Light Touch
Spotlight on the latest outdoor lighting.
The right lighting can transform your outdoor area after dark, adding magic to the garden, extending your living space and boosting safety. “A wellplanned lighting scheme encourages you to spend more time outdoors and if you have windows looking out onto the garden, it can draw the garden into your living areas,” says Adele Locke, professional lighting designer and director of Mint Lighting. “This is especially useful in an urban environment where space is at a premium,” adds Alexandra Donohoe Church, interior designer and founder of Decus Interiors.
“Thesecrettoagreatoutdoorlightingschemeiscombining a range of light sources,” says Josh Densten, home-renovation expert and HPM ambassador. “A mix of up- and downlights, bollard lights and garden spotlights brightens your home’s exterior and highlights the garden’s best features.”
The key is to not overdo it. “You don’t need to light the whole garden,” says Locke. “Instead, use light to showcase the elements you love, whether it’s a beautiful water feature, an architectural highlight or a striking plant. You want the space to feel inviting and intriguing.” And keep light levels soft: “We usually won’t go higher than five or six watts per fitting; sometimes we use two or three watts,” adds Locke.
If you’re looking to conceal light fittings, choose a colour and finish that blends in well with foliage. “I always suggest black or dark grey lights in a matt finish so as not to reflect the light,” says Locke.
Backlighting plants is one of Locke’s favourite techniques. “It’s a wonderful way to create silhouettes and shadows.” She also favours wall lights that highlight texture on walls, invisible ground lights to illuminate a pathway, and bouncing small amounts of controlled light across the surface of water to create sun-like ripples.
Safety lighting is another outdoor essential, says Denise Hammond, product specialist at Beacon Lighting.
“Lighting areas of the garden you can see from inside creates a lovely view year round.” Celina Clarke, ISM Objects
1 Ripple aluminium pendant light (use undercover), $770, Ilanel. 2 Lucci LEDlux Lorne plastic pendant light (use undercover), $299, Beacon Lighting. 3 Decorative Round solar wall light, $27.90/two, Hoselink. 4 HPM stainless-steel LED garden spike, $41.20, Bunnings. 5 Ethimo Lucerna brass-plated aluminium lantern, $1680, Fanuli. 6 Light Up frosted-glass lantern, $64, Pottery Barn. 7 Hay PC Portable plastic LED table lamp, $160, Cult. 8 Wink aluminium LED table lamp (not waterproof), $462, ISM Objects.
“Steps, decks and meandering pathways really need to be lit so people can move about the space without risk of injury.” The front door and house number should also be illuminated. Sensor lights are Locke’s top picks for these spots. “Make sure the light isn’t too bright, because it can affect your night vision.”
In outdoor entertaining areas, ambience is everything. “For dining, opt for portable table/floor lamps or lanterns rather than overhead pendants, which can often be too harsh,” says Celina Clarke, lighting designer at ISM Objects. Don’t forget to illuminate areas of the garden you can see from inside the house. “This creates a lovely view, even in winter,” says Clarke. It’s also wise to add task lighting near barbecues and inside cupboards so you can cook easily and find things such as the gas-bottle control and utensils with ease, says Hammond.
Style-wise, the outdoor feature lights have come a long way. “Luminaires are becoming more decorative, creating a beautiful fluidity between those used inside and outside the home,” says Donohoe Church. “At this year’s Salone del Mobile in Milan, we saw a shift from concealing the outdoor light source within the landscape to visibly incorporating the forms into a scheme. In terms of materials, we’re noticing more stone and concrete being used, accents in outdoor leather, and bronze textured powder coating,” she says.
“We’re moving away from standard spike lights to clever lighting that creates real drama outdoors – there’s a shift towards discreet fittings that produce interesting light patterns,” says Locke. “We’re seeing more consideration of light pollution, too – designers are looking to light up outdoor spaces rather than the sky,” she says.
If you’re updating your outdoor area, plan lighting early. “The key with garden lighting is getting electricity to the right places before the plants go in, so you need to know where you want light at the start,” says Locke. And quality counts, she says. “That $50 lighting fitting will barely see out a season, especially if you’re on the coast. Spend once, spend well and enjoy your lights for years to come.” #
“Illuminate steps, decks and pathways so people can move around safely.” Denise Hammond, Beacon Lighting
1 Le Corbusier ‘Borne Béton Grande’ concrete LED outdoor
floor lamps, $2620 each, Mondo Luce. 2 Mullbacka plastic and bamboo portable LED light, $79, Ikea. 3 Faceted brass lantern
(use undercover), $79, West Elm. 4 Castilla rattan lantern (use undercover), $129, Domayne. 5 AQL-404 brass LED-compatible path light, $249, Lighting Collective. 6 Foscarini Gregg XL polyethylene suspension lamp (use undercover), $600, Space. For Where to Buy, see page 190.