14 Lighting Ideas For the Perfectly Bright Backyard
Mindful landscape lighting effectively highlights specific design elements, and creates a unique ambiance to an outdoor space. While a few candles can be soothing, you don’t want to restrict yourself when it comes to landscape lighting.
Here are a few ideas to illuminate your outdoor space and create a visually appealing and interesting oasis in your yard.
1. Mix Up Different Lighting Styles
You don’t have to limit yourself to just one type of lighting. In fact, it’s recommended that you don’t. Instead, mix up different types of lighting within a planned design to avoid looking too uniform, and create a more relaxed and cheerful environment.
2. Uplight Trees to Create a Moonlight Effect
If you’ve got very large trees in your yard, place lights high up within their branches to create the look of moonlight around your yard. To get the most natural-looking effect, place the lights at least 40 feet up, and make sure the lights are discreet and out of view.
3. Illuminate Walkways
If you’ve got a pathway meandering through your yard, a walkway leading from the front of the house to the back, or a raised deck, be sure to line their perimeters with lighting. Lights on post mounts are common types of fixtures to use for this purpose, and are simple to install.
4. Sprawl Light Orbs Across the Fence
Sometimes the simplest types of lighting and installation methods work best at creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Stringing light orbs across your fence can instantly add radiance to your yard.
5. Light Up Water Features
Water features are easily a focal point of a yard, and can be even further highlighted when they’re illuminated. You can either light the water feature from within, uplight it, or both.
6. Illuminate Decorative Objects
If you’ve got a statue, bird bath, or other decorative object in your yard that you’re particularly proud of, light it up! In this case, spotlights work particularly well to uplight the object and illuminate its entire structure.
7. Plant Tiki Torches
One of the cheapest ways to light up your outdoor space is by scattering tiki torches about. They’re affordable to purchase, and require no electricity to operate. Tiki torches are the perfect elements to create a low-key, natural atmosphere to any outdoor space.
8. String Lights Up Tree Trunks and Branches
Small LED light ropes or string lights wrapped around tree trunks and branches right from the ground up are perfect for creating a wonderful, utopian look to your backyard.
9. Create Shadows With Spotlights
If you’re looking for something very subtle, consider creating shadows with your lighting. This can be done by installing spotlights very close to the base of the exterior walls of your home. As the light blankets the surface of your exterior walls, it will generate a unique shadow as it captures the fine details of the area.
10. Hang Paper Lanterns at Various Heights
Hanging Japanese-inspired paper lanterns above your patio is a unique way to light up the space beneath. Consider hanging them at various levels to put an interesting spin on the effect.
11. Add an Outdoor Floor Lamp
Floor lamps aren’t necessarily just reserved for your interior living area. You can create your own private little nook with a comfy chaise, end table, and a decorative floor lamp to provide just enough light needed to catch up on your favorite novel.
12. Add Hardscape Lighting
To light up the stairs leading to and from your outdoor space, install LED strips to the underside of stairs’ edges. They’re easy to install thanks to their double-sided tape, but you should also reinforce them with metal clamps to make sure they stay in place for the long haul.
13. Create a Canopy of String Lights
You can easily create a whimsical aura above your patio by simply hanging string lights above. Go as sparse or as dense as you want, depending on how much light you want or need.
14. Install Solar Bricks
If you’ve given yourself a chance to plan out your lighting before installing your stonework (which you should), consider adding solar-powered bricks lights that are flush with the ground. It’s a great option for lighting up walkways, and can be installed in a specific pattern to create a unique look.
