Light in the garden is a unique means of giving meaning to an architectural project style and the right atmosphere. Light enhances spaces, defining functionality and improving safety.
The drafting of the lighting project, therefore the choice of the characteristics of the lamps and lighting bodies, is the key to enhancing furnishing elements and plants.
The lighting project
The lighting project takes shape from the initial stages of site analysis. Light exists in the mind of a garden designer even during the phases of choosing plants, materials and organizing spaces.
Best Landscape Design deals with lighting design with passion and professionalism by designing the outfitting of outdoor environments with outdoor lights. Such as street lamps, spotlights, projectors, bollards, floor lamps, floor lamps or luminous furniture.
The choice is made with care and in-depth knowledge of the best products on the market, in synergy with the most well-known companies in the lighting industry.
In the case of an existing garden or terrace or to be restored, Ornus prepares an ad hoc proposal for the customer. Thus adapting the lighting system to the characteristics and possibilities offered by the environment.
The figure of the lighting designer
The lighting designer is responsible for lighting the garden. He intervenes in all those cases where you want to professionally illuminate a space. Functionally and also aesthetically.
In addition to technical knowledge, the lighting designer must have real artistic skills. The art of lighting first involves the interpretative process of the landscape project. Illuminating means writing with light, but above all tearing a story out of the perennial darkness of the night.
The lighting designer and interior designer Salvatore Gagliano takes care of presenting a project proposal. By providing ideas, products and finally quantifying the costs of implementation.
Predicting the arrangement, color rendering and consumption of the lighting arrangement allows you to ensure the success of the lighting project in advance. And then start the work in all serenity.
HOW TO LIGHT THE GARDEN
It seems straightforward and of minor importance; in reality, it is a multifaceted topic that requires essential precautions to obtain genuinely impressive results. The lighting has different functions depending on the area and is very useful for creating real scenographies to amaze those who frequent the garden.
Light is synonymous with comfort safety, suggests paths, helps us orient ourselves. It allows us to enjoy the open spaces on milder evenings, and why not, to amaze ourselves with special effects, enhancing elements such as essential trees, architectural details, fountains, green walls, and so on. We are used to unattractive light fixtures that create a hindrance, but, as we will see, design and creativity come to our aid with truly stunning novelties for all tastes and spaces.
How to illuminate the garden and the basic principles for obtaining a good result?
A beautiful garden requires adequate lighting to be enhanced and functional. It would be a shame to have a beautiful green space and then leave it in the shade in the evening. With the light fixtures, we can create settings that can make the outdoor space pleasant even in the darkest hours, not only to frequent it but also to appreciate its beauty when you are indoors. Let’s not forget that if we are in the living room seeing dark outside, a feeling certainly does not suggest much security. Having external light guarantees better comfort, especially for those inside the house.
But where do we start from?
The first step is to define what we want to illuminate, analyze the different areas, and find the most appropriate luminaire.
Let’s see the main ones that must never be missing:
A beautiful garden requires adequate lighting to be enhanced and functional. It would be a shame to have a beautiful green space and then leave it in the shade in the evening. With the light fixtures, we can create settings that can make the outdoor space pleasant even in the darkest hours, not only to frequent it but also to appreciate its beauty when you are indoors. Let’s not forget that if we are in the living room seeing dark outside, a feeling certainly does not suggest much security. Having external light guarantees better comfort, especially for those inside the house.
But where do we start from?
The first step is to define what we want to illuminate, analyze the different areas, and find the most appropriate luminaire. But how do you choose the elements to be inspired?
Let’s see the main ones that must never be missing:
THE PATHS
As we have said, safety is paramount, both if it is a question of not leaving disturbing dark areas and if we are talking about underlining the walkable neighborhoods to follow to reach the different areas avoiding the dangers of falls. Care must be taken that the spotlights do not dazzle, prevent unnecessary waste of energy, or leave dark areas near thresholds and steps, ensuring the right degree of safety to proceed along the walkways.
Indeed this is the case in which one intervenes either with recessed spotlights, walkable, with grazing light beam (to be foreseen before any flooring) or with poles, looking for the best in terms of aesthetics if they are visible or recessed luminaires if we are near walls or low walls.
