Lighting Your Summer Nights

You want soft lights cast downward against a wall or deck surface.

Quality deck lighting extends outdoor living spaces

By Craig Springer

You’re all decked out, and staying home to enjoy your deck in a beautiful and pleasing way: well-lit by quality outdoor illumination long after sundown. Deck and outdoor lighting come in many options. Once you know the various choices available to you to make porches and decks homier, you will be on your way to an outdoor living space that will keep you home.

Having a well-lit outdoor space doesn’t mean floodlights, chandeliers and torchieres that are painful to look at. Perish the thought of yellow bug bulbs or the blue bug zappers. Quality illumination is achieved by being subtle, says senior landscape lighting designer, Jason Bornhorst. He’s been planning outdoor lighting for Peabody Landscape Group in Columbus, Ohio, for over two decades. Bornhorst says people should be “walking through pools of ambient light on decks, porches and walkways.” He likened the desired effect to a candlelit conversation. Bornhorst recommends that as a gauge, you should be able to see the faces of those you converse with. Light levels beyond that could be too bright. Being subtle will also help stave off complaints from neighbors when you avoid beams of light piercing their windows and outdoor living spaces.

Bornhorst has a few other suggestions to take to heart. One: Avoid the runway effect. Bornhorst says it’s a common mistake that do-it-yourselfers think that every square inch of walking space should be covered in light. “From a distance, it makes walkways, stairs and even driveways look like an airport runway.” To the contrary, he recommends asymmetric placement of soft lights over paths.

“For decks and porches,” Bornhorst says, “Downlighting is best. You want soft lights cast downward against a wall or deck surface.” You want just enough light to see your friends and family in conversation.”

For a dramatic effect and useful illumination, Barnhorst says do-it-yourselfers should remember to light the house. That is, illuminate the architecture. “Most people light landscape plants, but forget to light the house,” he says. “Lighting a home’s exterior adds texture and silhouettes and interest in the architecture.” Those well-placed lights also have utility in the outdoor space you occupy.

The lighting designer encourages folks to do the research. “There are many quality products out there in warm light and cool light that have their specific applications. Working with a pro will help you understand the differences and uses around your home.”

Finally, Bornhorst recommends new LED technology over halogen and incandescent lighting. “It’s cost effective. LEDs are long-lived and use less energy,” Bornhorst says.

Gone are the days of simple single-bulb porch lights. Landscaping lighting is affordable and the net return is great when you consider the greater livability of your outdoor living space. You can extend your living space outward and later into the night.