An In-Depth Look at Outdoor Lighting

Whether you want to extend your ability to enjoy your outdoor space on short, crisp fall and winter days, or make the most of the mild spring and summer evenings, outdoor lighting is a must. Unfortunately, on covered patios, lighting is often underdone and poorly situated. For a truly functional and enjoyable outdoor space, a well-planned lighting scheme is a must.

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Moving Beyond the Porch Light

Properly done, outdoor lighting can transform your patio into a beautiful, functional retreat, lighting the way for your outdoor ventures, from prepping food for an impromptu evening barbecue to enjoying a glass of wine while getting lost in a book at night. Mindfully selected and carefully placed, it creates the perfect atmosphere for an enjoyable, relaxing evening. However, to successfully accomplish this, you’ll need more than the standard porch or security light blaring down on you from an uncomfortable angle. 

Tips for Lighting Your Outdoor Living Space

Because lighting can make or break the functionality of your outdoor space, we design each StruXure louvered roof system to artfully conceal low-wattage LED pot lights, keeping wiring hidden and providing unobtrusive illumination from above. This design allows you to incorporate lighting without sacrificing ambiance. To ensure an inviting atmosphere beneath your pergola, the outdoor living experts at Denver Pergola systems offer these suggestions for incorporating lighting:

• Position lighting in key areas.
  Integrate lighting into your pergola design over essential areas where people will be, or where lighting is integral to safety, including:

   

  • Doorways
  • Pathways
  • Stairs
  • Work areas
    • Kitchens
    • Grills
    • Dining areas
    • Recreational areas
  • Water features
    • Pools
    • Spas
    • Ponds and fountains

• Choose dimmable, programmable LED lights for versatility.
  Smart programmable bulbs are affordable and adaptable, allowing you to produce more illumination when and where you need to meet essential task and safety lighting needs, or dim bulbs for lower light output during quieter times. In addition to bulbs with dimming functions, other options include color-changing bulbs, and bulbs with light-sensing technology that automatic switch on/off at dusk/dawn.
• Incorporate a ceiling fan for added function.
  Adding a ceiling fan to your residential pergola is another fantastic way to add functional lighting, as well as to provide cooling and keep pests away in the summer months.
• Don’t forget ambient lighting for a distinctive touch.
  • Fairy lights
    Color-changing fairy or curtain lights add a welcoming ambiance when carefully suspended on pergola beams away from pergola louvers.
  • Strip lights
    Strip or rope lights, carefully tucked around the perimeter of your pergola, lend an otherworldly glow.
  • Pendants & chandeliers
    Add a decorative or romantic touch with pendant lights or chandeliers over areas where height isn’t a concern, such as over dining areas.
  • Portable lights
    Wet-rated lanterns and lamps add a cozy, homey feeling.
  • Downlighting
    Downlighting (lighting focused on areas beneath) is a great way to highlight visual features like fountains and landscaping.

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Illuminate Your Patio Safely

Always purchase bulbs and fixtures suitable for use in the damp, harsh outdoor environment. Outdoor rated bulbs and fixtures ensure the safety and the long-term performance of your lighting additions.

Avoid Overlighting Your Outdoor Space

When incorporating lighting, take care not to overdo it. Allowing for contrast between light and dark spaces is essential to a good outdoor lighting design scheme. Low wattage, well-shielded fixtures keep lighting contained and reduce light pollution, ensuring compliance with light pollution standards in many metro areas.

Let the sun and moonlight in with a StucXure louvered roof system. Learn more about brightening up your outdoor space with the help of  Denver Pergola Systems today.

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