As summer approaches the days are getting longer and the nights are warmer. The weather is perfect for enjoying time outdoors, both during the day and at night. Outdoor kitchens and living areas are perfect for spending time with family, hosting gatherings for friends, and just enjoying as much time outdoors as possible. Sunlight shouldn’t determine how you get to use your outdoor space, so we’ve gathered some landscape lighting techniques to help you make the most of your outdoor kitchens and living areas.
Hardscape Lighting For Grills
One of the hardest things to do is grill the perfect steak, or any kind of food really, in the dark. Grilling in the dark means that you can’t get a clear view of your food, which can lead to undercooked or overcooked meats and veggies. There’s not much worse than spending a lot of time prepping the perfect steak only to overcook it because it’s too dark for you to see what you’re doing. Hardscape lights are LED strips that are used to illuminate landscape features that are made of stones, bricks, tiles, and other hard materials. This makes hardscape lights ideal for outdoor grills. Installing hardscape lights above your grill helps you make sure that you grill the perfect steaks and burgers every time.
Downlights For Work Areas
If you have a full outdoor kitchen, not just a grill, then it’s also important that you illuminate your working areas. While it’s difficult to grill in the dark, prepping your food in the dark is just as hard. That’s why we recommend using downlights for work areas. This can help you see just how much seasoning you’re adding to your food before you slap it on the grill. Downlights are extremely versatile in their uses. Not only can they help provide light to your work areas, but they can also be used for accent lighting around eating areas.
Deck Lights For The Eating Area
We’ve already discussed how cooking in the dark is the worst, but eating in the dark isn’t much fun either. Your eating area should be filled with ambient lighting and deck lights are the perfect way to do so. Deck lights provide a soft glow that’s bright enough to allow you and your guests to see where you’re walking and sitting, as well as what you’re eating. Not to mention, they can easily transform your deck into a gorgeous space that’s perfect for entertaining guests or for a romantic date night at home. Check out our gallery for some inspiration!
Fire Pit To Eat Around
Fire pits are one of the best features you can add to an outdoor living area. Not only are they perfect for summer BBQs, but they’re great when it’s time to make the transition into the colder months. When it’s cold outside you may be less inclined to enjoy your outdoor kitchen and living area, but with a fire pit you don’t have to be totally limited by the dropping temperatures. A fire pit can be perfect for year round entertainment and serves as a perfect place for you, your family, and your guests to eat. The best part? After you finish eating the main course, the fire pit provides an easy transition into dessert with some good old fashioned s’mores!
Spotlights For The Surrounding Areas
Now that we’ve covered the areas in which you’ll be cooking and eating, it’s time to think about the surrounding areas. If you have a nice yard filled with trees, gardens, shrubs, or anything else that you’ve put time and effort into making look perfect, then you need spotlights to show off your space. Like downlights, spotlights are extremely versatile. You can place them in your gardens to illuminate certain plants and bushes, or angle them towards your trees to make your yard feel bigger. Curb appeal should by no means be where your home’s lighting stops. If you have certain features on the back of your home spotlights are ideal for showing them off once people get in your home!
If you follow these simple tips, your home’s outdoor living areas will experience a serious upgrade. Don’t believe us? Give us a call and have a professional install lights at your home for free with our 3 Day Trial. We put our lights where our mouth is 🙂