Summers in Calgary are often short, so now is the time to get outside--and there’s no better way to do this than in the comfort of your own backyard. With some comfortable furniture, greenery, and strategic lighting, you can create a private outdoor oasis on your patio that is perfect for relaxing throughout the day or night.
In fact, the right exterior lighting will not only extend the time you can comfortably spend out on your patio, it can also help create an elegant, stunning atmosphere for entertaining your guests and showcasing interesting design features around your home.
Like all home design projects, however, installing great exterior lighting starts with a clear plan. Consider the following 3 key steps to help you design the perfect patio with exterior lighting.
1. Establish essential lighting needs
Start with the essential lighting that will help you and your guests use your patio safely and comfortably at night.
Is there a hard-to-see path or uneven steps to your patio? If so, then you will want to install lighting that makes sure you and your guests can travel through these areas safely in the dark.
Do you have a favourite patio spot to sit and read? Then consider directional lighting or area lighting to allow the area to be adequately illuminated.
At Fluorescent Man Lighting, we can design and install everything from custom canopy lights and directional lighting to flood lights and path lighting, so the sky is truly the limit for your choices in essential exterior lighting products.
2. Add ambiance with lighting accents
Once you’ve added exterior lighting that supports the functionality and safety of your patio, you can turn to accent lighting. In this step, you’ll want to focus on creating an overall ambiance and highlighting unique elements of your patio space.
Accent lighting spans a wide range of lighting solutions, such as directional lighting or uplighting for a stunning water feature, spotlights for a seating area, and wall wash lighting for an interesting detail in your home’s design.
There’s an art to accent lighting design, so it’s worth consulting a lighting expert for advice on how to layer and vary your accent lights for the best effect. A lighting design professional can show you how to place different lighting at strategic points around your patio so that the overall look is balanced, inviting, and relaxing.
3. Get creative with special effects
With essential lighting and accent lighting in place, your final step is to create special effects.
Mimic the look of twinkling stars at night with string lights woven through a patio canopy or surrounding shrubbery. Create a soft glow at the base of a seating area with globe lamps.
Many of these lighting options are inexpensive, so special effect lighting is your opportunity to get creative and add unique lighting effects that will make your patio one-of-a-kind.
Follow the three steps listed above and you’ll be well on your way to a perfect patio space that you can enjoy for years to come.
We can help you plan and install the right exterior lighting for your perfect patio. Contact Calgary’s Fluorescent Man Lighting today for more information about our exterior lighting services: call 403-863-8529.
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