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Outdoor Up and down wall lights are a unique way to bring visual appeal to your space. Outdoor up and down lights especially can take your living area to the next level by adding gorgeous external wall lights to your garden. In this article, we’ll explore exterior up and down lights and how to make the most out of them.
How to Create Mood Lighting in Your Garden With up and Down Wall Lights
Exterior up and down wall lighting can transform the look and feel of your garden. Perfect for creating a mood for a romantic dinner outdoors or a lively garden party with friends, up and down outdoor wall lights can set the stage for a beautiful evening. Check out some outdoor lighting design ideas below.
Highlight the Architecture
Using these fixtures as accent lights, you can show off key elements of the architecture and create focal points. Shine these lights near textured walls, columns, alcoves and any other feature you want to draw attention to. Using them, you can create a gentle wash of indirect light that gives personality to the space.
A Relaxing Oasis
By installing wall mounted outdoor lights on garden walls and fences, you can define the perimeter of the garden itself. This can set it aside from the rest of the outdoor area, making it inviting and apparent. You can light trees and canopies above, as well as paths and seating areas below, with up and down lights.
Set an Outdoor Dining Scene
If you want to have a romantic outdoor dinner, you can achieve it with up and down lights. Washing the wall with warm, indirect lighting can give you enough illumination to easily see by. This light remains subtle and gentle enough on the eyes to set a romantic mood at the same time.
Elevate Outdoor Gatherings
Use up and down wall lights for gardens to create a more inviting atmosphere for your guests. By having dimmable lighting in the space, you can stay in control of the brightness and overall mood. Make it brighter for livelier parties, or dimmer for more intimate get-togethers.
How to Integrate Up and Down Outdoor Wall Lighting With Your Other Garden Lighting
LED outdoor wall lighting can be incorporated into existing garden lighting design. Doing so will create a balanced, well-lit look that focuses as much on form as it does on function. Layering your lighting will enhance everything about the garden, in fact, and it is quite easy to do.
For functional task-style lighting, you can use exterior wall lighting to light steps and pathways. Place the lights along garden walls and fences near pathways to provide extra lighting for easier navigation. When combined with low level pathway lights, you can light both vertical and horizontal spaces together.
Uplights can also be used to show off trees and shrugs. Shine a light up vertical features, including sculptures and shadows, to create a nice layer of accent lighting. Doing so will take up some of that vertical space and give the garden a greater sense of depth and dimension.
If your goal is to create a warmer, more inviting atmosphere for gatherings, string lights are a good supplement. They offer a whimsical feel and cast soft lighting from above. Up and down wall lights can complement string lights by covering the vertical space below the strings.
By combining uplights with wall washers, you can show off the texture of the wall, as well as any nearby vertical structures. This sort of style helps create more dramatic focal points while providing plenty of indirect lighting as well.
How to Create a Focal Point With Exterior up and Down Wall Lighting
One of the best garden wall lighting ideas you can implement is to create focal points and visual interest in the garden. Up and down wall lights make that an easy effect to achieve.
- Lighting a pathway with wall lights along the walls or on columns helps direct a person around the garden in a subtle but effective way. While enhancing the visual flow, it also creates a focal point of the footpath by naturally drawing the eye along its length.
- GATES AND ENTRYWAYS. By placing up and down lights on either side of entries, you can create a sense of symmetry while also drawing the eye to that particular area of the garden. Choose matching fixtures to get a totally balanced effect.
- CREATE A FEATURE WALL. With up and down lights placed close to walls, you can turn them into a focal point. Focus on the textures of the wall by using the light to create tiny shadows on it. This is especially effective when used on walls with brick or stone textures.
- WATER FEATURES. Water features such as waterfalls, ponds and fountains, are a natural focal point in the garden. Using up and down lights, you can draw even more attention to this feature and make a statement out of it. The light will shine not only on the feature itself but the water, creating a dazzling reflection.
What Are up And Down Outdoor Wall Lights?
An up and down wall light does precisely what the name suggests: shines illumination above and below the fixture. A bulb sits at the top and the bottom of the fixture, outputting light both upward and downward on the wall. This creates a beautiful glow that is commonly used for accent lighting.
What is The Best Height to Mount Outdoor Wall Lights?
When it comes to installing up and down wall lights, outdoor design matters. The height at which you choose to mount your light will come down to personal preference and how it fits into the existing design scheme of your outdoor living area.
