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Established lighting design theory revolves around the idea of identifying and mixing together four main lighting types, namely decorative, accent, ambient and task lighting. And out in the garden we find that things are in principle little different for designing effective outdoor lighting. However, there are some important differences to be aware of before we look further at each of these lighting types.

Firstly there is an issue of scale. Indoor spaces are bounded by ceilings and walls and are thus quite restricted when compared to even a tiny garden. Outdoors the ceiling stretches up to the stars and when night falls it’s not clear where the edges are either.

This presents a number of problems and benefits where garden lighting design is concerned. Indoors, much of the light gets reflected from the ceiling and walls which simply increases the level of ambient light in the room. Outdoors however, light simply vanishes into space which creates a strong contrast with nearby areas and causes them to appear even more dark.

This lack of reflected ambient light means that many common indoor lighting techniques won’t work in the garden; but it also means that you can use this darkness to create interesting effects and in extreme cases design a night time garden that apparently bears no relationship to the daylight version by emphasising certain features and concealing others.

There is also the matter of how you plan on using your outdoor spaces. A classic garden design theory is that you should regard your garden as an additional room (or set of rooms) and design accordingly, lighting included.

You most probably use quite different lighting for specific rooms largely to suit their functional purpose; bedroom lighting for example as compared to kitchen lighting. Accordingly, if you intended to designate your deck as an entertainment area then you would also expect to fit lighting designed to support that purpose. And looking at other zones in the garden, say a water feature or walkway, it is again likely you would adapt the lighting to the intended purpose.

Which brings us finally back to the four primary lighting categories and their use outside.

Although ambient light is a cornerstone for the other three lighting types where interior lighting design is concerned, outdoors it can’t easily be used in this way because of the absence of reflective planes; instead ambient light is often pushed to the fore rather than playing second fiddle to the other types. Solar garden lights are a classic example of the kind of diffuse lights that gives a soft, pleasant glow without really calling attention to themselves.

Accent lighting is concerned with drawing attention to and showing off detail and/or color in whatever garden features you want to emphasize. It can also be used to draw the eye in particular directions. Spotlights are commonly used for outdoor accent lighting and for a really contemporary look, LED spot lights that deliver sharp, vibrant light and also run cold and can thus go places where hot incandescent lamps can’t.

Decorative lighting serves much the same overall purpose as accent lighting in that it is there simply to look attractive and catch your eye; the principal difference is that decorative lighting doesn’t illuminate anything else – it is itself the focal point. And like accent lighting, most modern decorative lighting is in fact LED based.

Garden task lighting is not really concerned with being able to read a book and such like but simply providing enough light for people to move around in safety. So path lighting, those LED deck lights that seem to get installed everywhere (and not just in decks) and lighting around areas where people might want to have some vague idea what they’re drinking or eating.

Successful garden lighting depends on combining all the four core lighting types, just the same as interior lighting design (and it’s also good to have independent control of the task lighting). Over reliance on just one type will almost always produce an unsatisfactory result. Ambient lighting alone will make your garden appear drab and formless; accent lighting used in isolation can seem over dramatic and rather harsh; and too much decorative lighting creates a disjointed and slightly tacky look.

An easy way to ensure a good mix of lighting types in your garden is to buy different types of light fitting. So have a number of different styles of spotlight (varying in brightness and beam angle) plus say some all purpose lanterns and spikes. Mix in a few coloured lights and combine both solar and low voltage mains lighting. LED garden lights are commonly found in both these formats and complement each other very well.

Have you ever thought about installing an outdoor spot light? It is easier than you thought and these lights serve more purposes than originally thought. Most homes or business establishments that have outdoor lighting schemes can benefit from the installation of outdoor spot lights. Outdoor spotlights have a number of different purposes ranging from providing extra security, high-lighting pathways, providing extra safety, and providing a nice form of ambiance. Properly positioned spot lights are a wonderful addition to any outdoor lighting scheme.

Typically when you think of outside spotlights you probably think of outdoor concerts, or outdoor shows where event planners needed to draw your attention to one specific spot (moving or stationary). Or perhaps you have only really seen spotlights lighting up the sign in front of local businesses. These are ideal uses for the spotlight, but you might not realize that there are many places around your own house that you could install a spotlight to great effect. Think of your backyard lighting scheme, do you have a wonderful statue or birdbath that could be lit up at night? Using outdoor spotlights let you focus attention on objects that would normally be lost in the dark, allowing you to create focal points that add extra dimension to your outdoor lighting scheme.

Don’t confuse spot lights with flood lights. Sometimes the names are used interchangeably but these are two very different types of lights. Each light serves different purposes. They do, however, possess some overlapping similarities. The most obvious difference between these two different lights is the focus of illumination. Flood lights disperse the light widely and are intended to light up large areas such as football fields. Spot lights have a more narrow focus of illumination and target a small area of intended illumination such as an athlete. The most obvious similarity between these outdoor lights is that they are in most cases installed at a significant distance from the object they are intended to illuminate.

Many people have discovered the benefit of weather proof spotlights used to great effect for backyard parties. They are simple to install, and a spotlight on a focal point of the party – ie. the bar area, or food table – can add to the ambiance by making these areas easy to see, but still keep other areas more dimly lit to maintain the ambiance. You can even add colored spotlights to the outdoor party scheme and maybe create a whole theme effect by lighting up a few well placed theme items, such as an outdoor elvis statue, or a water fountain.

Motion detector spot lights can be a very effective safety feature at gates and or driveways. Motion detector lights are triggered by motion. These lights are an effective solution for those that want the security of lights but don’t want to waste the expense of having the lights powered full time. Motion detector lights are also a great way of conserving electricity for those people who take an interest in being “green”.

You can use spot lights in so many different ways, both for your home or your business. The cost and ease with which you can install outdoor spotlights make this a valuable addition to any outdoor lighting plan. The final effect will be well worth the effort.