Landscape Lighting: Everything You Need to Know
There is one thing that every landscape has in common: it needs some functional and attractive outdoor lighting. A landscape designer will use time honored techniques and brilliant lighting engineering to bring out the best of your landscape and make it a great place to hang out whenever the weather allows. As you probably expect, landscape lighting design is never a cookie cutter affair since every landscape and every homeowner are different.
As you look for inspiration or answers in the development of your landscape lighting design, you may be wondering where to even begin. In this article, we’ll cover some of the basics of landscape lighting design and offer some of our recommendations on how to proceed. Look for some of the most effective landscape lighting ideas below and you’ll find that many of your questions can be answered. Let’s shed some light on how to bring your nighttime landscape to life!
How Do You Light A Landscape?
The first landscape lights were lanterns, which have continued to be used in both traditional and modern landscape designs to this day. This is where landscape lighting stops, for many homeowners: with a lantern at the driveway, one or two at the front door, and one or two at the back door. However, this is limiting and boring. Landscape lighting can be so much more. The technology has grown exponentially in recent years and landscape designers have developed some impressive lighting strategies and technologies. Let’s cover the different ways you can light a landscape to create a space that’s visually pleasing and safe, but doesn’t interfere with the beauty of the night:
Accenting
This technique involves using a spotlight that is angled either upwards or downwards either at or across a landscape feature such as a boulder or an outdoor fireplace. Accenting intentionally doesn’t provide direct illumination to an entire landscape object, instead letting the light bounce across the space and create an artistic ambience.
Backsplashing
This technique is also known as washing. It remains a favorite technique of landscape designers. Backsplashing uses a spotlight that’s angled directly at the center of a large blank wall such as the side of your home or garage, or a tall and smooth retaining wall. Backsplashing bounces the light across the surrounding space while highlighting the more subtle textures of the wall. It’s a great way to add dimension to a nightscape.
Uplighting and Downlighting
This technique involves pointing a fixed light either directly up or directly down against the face of the intended feature. Sconces are great examples of uplighting and downlighting. Some sconces direct light only down, some only up, and some both directly up and down. Uplighting and downlighting is particularly effective on highly textured masonry walls, outdoor fireplaces, or the walls of an outdoor kitchen. Downlighting also lights the ground below which is why sconces are often attached to privacy fences along a walkway.
Highlighting
This technique is also known as spotlighting. It uses light fixtures positioned at the base of a landscape feature, angled slightly upward with the intent of calling attention to the object. It should be used sparingly since the whole point is to create a night time focal point.
In-Grade Lighting
This technique is all about using the ground to your advantage in landscape lighting. When the light fixture is embedded or flush with the ground level, it creates a ring of illumination that spreads in all directions. It can be used on walkways, driveways, and even the perimeter of a patio or deck. One great benefit of this technique is that a cover blocks any direct eye contact with the light source, making it both physically and visually unobtrusive: during the day, you won’t even know that there are light fixtures in the landscape.
Moonlighting
Moonlighting is a brilliant way to create a soothing and romantic ambience in your landscape. Mimicking the soft white light from the moon, this lighting technique involves using the high vantage point of a tree or building for indirect downlighting through the leaves. As the light travels through the tree, it creates a dynamic light show that dances in the slightest breeze. It’s best used as a one-off technique using one prominent tree.
Refractory Lighting
A great landscape lighting technique, refractive lighting, takes advantage of water features such as your swimming pool, reflecting pool, fountain or waterfall. Since water distorts light and creates reflections, you can use the refractory properties of water to create a dramatic spread of visuals around any of your water features. Lights can be submersible or outside of the water feature and angled to shine into the water.
String Lights
String lights are popular ways to light a patio and add a festive feel. They are hung from the home, surrounding trees, or posts.
Shadowing
This technique uses a living landscape feature such as a tree or shrub or a man made landscape feature such as a fence or pergola where light can pass through the spaces and create a dramatic set of shadows. It’s similar to moonlighting but from a lower angle. This technique uses spotlights angled from the ground or from a somewhat higher vantage point, using the object or structure to create interesting shadows. This method can help create an intriguing and diverse ambience in a landscape.