That said, there is a general rule of thumb for mounting lights: install the light around eye level to avoid glare. This usually means installing the up down wall light around 1.6 to 1.7 meters.
How To Use Up And Down Exterior Wall Lights on a Porch Area
The porch area provides the main entrance that your family and your guests will use to gain access to your home. It deserves to have proper attention paid to it in order to ensure it is a welcoming and stylish space.
Porch lights offer a chance to accomplish this, especially if you like the look of a symmetrical design. One of the most common ways people install their porch wall lights is by placing one on either side of the door.
It is generally agreed that when installing a porch up and down wall light, you do so just above eye level, as you would anywhere else. This typically means putting the up and down outside lights between 3/4 and 7/8 of the door’s height. In so doing, those approaching the door won’t have light glaring in their eyes.
Ultimately, it is up to you, but the light should at least be high enough that they shine on the steps near the door and the immediate porch area.
Advice on Using Up And Down Wall Lighting in a Coastal Location
Coastal areas present their own challenges when it comes to outdoor lighting. Elements are present here, such as sand and salty air that you won’t find further inland. When choosing your exterior wall lights, this should be kept in mind.
Your garden wall lights and other general outdoor wall lights should possess two main traits in order to ensure best results:
- WATER RESISTANCE – By choosing wall lights with an IP rating of IP44 or better, you can fortify your up and down exterior lights against moisture, both from rain and from the ocean spray.
- DURABILITY – When choosing up and down lights, exterior hazards such as high wind should also be taken note of. Wind and rain are one of the biggest drivers of corrosion, so your fixture should be strong enough to withstand that threat. Generally, it is recommended that you pick metallic fixtures to this effect.
Some of the most popular types of metallic fixtures include:
- ALUMINIUM
- STAINLESS STEEL
- BRASS
- COPPER
Why LED Wall Lighting Is the Best Option
LED up and down wall lights are considered to be the best option when it comes to your lighting. LED bulbs pose many benefits that make them the prime choice, both in terms of interior and exterior lighting. A few of the perks of LED lighting include:
- LONG LASTING LIFE – One of the biggest draws of LED bulbs is their long lifespan. Whereas you can only expect traditional bulbs to burn for 1,000 or so hours, LED bulbs have a minimum of 20,000 hours of use. This will not only spare you the costs of constantly replacing the lights, but it will also save you the energy and effort of constantly going outside to maintain them.
- LOW ENERGY – LED lights saw their popularity rise initially due to their energy efficiency. They leave behind a low carbon footprint and consume less energy to generate light. This can translate into savings on your energy bill over time, while also lessening your environmental impact.
- COLOUR RANGES – LEDs have the unique benefit of coming in a huge range of warm and cool lights. You can select the one that best suits your taste or needs and customise the appearance in a way you can’t with traditional halogen bulbs.
- DURABILITY – LED lights are not as fragile as other bulbs. This makes them ideal for withstanding the effects of the elements that they will be exposed to. Since they don’t have fragile filament or glass components, they are also shock resistant.
- SAFE IN COLD TEMPERATURES – LED lights actually tend to work better in colder environments, as they thrive on low-voltage operation.
What is IP Rating And What Should You Use Outdoors?
Outdoor wall lights, like any outdoor lighting fixtures for homes or businesses, require special consideration. Weather and the elements pose a unique risk to exterior lighting that indoor lights do not experience.
An IP rating is a way to tell how resistant up and down wall lights are to debris and moisture, such as precipitation. Standing for Ingress Protection, an IP rating uses number and letter combinations to indicate the resistance levels.
The first digit of an IP rating measures outdoor up and down lights’ resistance to debris, while the second letter indicates resistance levels to moisture.
First Digit – Solids
0 – Offers no protection against solid objects.
1 – Offers protection against objects greater than 50 millimeters in size.
2 – Offers protection against objects greater than 12.5 millimeters in size.
3 – Offers protection against objects greater than 2.5 millimeters in size.
4 – Offers protection against objects greater than one millimeter in size.
5 – Offers protection against most entry of dust; known as “dust protected.”
6 – Offers protection against all entry of dust; also known as “dust tight.”
Second Digit – Moisture
0 – Gives no protection against moisture.
1 – Gives protection against vertical dripping water.
2 – Gives protection against vertical dripping water from a 15-degree angle.