THE LIVING, DINNER, AND RELAXATION AREAS
Let’s talk about those frequented areas to fully enjoy the garden, perhaps with a lovely outdoor dinner, or the sofas where you can read a good book or chat with friends. These areas need to be illuminated both horizontally and vertically.
For example, let’s think of a table: it must be lit to eat in the evening in a discreet but functional way, but also in a fun way, perhaps with lights suspended from the pergola, or floor lamps, or, why not, more original and ironic solutions. If we have an outdoor kitchen or a barbecue, we need to think of cleverly positioned lamps to illuminate well, especially when the sun goes down. In this case, we find spotlights that guarantee a beam of light that illuminates the cooking area well without interrupting the harmony of the setting.
In the relaxation areas, we can indulge ourselves with many design solutions, from floor lamps to those with more particular shapes, illuminating the seats with a wall or table lamps, or, why not, directly introducing chairs or luminous vases.
Lately, the trend is to use stripes that produce “lighting strips” housed in recesses to create particular effects that enhance architectural elements and pergolas.
LA VEGETAZIONE
The garden comprises many elements, from the most attractive to those that act as a frame for the various areas. But how to illuminate the plants in their complex diversity? It is necessary to consider their size during growth, the shape and bearing, the color of the leaves, and even the flowers. For example, tall trees should be illuminated from bottom to top to emphasize the slender shapes and the fascinating texture of the branches. It is better to use an adjustable spotlight to be directed towards the plant, avoiding light pollution. It is lovely to enhance trees and shrubs by creating chiaroscuro effects with their leaves. It can be fun to observe the shadow of the branches projected on the walls behind the plants.
If we are talking about bushes with a height of up to 80 cm, the best rule to follow is to illuminate them from top to bottom with lanterns capable of enhancing their shapes and colors. Another solution is to use recessed spotlights or projectors that shine from the bottom upwards, fringing the light between the foliage. Green is a perfect stage to be inspired that allows you to create a lot of settings.
The important thing is to understand who our protagonists are, plants, shrubs, trees, or architectural elements such as fountains, statues, ponds, creating the best effect with harmony and elegance, which can bring together with refinement all the details.
Also, in this case, the design helps a lot, with always innovative and surprising solutions. One of them is the Nido lamp, a beautiful solution that envelops the plant with almost natural and pleasant light. The Menhir lamp of light, a rock that surprises scenographic luminous cuts, integrates perfectly with the garden. Some even emit music as audio speakers, which various electronic devices can direct.
We have said that design now helps us on many occasions, but let’s also discover the truly unique and captivating pieces that make the garden genuinely personalized. Original elements become true protagonists, such as the Penelope lamp, which with its stage presence, stands out in parks and terraces with a monumental air, and a more than human height.
The combination of light and design generates exciting elements, such as utterly bright furniture, such as the lamps by VGnewtrend, which creates the effect of clouds suspended over the water by the pool. Or the luminous vases that, like columns, slender the shrubs they host inside with beams of light, creating a lovely setting. And then we indulge ourselves with various elements, such as bright animals of all shapes and colors, more extensive and smaller, to allow us to create our dream garden.
The lights can be of various kinds. Many are connected to electricity, but there are others with solar energy or rechargeable by battery, which allow you to reach even the most distant areas of the garden, allowing the possibility to illuminate without intervening with excavations and connections. The latter’s convenience is that they can be moved at will, thus diversifying their function according to the seasons and needs.
Let us remember that these lights remain on for many hours, so the consumption factor must always be considered. Using LED lamps, now available in a wide range of temperatures, allows you to promote savings. We talk about light temperatures precisely because not everything is good everywhere. For example, barbecue areas, fireplaces, and kitchens require more neutral tones identified in a value of 4000 K.
The warmer colors best illuminate the green relaxation areas for a welcoming atmosphere. In the underlying value at 2700/3000 K. Above 4000 K, devices are usually reserved for more architectural elements such as fountains and walls.
Finally, let’s not forget that the distance between lighting bodies must be well calculated to avoid exceeding with unnecessary dispersion of light, or leaving areas that are not enhanced, or dark, certainly not very attractive.
Each has its light, whether creative and original, hidden and functional, there is everything for all tastes and needs, and with a skillful design, the wow effect is genuinely guaranteed!
Contact
Phone
+(1) 860 288 4254
info@bestlandscapedesign.com
Address
543 TN, doula street
NY, New York