Silhouetting
This technique involves placing a light fixture so that an object stands between it and a blank wall. It is often used to create dramatic shadows such as a gnarled tree or a sculpture. This creates a striking shadow in the shape of the feature on the wall. How is it different from shadowing? It is used with the intent of creating a silhouette on a vertical wall, whereas shadowing can be used to create shadows on vertical or horizontal surfaces and shadowing is typically used on more transparent objects such as shrubs or trees rather than solid objects like a sculpture.
Walkway lighting
The most essential lighting technique in any landscape is walkway lighting, also known as path lighting. This technique involves focusing a series of light fixtures at the surface of your walkways to prevent glare (the fixtures are typically at knee height or lower). It is also a useful technique on the patio, driveway, and pool deck. Located at the edge of a paved surface, walkway lighting employs a variety of wonderful light fixtures that add so much to the ambience and safety of your outdoor spaces, without disturbing the night time atmosphere.
Specialty fixtures such as orb lights, paper lanterns, or mushroom lights may be battery- or solar-powered and can be fun additions as temporary lighting for special occasions/
Where Do You Place Landscape Lighting?
Lighting a landscape should always be a mixture of several different lighting strategies, each layered to create a web of beautiful, functional, and soothing illumination. Each location of a light fixture should be determined using the lighting strategies we covered above. More importantly, every light fixture should work with the design of your landscape. The answer to how you place landscape lighting around your property depends on several more considerations including line of sight (avoiding overhead lighting which can blind you and create harsh shadows while you’re walking away from it), and more. Read on to see how landscape designers will choose how to apply various lighting techniques and the types of lights themselves.
How Do You Light The Front Yard?
The front yard and the backyard have quite a few different requirements when it comes to landscape lighting. The backyard typically comprises the outdoor living space, so a great deal of the lighting strategies should be intended for entertainment and relaxation. Meanwhile, the front yard is a space that connects the home to the outside world. The front yard lighting techniques should be focused on building a beautiful presentation of the home and landscape for visitors: in other words, creating a welcoming and safe vibe.
Here are some of the best ways to light the front yard:
Focus on walking surfaces
The walkways and the driveway need to be well-lit for safety and a sense of welcome. Use walkway lighting to make sure your guests don’t encounter any tripping hazards as they arrive at your home. Driveways don’t need lighting along their length unless your visitors often arrive on foot. However, the right fixtures and techniques can add to the welcome. Above all, do not use overhead flood lights which blind people as they come toward your home and front door.
Create dimension
Part of lighting your front yard is actually creating dimension which takes away that unsettling feeling of being in a brightly lit space while the surroundings are pitch black. A dimensional lighting theme lets you see beyond the brightly lit spaces which is a more comforting feeling. Use a variety of techniques: of course prioritizing the walking surfaces and front door, but adding two or three other methods within the landscaped areas.
Focus on the destination
The front door should be well-lit not only for safety but for a sense of welcome. Twin sconces on either side of the door can be both decorative and functional: you’ll never be blinded by the light, but the space will feel warm and welcoming.
Highlight special features
At night, your front yard should present the same curb appeal as it does during the day. Use various lighting techniques to highlight the special features in your landscape, such as a gorgeous tree, a bird bath or fountain, a sculpture or other art piece, the architectural details of your home, or some particularly stunning plantings.
How Do You Make An Outdoor Lighting System?
Successful landscape lighting is all about careful planning. Each component is a small piece of a much larger puzzle. Beyond just the light fixtures themselves, there are a few other essential pieces of infrastructure.
But first, if you’re wondering about solar lights, here are some things to consider.
Solar fixtures are free to use (thank you, Mother Nature).
Solar fixtures are great for more remote lighting further out in the landscape without the need for wiring.
Solar fixtures have a shelf life, as the solar arrays become less effective over time.
Solar fixtures rely on sunshine. If you live in an area that is frequently cloudy, solar lights won’t work well: either they won’t charge at all, or their power will be very weak. Therefore they should not be used for everyday lighting such as walkways or the front door, but saved for accent lighting in more remote areas of the landscape.
Here are the main components of a landscape lighting system:
The light fixtures
The fixtures produce visible light for your landscape. As such, they are given the most attention during both the design process. Some light fixtures can be hidden within other landscape features (such as fixtures embedded in a retaining wall) while others can be an attraction in and of themselves. With many incredible light fixture choices, choosing the light fixtures is often the most exciting part of designing a landscape lighting system.
