Blogging Heros
One of the primary motivators for the homeowner is considering a patio or deck area as an add-on to their home is its entertainment value. Cruise the neighborhood during the day and you will more than likely see only a few people using the patio or deck.
However, as evening approaches the story changes. When parents come home from work or when it’s the right time to plan a party for friends and relatives, the patio or deck is frequently used as the center of festivities that often last well into the night.
During the planning stages, it’s important to include a lighting plan with the help of electrician Northern Beaches to make sure that the patio and deck area is not only well-lighted but that the lighting design creates a magical effect for its visitors.
Picking out a theme for patio lighting is pretty simple. For those that are in an area where seasons change, a true summer look is probably the best way to go. It is not like there are going to be people sitting outside having a beer in the middle of December. However, there can be lighting that is out of their year-round just to enhance the look. It is easy to scale down over the winter and still have lighting installed with the help of Northern Beacheselectricians in Sydney, even in the coldest of months.
- Uplighting
Starting with the most elegant (and usually the most expensive) deck and patio lighting we can take a look at lights that are built-in to the foundation elements of the patio or deck. These lights provide a soft uplight glow that can mark a pathway or just provide a non-functional source of beauty.
The lights are generally installed by contractors during the patio and deck construction and are generally not a project that the average DIY should consider tackling. This type of lighting done in a variety of colors and has even seen systems that automatically change the colors during the course of the evening, providing a mood-altering effect.
Uplighting is a technique that looks rich and costs next to nothing to install. By placing lights skillfully underneath plants, around trees or in areas such as fountain displays or ponds, it can offer an enhancement that will offer a very rich look. You can have them installed with the help of electricians of Northern Beaches. Those weeds can be taken out of the picture fairly quickly when you are drawing everyone’s attention to the newly installed waterfall and fish pond.
- Dimmers
Dimmers are also a worthwhile investment for ground-level lighting, allowing the host to increase or decrease the intensity of the lighting depending on the mood desired. Ground lighting is very safe since the lights themselves are never in contact with the visitors. Northern Beaches emergency electricians will make sure that the process for changing the bulbs is simple and straightforward.
Speaking of dimmers, it’s generally a good idea to keep your entire deck and patio lighting system under dimmer control. Bright moonlight can allow you to turn the lighting down a bit while dark moonless nights can prompt you to boost the light up a bit.
- Ground-level lighting
Ground-level lighting can also be used to frame the patio or deck area particularly if you’ve planted shrubbery or other low plantings around the area.
- Downlighting
Downlighting is another type of deck and patio lighting. As the name implies, this is lighting from above and can be used to simulate moonlight. Besides being a natural lighting source, downlighting also enhances the security of the area because a lighted deck or patio usually leaves the impression the there’s someone at home.
A creative way to use this as a security feature is to have your doorbell circuit tied into a switch that at least temporarily turns the downlights on.
Most downlighting is accomplished by the use of either or both floodlights and spotlights. The floodlight will provide more ambient lighting by illuminating the entire deck or patio area while spotlights can be used as task lighting to highlight such areas as stairways and entryways. Spotlights can also be used to accent special features such as fountains, plantings or cooking and eating areas.
Many decks and patio lighting are installed at the waist level to keep any glare away from the face and to provide an elegant touch. Some lighting can also be installed with the help of electrical contractors of Northern Beachesat the top of posts that are at the top of stairways or other areas that separate one part of the deck or patio from another.
- Rope lights
Some homeowners use strip or rope lights to highlight the porch or deck railing or other areas that need special attention such as stair risers or seating areas. If you live in an area where you can use a deck or patio during the winter holiday season, give some thought to decorating the area with lighting that can be used year-round.
- String lighting
String lighting is always popular because they are inexpensive and are extremely easy to install. When the seasons change, different color strings can be put up to reflect the mood that is desired. For the most part, these can be found for under $15 a string and as long as they are not abused, it will last for years without needing replacement.
