Lighting adds romance to backyard spaces and extends their use long after the sun goes down
stories by Judy Ross
photography by Derek Trask
What good is a room without light? Our indoor spaces function around the clock because of lighting, and we create a mood by our choice of electrical fixtures. The same can now be achieved outdoors. Recent changes in lighting technology have made it possible to have a backyard that comes to life after dark. It’s quite a stretch from the days when outdoor lighting meant beaming a 100-watt floodlight onto the backyard deck.
“When clients spend a lot of money on landscaping, they understandably want to increase the time that they spend outside, so the natural solution is to put in some beautiful lighting,” says Gary Nordeman of The Landmark Group, which designed and installed many of the gardens on last summer’s Backyard Glam Tour, sponsored by On The Bay. “There are many new lighting products that allow us to transform our gardens and enjoy being outdoors long after the sun goes down.”
As Nordeman points out, the big advance is low-voltage and LED lights. Low-voltage lights are only 12 volts compared to household lighting at 120 volts, so it’s safer and the wires just need to be dug six inches into the ground. With low-voltage LED lighting (rather than incandescent), you pay more upfront but the operating costs are lower and the lights will last a lifetime.
LED lights have long-lasting bulbs that use a tiny amount of electricity, and a few well-placed accent lights can make a huge impact.
Outdoor lighting, as demonstrated in the accompanying photos, can be divided into three different categories. One is task lighting, which includes small work lights to illuminate a barbecue or outdoor cooking area, or for reading at night. Then there is safety lighting, often surface-mounted downlight placed strategically for walking on paths, around a pool or down stairs.
The final category is more subtle and is used to create nighttime ambiance by accenting trees and shrubs, or highlighting sculptural or architectural features. These accent lights are usually uplights, which are concealed in some way, perhaps between two rock slabs, at the base of a tree, or hidden behind a dense shrub.
“The key,” explains Nordeman, “is to hide the source of the light. In many of the gardens we do, lights are everywhere but you don’t actually see any of them.” Lights are positioned to avoid direct eye contact.
Hiring an expert helps you decide what and where to light … and to avoid the trap of overlighting. A little light goes a long way. What makes these backyards interesting is the contrast between the darker and lighter areas.
These expansive outdoor spaces with separate living areas are designed for family fun and for lavish entertaining. They have pools romantically lit for ambiance, waterfalls that provide a soothing background noise, fully equipped outdoor kitchens, plenty of dining and sitting areas with cushioned seating, and almost all have some form of fire feature which allows everyone to stay outside even on chilly nights. It’s hard to imagine a better setting for a summer evening.
These alluring outdoor rooms have been made possible because of advances in lighting technology and furniture design. They have also changed the way families use their country homes.
“We are a family of skiers” says Fred Losani, whose grand weekend home close to the Georgian Peaks Ski Club was initially intended as a winter house, “but once we landscaped the backyard and put in a lap pool and a cabana with a kitchen, we enjoy the house just as much in the summer. We wouldn’t have used it very often in summer without this investment.”
With outdoor rooms being the hot new thing in home design, the changes in what can be achieved outside have been remarkable. “The most impressive thing in our backyard is the technology,” marvels Losani. The Landmark Group designed and created his outdoor space and installed all the lighting and the most up-to-date electronics. “Everything is remote controlled by my iPhone.” adds Losani, “I can put down the automated shutters on the pool cabana, turn on the lights, and open up the pool, all from my phone on the drive north.”
Who would have thought that possible even 10 years ago? ❧