The wiring
As you work backwards from the light sources themselves, the wiring will be the next component to consider. The so-called “hardwires” are the electrical cables that bring energy to the fixtures Even the smallest landscape lighting systems can have hundreds of feet of wiring. This often complex system needs to be protected from weather or damage that might come from surface activity. It’s best to completely hide any wiring within landscape features or under the ground.
The connectors
Electrical wires do a great job of transferring energy from Point A to Point B, but a complex landscape lighting system requires small devices called splices to redirect energy flow where needed. These are essential components of any landscape lighting system and they should be protected and hidden along with the wiring.
The transformer hub
In any complex lighting system, there needs to be a hub for all the energy to be directed to the right places. This hub is called the transformer and it’s the base for all repairs and maintenance in your landscape lighting system. The transformer needs to be placed in an accessible and conspicuous location, though it can also be concealed from the view of your landscape.
Sound complex? If you’re in doubt, always hire a pro to install your outdoor lighting system.
How Do You Lay Out Low Voltage Landscape Lighting?
As the craft of lighting a landscape develops over time, both landscapers and manufacturing companies have come up with some highly efficient and effective methods. Even more importantly, the effects of climate change have spurred further innovation in landscape lighting. This has resulted in many landscapes converting to low voltage landscape lighting. To read more about how to apply low voltage landscape lighting to your property, continue reading below.
How Do You Lay Out Landscape Lights?
With these four main components in mind, the layout of your landscape lighting system can be planned out. The next steps of the design process should begin with drawings and sketches. We recommend working with a landscape designer if you’re not comfortable reading plans or thinking about both the big-picture and details of your lighting theme.
If you want to DIY your outdoor lighting, here’s a way to get started. First, create a plan:
Map out the places where people move around (walkways, driveway, outdoor living space).
Map out the places you want more intense light and places where more soothing light would be better: the work spaces of an outdoor kitchen need more light than a quiet fire pit seating area.
Map out the places that seem overly dark when compared to the well-lit spaces.
Map out special features you could highlight.
Map out sight lines such as an uphill approach to the home or to a patio (so that light is always angled directly downward and doesn’t blind anyone climbing the hill).
This will give you a good start in figuring out which fixtures and infrastructure you’ll need. Once you have a plan of your needs, you can start mapping out the exact location and type of fixtures.
Then, the transformer hub needs to be located in a convenient yet tastefully hidden spot. The next steps consist of finding how to make the wiring connections between the transformer hub and the light fixtures. Of course, it’s best to make this system as efficient as possible.
Here are some of the ways you can lay out the wiring in your landscape lighting system:
The hub and spoke
Imagine the hub and spoke system just like you would the wheel of a bicycle, with the transformer as the hub and the spokes as the wires. The centrally located transformer hub will be directly connected to each light fixture. This strategy is useful in smaller landscapes, but it can be an inefficient use of wiring that can get complicated rather quickly in larger landscape settings where you’ll need much larger capacity to run all those lights. In the case of an accident that interrupts the connection to a light fixture, this design won’t affect the rest of the fixtures.
The daisy chain
Imagine the wiring of your landscape lighting in a single string of cables that connect each light back to the transformer hub. This strategy is especially useful in connecting a series of lights, such as some pathway lighting or a series of string lights above your patio. Although it’s a great way to reduce the amount of wiring in a landscape lighting system, this strategy can become problematic in the case of a damaged light or wire an you also have to be sure that the breaker the chain is linked to, can handle the capacity. A problem somewhere in the chain can prevent energy from reaching the rest of the lights down the line.
The T method
Imagine the wiring of your landscape lighting much like a combination of the hub and spoke method and the daisy chain method. A single wire connects the transformer hub with a light fixture that acts as a mini hub, one where a splice occurs. From there, the energy is diverted to other lights in smaller chains. As the lighting strategy starts to get more complex, it offers many more possibilities and some creative design.
Combining Strategies
The best landscape lighting strategy is combining multiple methods at the same time. It may take some more careful planning, though it will actually greatly reduce the need for excess infrastructure such as wiring and splices. When designing your landscape lighting system, a combination of strategies is the way to go.
If you’re not sure about the capacity of your circuit breakers to handle additional landscape lighting, work with a pro. You can also add up the amps of each outdoor light fixture and compare that with the capacity of the breaker. For example, a 50-amp breaker can handle up to 10 fixtures that draw 5 amps each. Anything more than that will constantly trip the breaker. Again - if this is something you don’t want to deal with, hire a lighting design professional and an electrician.
