Garden Lighting London – Guide to Transforming Your Outdoor Space

It doesn't matter if you have a small courtyard garden, or large landscaped grounds, every outdoor space can be transformed with garden Lighting.

There are many uses for outdoor lighting. It can be used for aesthetic reasons, to add drama and impact to your garden and to create the illusion of space. It can also be installed to enhance safety and security, for sports (such as tennis courts and swimming pools) and for social use (task lighting).

Whether you need contemporary garden lighting for a London city penthouse or traditional lighting for a country estate, there are a wide range of outdoor lighting options to choose from.

If you prefer a striking modern look, choose contemporary modern lighting fixtures in simple, dramatic designs. However, if the traditional look is more in keeping with your property, attractive period lighting in brass or wrought iron such as lamp posts or lantern style porch lighting may be more suitable.

Garden Lighting London – click here to view the location of our lighting showroom in north London

From pretty fairy lights to up-lights, pathway lights, driveway lights, patio lights and wall lights, the choice of garden lighting is endless. For this reason, when it comes to selecting lighting for your outdoor space, it is sometimes difficult to know where to start. To make the process easier for you, here we shall look at the steps to take when setting the scene with garden lighting.

The first place to start is to illuminate your driveway, porches and pathways. This is beneficial for three reasons: it provides additional security, makes it easier to get to your front door and helps create a welcoming ambiance for guests.

Here we shall look at garden lighting for pathways, driveways and porches and give a brief history of outdoor lighting.

Garden Lighting for Pathways

Pathway lighting is a form of garden lighting used to illuminate paths after dark. This type of lighting can be either switch operated or sensor driven so it turns off automatically when not in use. Choose from period style lamps, LED pathway lighting (offering energy efficient lighting), or modern and contemporary pathway lighting to add the wow factor to your outdoor space.

When installing garden lighting - don't overdo it as less is more particularly when you are lighting up your pathways. Too much can detract from the look of your garden.

Garden Lighting for Driveways

Whether you have a long, sweeping drive to your front door or a short drive hidden by trees, driveway lighting looks attractive, provides security and also allows you to see your way home safely.

Choose from spike lighting placed at either side of the driveway which is both decorative and contemporary, lighting that is flush in the ground, or bollard lights, which can also be used to create a border.

Top tip for outdoor lighting – don't be tempted to put the lights directly opposite each other along the drive. Parallel lighting will make your garden look more like a runway, so steer away from this look if you can.

Garden Lighting for Porches

This is probably one of the most important forms of outdoor lighting. A good choice is automated lighting – especially if you have steps up to your front door - as the light will spring on just when you need it most. It is also good for security too as it can work to deter thieves.

You don't necessarily need a bright porch light as ambient lighting will do just the same job. Choose from period lighting or eye-catching contemporary lighting.

When selecting outdoor lighting for porches – choose a style, colour and size of porch light that is in keeping with your property

A Brief History of Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting has been in use as long as indoor lighting. The earliest form of outdoor lighting was wood fires, which were used for heat, light, cooking and to ward off predators.

Portable lighting, or an early form of candle, was introduced as far back as 70,000 BC when natural hollow objects, such as shells or stones were filled with moss or another plant material, soaked with animal fat, then lit.

The Romans and Greeks used lamps outside their properties so they could see their way home in the dark and also to deter burglars. The Roman form of ‘street' lighting took the form of oil lamps which were lit by a slave responsible for lighting, and this practice continued through to the Middle Ages.

Animal or plant based fuel was used until the late 18th century. However, as technology developed gas lighting was introduced and by 1823 this lit up the streets of most towns and cities in Britain.

At the turn of the 19th century, gas lighting was replaced by electric lighting. This eventually paved the way for the wide variety of lighting we have today including energy efficient bulbs, low voltage lighting, solar power, fibre optic feature lights, sensor lighting, underwater lighting and creative feature garden lighting.

About Angelo's Lighting

Angelo's Lighting sell a wide range of contemporary and period outdoor lighting and garden lighting from their London showroom. Visit our north London premises where our staff will be able to advise you on all your garden lighting needs.