You’re all decked out, but staying home instead — to enjoy your deck in a new and pleasing way: well-lit by quality outdoor illumination well after sundown. Deck and outdoor lighting comes in many options. Once you know the various choices available to you to make porches and decks more homey, you’re on your way to creating an outdoor living space that will keep you home.
Being “well-lit” doesn’t mean flood lights and chandeliers and torchieres that are painful to look upon. 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 more than 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 candlelight conservation.
Bornhorst recommends that as a gauge, you should be able to see the faces of those you converse with, but light levels beyond that could be too bright. Being subtle, too, will help stave off complaints from neighbors because you won’t cast beams of light that pierce their windows and outdoor living spaces.
Bornhorst has a few other suggestions to take to heart: “Avoid the runway effect,” a common mistake, he says. 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,” Bornhorst warns. To the contrary, he recommends asymmetric placement of soft lights over paths.
For decks and porches, “downlighting is best,” says Bornhorst. “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, Bornhorst 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 lights, if well-placed, also have utility in the outdoor space you occupy.
The senior 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.”
Lastly, Bornhorst recommends new LED technology over halogen and incandescent lighting. “It’s cost-effective. LEDs are long-lived and use less energy,” says Bornhorst.
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 space. You can extend your living space outward and later into the night.
Jason Bornhorst can be reached at 614-488-2877 or [email protected] and online at www.peabodylandscape.com.
