Outside wall lights are a sure fire way to enhance not only the visual appeal of the property, but the practicality and safety of it as well. In this article, we explore modern outdoor lighting and how best to incorporate it into your space.
What Architectural Outdoor Lighting Actually Means
Architectural lighting transforms a space in a way that other disciplines of lighting sometimes fail to. It focuses on the form, structure and materials of the building itself, tying it all together and accentuating the various elements at one time.
Because architectural lighting focuses on the building itself, it draws the eye to features unique to such buildings, including:
● textured surfaces
● clean, modern lines
● columns, recesses and overhangs
This style of lighting also helps improve the visibility in the area. In turn, this improves upon the safety, as architectural lighting can reduce glare while providing consistent, even lighting. This is great especially in places where you might have a CCTV security setup, so you can record footage more clearly.
Up and down outdoor wall lights are commonly used in architectural lighting, as they reveal the texture of the wall while providing indirect illumination. You may also notice a heavy use of recessed uplights, outdoor step lighting and even low glare outdoor lighting for pathways and entrances near the building.
Why Do You Need to Consider the Lighting Carefully for a Modern Home
Modern homes tend to have architectural features and materials that make them stand out from traditional homes. Because of this, the lighting needs will also be a bit different. It isn't wise to simply light a modern building the same way you might approach a traditional one, as you are likely to be unsatisfied with the results.
Take for example the clean lines and angles of a modern home. They tend to have sharp edges, flat roofs and generally large expanses of smooth areas. This makes every beam of light highly visible, as opposed to traditional houses that might have nooks and recesses to hide behind.
Smooth surfaces such as those in modern homes react different to light. If you aren't careful, you could end up over-lighting the area and creating hotspots and glare. LED wall washer lights and lights with narrow means are needed here.
By paying attention to the unique elements of a modern home, you can create a more cohesive light scheme. You'll need to take into account an entire lighting strategy instead of just installing lights on whim like you might with a traditional home.
The result will be a dynamic and interesting outdoor lighting scheme that plays to the strengths of the architecture. This will create a more eye-catching view from the road and overall improve the appearance of your property.
Why Is It Important to Consider Modern Exterior Materials
A contemporary home is likely to use different materials than that which you might find in use in a traditional building. Modern outdoor wall lights for contemporary homes must also respect the often unique material composition of modern structures.
Smooth render, stone, aluminium, timber cladding and composite panels are all common features of such buildings and should have lights that accommodate them well.
Smooth Render
Smooth render material evenly reflects light, as it has almost no texture. If you create hotspots, it will be impossible to ignore. Overly bright fittings here can also create harsh glares. Avoid this by using contemporary up and down outside wall lights that shine indirect lighting, or low-glare downlights.
Timber Cladding
Timber cladding, on the other hand, will absorb light. This makes it ideal for grazing fixtures that enhance the natural texture and elevate the warmth of the modern structure. Narrow beams for uplights and downlights alike work well here.
Stone Material
The irregular surface of stone responds well to dramatic lighting. You can take advantage of it to create contrast through texture-revealing uplights, downlights that create shadows, or grazing to show natural imperfections.
Aluminium Surfaces
Aluminium window frames, for instance, are highly reflective. This means, if you aren't careful, you may produce a glare. Avoid this by using indirect lighting instead of pointing beams directly at the metal.
Why Beam Angle Should Be an Important Consideration
Another important consideration for any modern outdoor lighting ideas for contemporary homes is the beam angle of the light. The beam angle refers to how light spreads across surfaces and exists on a spectrum between narrow and wide.
A narrow beam angle will create a tight, focused beam of light. On the other hand, a wide beam angle spreads lighting across a broader expanse. Choosing the right beam angles will ensure consistency across the entirety of the exterior.
Therefore, you can expect beam angle will affect things like:
● how much of the wall is illuminated
● whether the texture is softened or highlighted
● how intense the light comes off
Because of this, it can also shape the character of the home's exterior. For example, if you want something bold and sculptural, narrow beams work best. Soft and welcoming environments benefit most from wider beam angles.
These can also influence whether the details are highlighted or washed out. Similarly, it can influence the visual personality of the house at night. How it looks from the streets and the depths of shadows that are present can be determined by the kind of lighting you install.
At night, you will also want to prioritise safety lights and deploy security wall lighting. This can be achieved not only with well-placed wall lights, but bollard lighting, too. Outdoor lighting for dark driveways, entryways and other shadowy areas can enhance safety and your peace of mind.
Guidance on Ways to Light Architectural Outdoor Features
Minimalist outdoor lighting ideas for modern exteriors can be carefully planned and implemented to show off the structure without washing it out in illumination. Since minimalist homes prioritise simple features, you'll need to keep your lighting design just as precise as not to drown it in light.
● LIGHT VERTICAL FEATURES. Vertical elements offer rhythm and height to modern homes, making everything feel taller and more elegant. Use narrow beam angles on uplights to create vertical accents, and avoid wider beams that might spill onto adjacent surfaces.
● HIGHLIGHT THE TEXTURES. Show off the timber, stone or brick of your outdoor walls with lights that wash and graze the surface. Uplighting stone walls, for instance, can create dramatic shadows, while downlighting timber helps emphasise the wood grain.
● ACCENTUATE THE NICHES. Take advantage of the many recessed areas that modern homes tend to have and highlight them with your fixtures. Install under ground lighting that seems to shine from nowhere, or hidden linear lighting under overhangs for a unique effect.
● LIGHT UP THE PATHWAYS. Be sure you don't neglect the grounds. Light up the pathways leading to the building by way of LED spike lighting and other such post lights along walkways. This guides movement without taking away from the modern character of the home.
● SILHOUETTE THE ARCHITECTURE. By placing light behind an object and creating a silhouette, you can bring more visual drama and depth to the space. This is ideal for use with sculptural plants, architectural screens, slatted fencing and various garden structures.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Thoughtfully installing and planning your lighting can make or break it all. Architectural lighting requires precision by nature, and even small errors can throw everything off. Get familiar with the most common mistakes people make so you can avoid them entirely.
Overlooking Materials
Materials like stone, wood and metal will react differently to lighting. It is important that you are familiar with what effects will take place when choosing your lights and the placement.
For example, using narrow beams on smooth render can create hotspots. Wide washes on textured stone can flatten out the detail and cover over interesting shadow opportunities. Be mindful in your selections to avoid this.
Over lighting the Exterior
Using too much lighting runs the risk of harsh glares, washed out materials and a lack of depth. Instead, use subtle, layered lights to accent the architecture.
Using Decorative Fixtures
Choosing lights that are too ornate and detailed will clash with modern homes. They break up those clean lines and bring visual clutter into the space.
Forgetting Beam Angle
By not paying attention to the beam angle you choose, you can create hotpots or areas of patchy illumination. Choose the beam angles thoughtfully in order to successfully light up the entire exterior without over- or under-doing it.
Mixing Up Colour Temperatures
One of the easiest mistakes to make is to use two different colour temperatures together. Warm and cool lighting can create a clashing effect that can make the exterior look muddy and dull. Be sure that you choose either cool or warm lighting only in to ensure a more cohesive and balanced look.
Conclusion
Modern outdoor lighting brings plenty of personality to your home and garden. With the unique features of contemporary homes comes unique requirements for its lighting as well. In this article, we've explored outdoor architectural lighting and the best way to incorporate it into your home.