How Far Apart Should Landscape Lights Be Placed?
One of the most important considerations in putting together a landscape lighting system is determining how far apart to place the lights themselves. This will not only have a direct impact on the budget of your project and the operating costs afterwards, but also the intensity and effectiveness of your lighting system.
If the lights are placed too far apart, the amount of space they are required to illuminate grows bigger. This has two unintended consequences: the creation of dark spots in between the light fixtures and the quicker burnout of the lights themselves due to a higher brightness necessary to fill in the gaps. Not only will this be an uneven look, it will also result in higher electricity costs as your lights shine bright each night of the year.
If the lights are placed too close together, the amount of space they are required to illuminate grows smaller. The lights will overlap each other, potentially also creating a lighting scheme that’s too overbearing, distracting, and even uncomfortable. Of course, more light fixtures also means a higher cost.
The ideal space between light fixtures should be between six and eight feet all across your landscape. This is a good rule to follow for all types of light fixtures and techniques as the range becomes a sweet spot where building and operating costs are the lowest. It will also provide the best amount of illumination for your landscape, making the whole space feel safe and welcoming. If the final result is too bright or too dim, you can always change out the bulbs to suit your preferences.
What Is The Best Color For Landscape Lighting?
To understand which lighting color is best for your landscape, it’s important to understand the basic terminology used in the lighting industry. When landscaping professionals and lighting experts talk about the color of the lighting, they’re not referring to the variances you would see on the color wheel, such as purple or green. Indeed, most landscape lights will use a specific intensity of either yellow light or white light.
Instead, those in the know in landscape lighting will refer to the differences in “color temperature.” No, that doesn’t mean you need to take out your thermometer! Color temperature is described using Kelvin (K), a heat scale that better describes the high temperatures produced in light sources. It may seem counterintuitive, but lights on the lower end of the Kelvin color temperature scale will seem “hotter” while the higher color temperatures will seem “cooler.”
Choosing the right color temperature depends on the purpose of your landscape lighting. Let’s explore how to use the various color temperatures in landscape lighting:
Oranges and yellows, 2000K
Lights on the lower end of the color temperature spectrum have a relatively low intensity that is confirmed by a heat that is similarly quite low. This produces a colorful light that is typically soothing and easy to look at that is reminiscent of candlelight. A light in the 2000K range is perfect for social outdoor environments, such as a backyard patio, front porch, or fire pit lounge area. These lights will put people at ease in your outdoor living spaces.
Warm whites, 2700K
As the Kelvin number increases, we perceive the light as brighter and whiter. Warm whites are the most common color temperature found in landscape lighting for their versatile use in many different applications. A light in the 2700K range will still be soothing for eyes and create a welcoming environment but it’s brighter - and better for functional lighting - than warmer lights. Place some of these lights above the outdoor dining table or island bar in your outdoor kitchen. These lights can also be used in all of your walkways as well as the driveway and pool deck.
Natural whites, 3000K
Slightly higher energy than the warm whites, the so-called natural whites are sometimes recommended by landscape designers as the primary lighting for landscapes. A light in the 3000K range will have the intensity necessary to make the greens of natural vegetation visible at night without making things far too bright and garish. For landscapes that have a lot of plantings, natural whites work very well. These are ideal lights for work surfaces in your outdoor kitchen.
Cool Whites, 4000K
The cool whites will create a light that is quite similar to that of the moon, making them useful in creating ambient lighting against dark-colored vegetation. A light in the 4000K range will bring out the blues and dark greens of your plantings and trees. However, this cool color temperature means the light should be tightly focused to stay away from direct eye contact as it can be distracting and off-putting in walkway, driveway, and patio settings. This color temperature feels more at home in an industrial setting than a home setting.
Cool Daylight, 5000K
The lights that mimic daylight can be quite useful indoors, such as with task lighting in the kitchen or motion-activated security lighting in entryways. These lights have their use in landscapes as well, but should be used sparingly. A light in the 5000K range will create an intensity high enough to perform some precise tasks such as cooking, making it great for use in the preparation area of an outdoor kitchen. Make sure that this light is embedded in a backsplash to avoid creating an overly bright spot in the backyard. This color temperature will also clash with much warmer lights.
One important thing to keep in mind with landscape lighting is that you want to use lights with a lower color temperature than the ones inside your home. An indoor kitchen, for instance, needs some lights almost as bright as the midday sun for task lighting and to prevent eye strain.
