warranties. As brass ages outside, it will slowly develop a natural patina that just adds to its classically beautiful look.
- Copper: copper is not as solid as brass, but it is strong and resists corrosion. It also develops a beautiful patina over time. Some outdoor light fixtures are made of brass coated in copper to provide that durability and the gorgeous aged copper look.
Choose materials that work with your home’s style, and that will last.
Quality matters with outdoor light parts
You probably picked up on this point when reading about materials, but we’ll make sure: quality matters for outdoor light fixtures. Of course, quality matters with any type of lighting. But outdoor lighting fixtures aren’t just hanging pretty in your hallway. They’re exposed to all sorts of weather, changes in humidity, sunshine, freezing temperatures, wind, and so on. It’s a tough life for outdoor lamps and all their parts. So, when you’re choosing that perfect fixture to put over the front door, choose a high-quality product. It’s worth a slightly higher price to have a fixture that lasts longer and looks better. Plus, you’ll find that most of the higher-grade fixtures have lengthy warranties.
Different types of outdoor light fixtures
Now that we’ve covered the different materials, let’s take a quick look at the different types of outdoor light fixtures.
Wall-mounted fixtures
Wall-mounted fixtures are mounted to an exterior wall. They can be flush-mounted, which means they sit flat against the wall. Or they can have an extension, or arm, between the mounting plate and the wall. Wall-mounted fixtures are also called sconces. They’re commonly used beside doors and as accent lights in outdoor living spaces.
Ceiling-mounted fixtures
Ceiling-mounted fixtures range from chandeliers to outdoor ceiling fans to simple, flush-mounted ceiling lights. They’re popular options for porches, patios, and other outdoor structures. Since they require a ceiling, they’re less versatile than other outdoor fixtures.
Spotlights
Spotlights are used in landscape lighting, home uplighting, and as security lights. The type of spotlight determines both how wide the spread of light is and how well it can be angled. A key part of good lighting design is to use the right amount of spotlights, spaced properly, and set at the right angle. Some spotlights have covers that are adjustable, allowing the beam to be narrowed or widened as needed.
Walkway lights
Walkway lights are small fixtures on a support that usually reach about a foot high. They give off a downward beam of light and are most commonly used by pathways and sidewalks. They have a lot of other great uses, too.
String lights
String lights are a great lighting option for creating a relaxed, cozy ambiance in any outdoor living space. Small string lights, also called twinkle lights or holiday lights, have tiny bulbs and can be hung almost anywhere for a magical touch. Bistro lights are another type of string lighting that are very popular. They have larger, Edison-style bulbs and give off that Parisian cafe vibe anywhere you hang them.
Outdoor light fixture parts
Not all outdoor light fixtures have the same parts. There’s variation with different types of fixtures. However, these are the components that are common for outdoor light fixtures:
Wiring
The wiring carries power from your power supply to the bulb so it can produce light. Some cheaper styles of outdoor fixtures use a thin gauge of wiring that can get damaged and corroded easily.
Bulb
Low-voltage LED bulbs are the way to go. They’re energy efficient, last longer, and have a variety of color temperatures to choose from.
Bulb socket
The socket, or holder, connects the bulb to the rest of the fixture.
Cover/case
This is the most visible part of the fixture. The case around the bulb for both protection and to provide a decorative element. The cover can be made of the materials listed above. Styles and finishes vary greatly. Some spotlights have adjustable covers which allow you to control the spread of light from the bulb.
Supporting element
Walkway lights have a small mounting pole as the supporting element. A chandelier might be hung on a chain. Wall sconces often have an arm that provides extension and support.
Mounting element
Typically, the mounting element is a backplate that is attached securely to the wall or ceiling in order to hold the fixture in place.
Hardware
Hardware attaches the fixture to the mounting element and/or supporting elements.
There’s a lot of variation in the different elements and types of fixtures. Bistro lights, for example, don’t have a cover or case at all. For a supporting element, they might be attached to the corner of the house or outdoor structure. Or they can be hung from trees with special mounting hardware that won’t cause damage to the tree. If there are no structures or trees nearby, we cut and install custom support poles so we can create the perfect lighting design for our clients.
If you’re looking for help with the perfect outdoor light fixtures in the St. Louis area, get in touch. We’ll schedule a free consultation to hear about your needs and come up with the best lighting design. Give us a call today!