Whether it’s a perfectly placed reading lap or the romantic glow of a chandelier, lighting creates mood in every room throughout our homes. Today, those same principles are being applied to outdoor living spaces to create cozy gathering spots, welcoming entrances, enchanted gardens and much more. Here are five stunning trends that will not only illuminate, but also complement and enhance your home’s architectural design, as well as your personal style.
Custom Lanterns
Gone are the days of glaring spotlights and generic sconces. Today’s lantern options range from romantic and ornate to sleek and modern and offer choices like live flame or energy-saving LED bulbs.
Tip: choose finishes like those shown here – wrought iron and cast bronze – that gracefully weather the conditions over time.
Dramatic Geometry
Outdoor lighting is a can’t-miss opportunity to showcase modern style. One increasingly popular trend is the use of bold shapes to create dramatic focal points at entrances and in outdoor living spaces.
Options like the rectangles shown here pair perfectly with a minimal aesthetic and can also complement contemporary designs.
Tip: Choose geometric shapes in iron and bronze to balance organic materials like natural stone and greenery.
Statement Pendants
Banish bashful with bold pendant lights that make a serious – and glamorous – statement in outdoor gathering spaces from living rooms and fire-sides, to decks and porches. Pendants not only provide an abundance of light, they are also an on-trend style that deliver on style.
Tip: Make this trend yours by pushing the rules on scale. Think “the bigger, the better.”
Modern Chandeliers
It’s time to rethink your notions of the chandelier. Far from the fussy, ornate crystal fixtures of days past, today’s chandeliers range from rustic to modern, in materials like cast bronze and wrought iron. The fact that chandeliers are mounted from the ceiling means they save on space and provide plenty of light in entrances and outdoor kitchens.
Tip: Hang a pair of chandeliers above an outdoor dining table to set the mood for festive gatherings.
Firelight
Although modern light bulbs provide a wide variety of hues and intensities, nothing can compare to the flickering, natural glow of firelight. Whether encased in a lantern or emerging from a gas lamp, firelight adds subtle charm to outdoor spaces.
Tip: Safety considerations are paramount when installing open-flame fixtures, which is why Solara includes features like “safety valves” that automatically gas lights when the gas is off.
Just as you carefully choose the lighting inside your home, from kitchen and dining room, to living room and bedrooms, take time to consider the mood and atmosphere you want to create in outdoor spaces. Today’s lighting trends have something to match every style, whether sleek and modern or timeless traditional.
To learn more about durable custom outdoor lighting options, call or email us, or visit our Dallas showroom.