An outdoor kitchen may seem garish or off-putting with the same lighting intensity, except in a few specific locations such as the preparation area (and these can be embedded into a backsplash so they illuminate only the prep and cook area and not the surroundings).
As such, you may see some indoor lights with a color temperature as high as 5000K. This color temperature is similar to daylight, something that just won’t look right in a nighttime landscape.
In general, stick to mid-temperature lights in the 2700-3000K range for a consistent feel that you can modify with bulb brightness to suit your style and the function of each light.
What Type Of Lighting Is Best For Outdoors?
We’ve already covered some of the best lighting strategies, locations to illuminate in a landscape, the components of a lighting system, the methods of wiring a landscape lighting system, and the ways to use various color temperatures.
One thing we haven’t talked about yet is the specific types of lights that you can use in an outdoor setting. Let’s cover some of the types of lights you may find and how or even if they should be used in a landscape:
Incandescent Light Bulbs: These are the oldest types of bulbs that provide electric light. They are the most inefficient types of landscape lighting. In fact, 95% of their energy is lost when it’s turned into heat. They burn out quickly which makes them inconvenient in outdoor settings. The one benefit is that they often deliver warmer, more pleasing light than many LEDs. However, due to the high energy cost and short lifespan, we don’t recommend using incandescent light bulbs in your landscape at all.
Halogen Light Bulbs: These lights operate at a higher temperature than incandescent light bulbs, though they are more efficient at using electricity to produce light. However, they are quite fragile, making them vulnerable or even hazardous in certain landscape applications. They last a little longer than incandescent lights and produce a pleasing bright light; but, because they are fragile and generate a lot of heat, landscape designers tend to avoid using halogen bulbs.
Fluorescent Lamps: These lights are far more efficient in harnessing energy than incandescent light bulbs, making them the preferred light source in many commercial and industrial applications. However, even “warm” fluorescent light is unappealing. Fluorescent lamps generally have a high color temperature, making them off-putting in an outdoor setting. They sometimes produce a crackling hum, which can also be distracting. They are sometimes used in landscapes. While they’re a cheaper and more energy efficient option, they aren’t the best option for a pleasing residential landscape.
LED Lamps: The advent of LEDs (light-emitting diodes) in landscape lighting is often seen as one of the most important changes in landscape design. LEDs are highly efficient at transforming electricity into light without any significant heat loss. LED lamps can be of a wide range of sizes and shapes and are much more durable than any of the previous light sources, only needing replacement once every 10 years or so. LEDs can be found in virtually any intensity and color, making them the favorite light source of most landscaping designers. The original LEDs were on the cool side of the color temperature spectrum. Today, LEDs can be found in the entire range, from yellows to cool whites. You can even find vintage-inspired bulbs such as Edison bulbs which bring an extra flair to clear outdoor light fixtures.
When it comes to choosing the right light types for your landscape, we recommend sticking with LEDs which will save you money in the long run and let you explore creative options in light fixture placement where other types of bulbs would be horrendously inconvenient.
What Are Some Great Landscape Lights?
Now that we’ve covered the biggest considerations about designing a landscape lighting system, let’s go over some of our favorite products:
Simple, Clean, and Efficient
The Balance Power Light from WAC Lighting is an elegant and modern light fixture that can elevate practically any landscape. The sleek design focuses on downlighting from a height of 23.5 inches and takes advantage of a versatile 2700K color temperature. See why so many landscape designers recommend this light!
A Beautiful Ambience
The One Light Outdoor Path Fixture from Sea Gull Lighting is a non-descript light fixture that can provide beautiful light in so many parts of your landscape. Its small size allows it to fit underneath shrubs and far below eye level, making it useful for both walkway settings and reducing dark spots in other parts.
Effective Highlighting
The 60 Degree LED Spot Light from Kichler is one of the best spot lights that we’ve ever come across. Built using LEDs and fully weatherproofed for all outdoor applications, it will sit undisturbed in your landscape for many years as it calls attention to where you want it.
Safe and Welcoming
The Centennial Brass Metal Deck Light from Kichler can help make the social areas of your landscape more attractive. The elegant light fixture makes a nondescript presence during the daytime and builds a safe and welcoming environment for your patio or your front porch.
With so many great fixtures and lighting techniques, your landscape can become a crown jewel of the neighborhood!