Illumination of streets and parks, squares and squares, buildings and garden plots cannot be called a new idea. The tradition of installing decorative lighting appeared and took root in Russia from the beginning of the 18th century. Today, the lack of night-lighting in public gardens can affect site attendance. But hanging unusual lanterns along the paths of your own summer cottage will help you not to stumble in the dark.
Do I need lamps in the garden
Among the main tasks that decorative lighting in the country should perform are the following:
- security or technical;
- architectural;
- for decoration.
Lamps of the first type are installed solely for the purpose of functionality. They should provide comfortable movement around the territory at dusk and at night. In addition, the included lamps create the effect of the presence of the owners to deceive intruders and protect the dacha from their penetration.
Buildings illuminated in a special way during the holidays look very colorful. Colored lanterns, garlands and LED strips are used here. architectural elementsbuildings are distinguished by installing directional decorative lighting.
Unusual lanterns in the form of opened flowers or interesting figures will help to decorate the flower beds in an original way. Installed among plants, they add beauty during the day, and at night they carry a functional load and illuminate the garden.
How to revitalize the night area with simple means
It's nice when you don't have to wander in the dark along the paths of the garden. The porch, gate and gate, the entrance to the internal parking lot must also be lit for safety reasons. Sometimes it is enough to wrap the branches of several trees with luminous ribbons to achieve the desired effect. Although such decorative lighting in the country is the smallest of the means available now. In the same way, you can mark the boundaries of your property so that they are clearly visible in the dark. The location of small lanterns around the perimeter of the fence gives a person psychological peace. Experts advise avoiding an overabundance of lighting fixtures on the site, as it is more comfortable for people to move from a dark garden to a well-lit house. It is the main building that is intended to be the center of the light extravaganza.
It is recommended to highlight gazebos, shrubs and some trees with the most bright accents. Decorative garden lighting in flowerbeds and ponds is enough to designate with special means. White or colored balls floating among the aquatic plants of the pond look great. Lanterns in the form of small sculptures and flowers, placed among plants and shrubs, will complementgeneral impression.
Basic, duty and decorative
Street lighting differs from home lighting in several ways. These include:
- technical indicators of flashlights;
- presence or absence of supports;
- possibility of use in heat and cold;
- maintaining performance in any weather;
- durability.
The most convenient is the use of a combination of duty and main light sources. Decorative street lighting lanterns play the role of special, spectacular elements in the overall design of the site. Among them, we will name the classic forged lanterns installed along the paths or built into the wall of the building. Being part of the overall picture, they not only decorate the territory, but also serve as the main overhead light, highlighting their entire area of the site.
On duty sources include devices that provide the surroundings with flood beams. Such a device should be located away from home and above all buildings. It is convenient to install duty lamps at the garage, at the entrance to the site, along the perimeter of the territory, at outbuildings.
Small spotlights, which highlight an interesting architectural element or a special plant, should be hardly noticeable. The purpose of their use is to emphasize, and not overshadow, some details of the landscape, facade. You can mark the boundaries of a flower bed or pool if you dig a chain of spotlights around the perimeter. This move will not only create a magical atmosphere in the garden, but also make it safe to walk around.site at dusk.
Protection class and specifications
Due to the operating conditions, decorative street lighting must meet increased requirements. According to the international classification system, there are two protection classes and several subgroups. Lanterns must be protected from water leakage, dust ingress, made of protective heat-resistant and impact-resistant glass. You should choose instances in the production of which materials resistant to corrosion were used: stainless steel or aluminum. Models whose cases are made of natural or plexiglass have the best characteristics. A good indicator is the ability to operate the device in several modes: from bright to muted.
Types of outdoor lights
About the purpose, installation methods and types of fastening of street lighting fixtures, their names "speak":
- wall-mounted;
- console;
- outdoor;
- portable;
- floating;
- floor lamp;
- support;
- lamps.
In a well-organized system, fixtures are installed using various lighting poles. Decorative and functional lamps are usually placed in three levels. The upper zone, located above the level of vision, includes the roofs of buildings, high pillars and walls. The middle level is small trees and some architectural elements of buildings. The lower zone includes lawns and paths, flower beds and small shrubs, steps, soil and ponds. Forto achieve the ideal result, decorative street lighting fixtures are harmoniously placed in all three of these zones.
Color zoning
By decorating the territory of your site and knowing some design tricks and techniques, you can independently turn the garden into a kind of magical space for a wonderful holiday. Using decorative lighting on a large area, you can divide it into several zones. Distributing cold-light lanterns throughout a small garden can visually push the boundaries.
Create an atmosphere of comfort in patios, gazebos and terraces using soft diffused light. The muted electricity of warm tones will be very appropriate here. The festive mood is created by hanging twinkling garlands and multi-colored LED strips.
To obtain an expressive and harmonious illumination of the area, it is enough to apply lanterns of several colors. It is important to follow the rules that say:
- turning on a dazzling white backlight will make the surrounding landscape lifeless;
- do not use bright yellow and red bulbs;
- between devices should not be more than 10 m;
- it is preferable to install lanterns with diffused light above the paths.
Standalone or wired: which is better
When planning the decorative lighting of the site, you may find it difficult to conduct electrical wiring in some corners of the garden. In such cases, experts recommend using modelsaccumulating solar energy during the day. They are economical, have a modern design, are easy to maintain, completely safe and autonomous. The solar lights turn on automatically at dusk and remain lit until morning.
In hard-to-reach places, you can also install lamps equipped with touch sensors. Some models are made with fasteners in the form of clothespins. If you hang such "things" on the trees, you get a very funny design. Such hanging lanterns are used in gazebos and railings, anywhere where you can attach a hook.
Installation: what to look for
Forged sconces with classic glass shades strengthen above the entrance doors. In addition to being decorative, they also perform a functional role. Ground models of lanterns are installed directly into the ground. Sometimes they look like fabulous sculptures, birds or animals.
Connoisseurs consider the lighting system to be successful when most of the light sources are disguised among plants in the beds, in flower beds, in the crowns of trees. Only beautiful models are installed in open areas. Since the landscape of the garden plot is subject to regular natural changes, lighting accents sometimes need to be moved.
