Outdoor lighting continues to make headlines as the masses voice their favorite outdoor living trends for 2014. In a recent edition of Freshome Design and Architecture Magazine “Inventive” outdoor lighting came in as the #1 hottest fresh outdoor trend for 2014. The article points out that the outdoors is to a house as shoes are to a person. With that in mind, “If you want to make the most of the outdoors, you’ll want to use it in the evenings when it is dark, and to do this you’ll need outdoor lighting. Opt for creative, or chic options like ambiance lighting, placed under seating or garden features… The trend is timeless, and continues to be a winner in 2014 through new and inventive garden light fixtures.”
As you know, outdoor lighting is something we feel strongly about here in St. Louis and it is no surprise that the media continues to rave about the benefits of adding outdoor lighting to your outdoor living spaces. Quite frankly it is something we and our many satisfied customers have known all along. We don’t want to downplay the impact of architectural lighting, facade lighting or lighting to enhance the safety and security of your home. We would however like to take this opportunity to highlight some of the creative designs we are using in backyards all across the St. Louis area.
Try these inventive outdoor lighting ideas focused on for size…
- Permanent Festival Lighting – Often times, conventional outdoor lighting techniques just aren’t possible in certain settings. In these instances we often recommend using permanent festival lighting. Not only does festival lighting amp up an area that needs lighting, it is also a wonderful way to add unique ambiance to an outdoor setting. Festival lighting provides the perfect solution to liven up an overlooked area in your yard or a romantic courtyard at your business. Festival lighting is also a fun lighting technique that works well in covered patios and other outdoor structures.
- Integrated Outdoor Lighting – Integrating outdoor lighting into the outdoor spaces you use for entertaining such as a deck, or patio, is a great way to enhance your enjoyment. In many cases, the lighting has evolved from being a fixture, to being integrated into the design of the space itself — becoming one with the space. In recent years, many advancements have been made in lights that are built-in to hardscapes (pillars, half walls, outdoor kitchens, etc.) and decks (posts, stairs, rails and more). For hardscapes, the lights are integrated into the stone element, for deck lights, many options are available for integrated deck lighting. These include adding lights under benches, and other creative placement locations to gain the most benefit. Integration promotes a seamless, urban look to lighting as well.
- Tree Lighting – Tree lighting exudes a haunting beauty to the landscape and as a backdrop to your outdoor living areas like no other. The techniques used in tree lighting are what deliver the mystique so coveted by today’s homeowner. This is achieved through a combination of up lighting and down lighting, dependent on the form and branching of the tree. Up lighting is achieved by installing the lights at ground level and directing them upward, these lights bring a dramatic look to your home, highlighting architectural features, trees, a fireplace or water feature, pergolas and trellises. Down lighting is just the opposite. Fixtures are placed 20 feet or higher, usually in a tree, and shining toward the ground to create an ethereal lighting effect as the light passes through the branches of the tree.
Why, you may ask, has lighting become such an integral part of outdoor living? The answer is simple; outdoor lighting makes it possible to live the way you and your family want to live outdoors with no limitations on enjoyment! We have shown you just a glimpse of what is possible in your backyard through the addition of lighting. Contact Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of St. Louis today to learn more about our inventive outdoor lighting designs at (636) 561-1818 or http://stlouis.outdoorlights.com/
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