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[ 90 ]dlmhomeanddesign.com

details | night lights

Lighting creates ambiance and safety for your outdoor living areas.

Photo by Raul J. Garcia, courtesy of Studio B Architects

NiGht LightsWell-designed outdoor lighting adds curb appeal and ambiance

to your home. It creates a safe environment for walking, so homeowners in the

mountains don’t stumble upon a bear or mountain lion.

“Up-lighting on mature trees will give a sense of the visual canopy, while

downlighting can showcase the landscape by highlighting the ground level

features,” says Gregg Mackell of 186 Lighting Design Group. When planning

outdoor lighting, you not only have to think about how it will look, but also how

it will feel when you’re in the area. “If you walk through a series of downlit areas,

you will feel like you’re in a spotlight,” says Mackell. He suggests lighting a path

with low-level lighting, then highlighting surrounding vertical features for a

feeling of comfort and safety.

Another consideration is how the lighting looks when you’re inside the

home. Reflections from interior lights can mask the beauty of the exterior

lighting. Mackell suggests a plan for both the interior and exterior so they work

together. He says the ability to dim certain interior lights will lessen the reflection

enough that your eyes will want to look right through the glass. “That’s where you

get that magical connection between the inside and the outside,” says Mackell.

[ 91 ] denver life home+design

details | night lights

Photo courtesy of Archstyle

tips for Well-Designed L i g h t i n g

LiGhtiNG foR SAfety: Stairs, water, bridges, changes in elevation and other fea-tures that may be a tripping hazard should be properly lit.

in the mountains, it’s important to light the outside for safety so homeowners are not surprised by animals.

in the city or suburbs, you might want to light areas around the house or along pathways to illuminate any potential hid-ing spaces for intruders.

LiGhtiNG foR AeStheticS:Look at the landscape from viewpoints you will have as you experience the space. 

Look at the landscape from pathways, from a dining room, from a patio or a street. from these viewpoints, determine which features are worth lighting. 

Most deciduous trees look good when illuminated with up-lights near the trunk, while evergreen trees look best when lit from far away. 

in a modern hardscaped area, LeD or fiber optic paver lights are great options.

Step lights can add function while enhancing the look of stairs. choose the style wisely for a dramatic effect.

controlling glare is important when considering any outdoor lighting. Glare causes your pupils to shrink, which makes everything around the source of glare appear dark. Using fixtures with glare shields or hiding glare through landscaping can help create a glare-free environ-ment.

one final consideration when developing a lighting plan: codes. Many areas have adopted the intent of the interna-tional Dark Sky Association. Navigating these regulations can be tricky. A professional lighting design company is your best bet to ensure you meet the regulations required for your area as well as get the look you want for elegant, unobtru-sive outdoor lighting.

Photo by Jim Bartsch Photographer, courtesy of Mosaic Architects and interiors

Resource 186 lighting design group, Denver303.534.5350 | 186group.com