3 – Gives protection against vertical sprays of water at a 60-degree angle.
4 – Gives protection against splashing water from any direction.
5 – Gives protection against light jets of water from any direction.
6 – Gives protection against strong jets of water from any direction.
7 – Gives protection against complete immersion as deep as one meter.
8 – Protects against complete immersion beyond one meter.
When it comes to outdoor up and down lights, your best bet will always be to purchase waterproof fixtures. It is recommended that, at the very least, you have IP65 rated lights. The very best case would be IP67 rated lighting.
What is CCT And What is The Best LED Colour to Use For Exterior Wall Lights?
CCT, or colour correlated temperature, is an alphanumeric value that measures the warmth or coolness of a light. These exist on a scale measured in units Kelvin and range from 1,000 to 10,000.
Toward the higher end of the spectrum, you will find cool colour temperatures. The lower you go, the warmer the lights become.
Different colour temperatures serve different purposes. Garden wall lights and other exterior up and down lights can be either warm or cool in temperature. It ultimately comes down to your needs and preferences.
If you are using up and down outside lights as a part of a security lighting scheme, you may prefer cooler lights. Cool lights tend to be crisper, brighter and clearer, so you’ll easily be able to see any objects on security cameras.
Wall wash up and down outdoor wall lights that are primarily for aesthetic purposes tend to work better with warmer lights. Wall washer up and down lights tend to be used to highlight textures on walls or otherwise enhance their appearance, and warm lights are best for this.
Outdoor Wall Lighting Design Tips When Using Up and Down Wall Lights
With outdoor wall lights, up and down illumination provides both aesthetically pleasing results and functional ones as well. In order to make the most efficient use of up and down wall lights outdoor fixtures, keep the following tips in mind:
- GET FAMILIAR WITH YOUR LAYOUT – Whether you want to install lights near shrubs, on sculptures, or as external wall lights, you’ll need a good idea of exactly where you want the lights to go and what you want them to do.
- CHOOSE WALL MOUNTED OUTDOOR LIGHTS THAT FIT THE SPACE – You want the illumination to stand out, not necessarily the fixture itself. Choosing subtle and neutral finishes such as black up and down wall lights ensure that the illumination is front and centre without the fixtures being too distracting.
- USE UP AND DOWN EXTERIOR LIGHTS TO CREATE FOCAL POINTS – An up-down wall light can be used to focus attention on a certain area from a lower or higher vantage point. These are good for use as a part of your architectural accent lighting to highlight pillars, niches, and other vertical spaces.
- BEAUTIFY THE WALLS – With up and down lights, exterior walls really have a chance to shine. Textured walls or other interesting features can be illuminated with outdoor wall wash lights placed at near or far distances to give varied effects.
How To Maintain Up and Down Outdoor Wall Lighting Fittings
Wall lights require periodic maintenance just like any other kind of light. This is especially true of outdoor lights due to being exposed to the elements as they are.
To ensure that they are working well at all times, regular cleaning of your exterior wall uplights is important. Be sure you check the lights every couple of months and remove any dust, dirt or other debris using a soft cloth or sponge dampened with mild soap and water.
If you notice during your inspections that your outdoor LED wall sconces have flickering lights, damaged wires or issues caused by loose connections, remedy the issue straight away. If the bulb needs replaced, do so as soon as possible to keep your lighting design intact.
Even if you have IP rated lights designed for outdoors, you can give yourself extra peace of mind by further weatherproofing them. Coat your LED up and down wall lights in a protective coating or sealant to prevent entry of moisture and dirt. You can also take this opportunity to winterize the lights by protecting or covering them in regions that are prone to snow and extreme weather.
How Wall Lighting Outside Helps with the Security of the Home
Wall lights can do more than just enhance the visual appeal of the home. They can also be used as a part of your security system.
A well-lit outdoor space is less likely to be burglarized. Without any shadows to creep around in, would-be intruders are not as likely to walk in direct light to get to your house. This increase in visibility also reduces hiding spots, making it more difficult overall for them to trespass.
If you are surveilling the outside, placing lights near the security cameras will ensure clear visibility when reviewing the tapes. Brighter lights also make it easier to see around the perimeter itself, so you are more likely to see any suspicious activity happening.
Wall lights attached to a timer will automatically turn on and off at set times. This means even when you aren’t home, you can trust the security lights to turn on to deter criminal behavior.
Wall lights can also make it feel safer and more welcoming for your family and guests. Plenty of outdoor light makes it easier to see pathways and entryways, which in turn makes the outside paths easier to navigate.
Ideas For Up and Down Wall Lights
Sleek, stylish and modern, the LWA288 6 Watt LED Up And Down Outdoor Wall Light is a contemporary option for stunning outdoor lighting. It has a cube shape with bulbs at the top and bottom that shine light above and below the fixture in a triangular shape on the wall behind it. The fixture is built to withstand whatever weather is thrown at it, thanks to the IP65 rating. Those who prefer neutral colours will love the choice between white or black up and down lights that these fixtures provide. It measures a total size of 100 millimeters in height by 100 millimeters in width with a 100-millimeter projection.
For something more subtle, try the LWA216 12 Watt LED Black Outdoor Up And Down Wall Light. This wall light features a cylindrical shape that shines 860 lumens of 3000k warm white light above and below it. The slimline nature of the fixture makes it an especially good option for porch lighting. It is crafted out of high quality aluminium with an IP65 rating that protects it from damage. The anodized black finish works well in outdoor settings of any design style.
With its crisp lines and angles, the LWA248 6 Watt LED Black Up And Down Outdoor Wall Light is an elegant and modern design choice. This light shines 240 lumens of 3000k warm white light above and below the fixture at a 30-degree beam angle. It measures 130 millimeters high by 50 millimeters wide, making it easy to affix multiples in a row along the wall. This light is fashioned out of durable aluminium and has an IP65 rating to protect it from the elements. It comes in a sleek black finish.
Make a statement when visitors approach your home by installing the LWA409 6 Watt Black Decorative Wall Washer Outdoor Wall Light. This light has a cylindrical shape with openings on the top and bottom. A total of 600 lumens of warm white light shine from these areas, casting the illumination behind it on the wall at a 60-degree beam angle. It is built to last from premium aluminium and given an IP65 rating to ensure no water or debris damage occurs. With a black finish, you can be sure it will fit right into any existing decor.
Elevate the appearance of your outdoor space using the LWA453 10 Watt Up and Down Outdoor LED Wall Light. This one of a kind light, available in your choice of black or white, casts a glow of 3000k warm white light above and below it on the wall. It shines a total of 860 lumens, making it bright and easy to see by. Each product is built to last from premium aluminium and comes with an IP65 rating to protect it.
Perfect for apartments and hotels with exterior access doors, the LWA480 6 Watt Square Customizable LED House Number Light is a modern way to label rooms and suites. This square-shaped light can be cut out to show any number of your choosing. Through the cutout, as well as above and below the light, a total of 500 lumens of 3000k warm white light shine. An acrylic diffuser further softens the gentle light. The black fixture is built to handle the elements, thanks to the IP65 rating and premium aluminium construction. It measures 128 millimeters by 128 millimeters in size.
Get a classic and classy look in your outdoor living area with the LWA370 6 Watt Brass Up and Down Outdoor Wall Light. This brass wall light features a beautiful finish that catches the up and down illumination and reflects it. It outputs a total of 600 lumens of 3000k warm white light that shines at a 20-degree beam angle. Thanks to its IP65 rating, you can enjoy peace of mind that the fixture won’t corrode or otherwise wear down in the elements.
Simple but effective, the LWA397 20 Watt Square Black Outdoor Wall Light is a stylish, geometric outdoor up and down light for any exterior wall. This light features a cube-shaped exterior with acrylic lenses that extend above and below the fixture. From these lenses, an ultra-bright 2000 lumens of 3000k warm white light is shone, making it ideal for larger outdoor areas. They come in a neutral black color that allows them to easily be worked into exterior spaces of any style. With an IP65 rating and a hard-wearing aluminium construction, you can be sure it will outlast the years.
Create a beautiful entryway to greet your guests with the LWA415 18 Watt Black Up and Down LED Outdoor Wall Washer. This wall washing light shines a gentle stretch of 3000k warm white light above and below it at a wide angle. It outputs 1800 lumens of light, making it particularly well suited for larger areas. With its black finish, it perfectly suits any outdoor area’s existing decor. With high quality aluminium construction and an IP65 rating, you can be sure that it will withstand exposure to the elements. It measures 200 millimeters in width by 80 millimeters in height with an 80-millimeter projection from the wall.
