Garden lighting
Lighting ideas for the outdoor living room With a combination of functional and decorative lighting ideas, the garden becomes a second living room - full of coziness and comfort. Illuminated paths, plants, flowerbeds and pools add flair to any garden party and make spending time outdoors in the evening even more enjoyable. We provide tips for an atmospheric garden season that also includes the basics of energy efficiency - from LEDs and solar to smart technology.
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Discover lighting ideas for the garden
Lighting innovations for the garden
Practical and convenient lighting for garden paths
Path lights and pedestal lights bring safety and an atmospheric ambience to our outdoor areas. They stylishly line paths, flower beds and terraces. LED pathway lights with ground spike require no installation work at all. If you want to save electricity, use path lighting with motion detectors. For more benefits in one, there are socket columns that simultaneously illuminate the paths and charge and operate electric garden tools, portable lights, etc.
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Atmospheric plant & tree lighting
If you don't want your flowering garden to disappear in the dark as dusk falls, outdoor spotlights are a good lighting idea. Plant spotlights and ground spotlights set the scene for trees and flower beds with directed light - for atmospheric plays of light and shade. Spotlights with ground spike can be placed in no time at all. They can be flexibly positioned between trees, shrubs and in flower beds. Tip: Spherical lights are also perfect for creating a harmonious play of light in the greenery.
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Decorative lights around the bed
Decorative lights with colorful motifs ranging from flamingos to garden gnomes are a must-have for the creatively designed garden, decorating our flowerbeds during the day and bathing them in a warm flair of light in the evening. The perfect equipment for flexibility and saving electricity costs: LED decorative lights with ground spike and solar.
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Pond and pool lighting for pure ambience
An illuminated garden pond or pool is a real gem on the property. The selection of lighting options ranges from underwater lights with IP68 protection, which are mounted on the ground or on the walls, to floating lights with changing colorful light colors, to spotlights and solar globes, which find their place around the cool water.
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Impressive wall, fence and staircase lighting
Modern spotlights, floor and wall luminaires bathe staircases, walls and fences in pleasant light, ensuring surefootedness and a pleasant visual boundary to the property. If you want to save energy and costs when lighting stairs, you can rely on solar-powered wall lights. And spotlights, Stripes & Co. for walls and fences are already available with solar panels.
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Expert tips on lighting concepts for the garden
Rely on LED
Modern LED technology can save up to 90 % energy compared to older lighting technology - and even more with the new energy efficiency class A. LED garden lights are also virtually maintenance-free due to their long service life. For luminaires with a socket, the old light source can be easily replaced with an LED lamp.
Use solar
If you want to illuminate your garden completely without electricity, you are well advised to use solar lights that rely on LED technology. The advantages: no electricity costs, no cable laying, no plugs. For optimum charging of the solar battery, always position the solar module in a sunny spot facing south and keep it free of dirt and leaves. Motion detectors ensure that the lights do not come on unnecessarily.
Use smart home
Smart outdoor lighting inspires with endless possibilities. You can select the right light color and brightness for every occasion using the app. The RGB function makes it creative and colorful. All-round systems such as Philips Hue offer a huge range of fascinating outdoor lights for outdoor lighting flair. Networked lighting concepts and routines can be programmed in no time at all.
Pay attention to the IP protection class
Depending on their position and installation location, luminaires that are installed outdoors require an appropriate IP protection rating to keep foreign bodies and moisture away from the sensitive electrical system. It makes a difference whether the garden light is to provide lighting flair under the canopy, in the open air on the ground or even in the pond, for example.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about garden lighting
Garden lighting is extremely individual and depends not only on personal preferences but also on the spatial conditions: Is it a small garden with a patio and a narrow strip of lawn or a large plot with plenty of trees, a garden shed, swimming pond and pavilion? In most cases, the requirements are somewhere in between. However, it should be noted for all scenarios that energy-efficient lighting can be achieved with solar, LED, twilight sensors and motion detectors. When planning, IP protection classes and the power supply must be taken into account, as well as the actual purpose: Is it about atmospheric lighting for the lounge? Then warm white light and creative decorative lights are perfect. Staircase lighting, on the other hand, is more about functional aspects such as glare-free lighting and safety. If you have any questions about garden lighting, please contact our specialist advice team.
Every garden light is exposed to the weather. However, as luminaires can be protected by a roof, for example, or be located near the garden pond, outdoor luminaires have different IP protection types (Ingress Protection). The first number provides information about the protection against foreign bodies. The second is about protection against moisture. Examples: IP44 (protection against foreign bodies >= 1mm and against splash water) or IP68 (dust-tight and protected against permanent immersion).
However, how brightly an outdoor light should shine depends primarily on its intended use and how you feel about it. Of course, a spotlight for the driveway with around 1,000 lumens must shine brighter than an additional light on the patio with a brightness of 100 to 400 lumens for an evening barbecue.
It depends on the application. Less than 3,300 Kelvin provides cozy, feel-good light for the garden. This warm white light color turns a garden into a second living room. A universal white light color between 3,300 and 5,300 Kelvin is particularly suitable for spotlights for driveways and other practical luminaires. In the living room, this finds its equivalent in desk lighting, for example. In the end, however, it's all down to personal taste.
If garden lights - e.g. path lights - require fixed cabling, this is provided by underground cables that are insensitive to moisture. Spade-proof laying, i.e. at a laying depth of at least 60 to 80 cm and frost-free in flexible conduits and in a surrounding sand layer of around 10 cm, is standard practice. The cable route is protected and marked underground with bricks and PVC warning tape. Lampenwelt strongly recommends that electrical installations are always carried out by a specialist.
If lighting is absolutely necessary for safety reasons, it is better to use luminaires with a power connection. This applies, for example, to lighting on steps, in the garage and for all lights used for burglary protection. Hybrid lights ensure that the system switches from solar energy to the electricity grid if the energy stored during the day is insufficient. Pure solar lights, which provide lighting flair in the garden, are charged by the sun. This means that solar lights do not have to be wired, but can be installed at any time without specialist knowledge. Solar lights should ideally be aligned to the south - so that they always get enough sun. Care should also be taken to ensure that the panel is not dirty or covered by leaves.
Today, many high-quality and durable garden lights use plastics and aluminum for the shade and housing. However, stainless steel remains one of the most popular materials. This stable and temperature-resistant material is less susceptible to corrosion and very easy to clean. What's more, it always looks high quality, wherever you go.
Many lights are now available with a permanently installed motion detector. This is a great help for comfort, safety and efficiency. In this way, tripping hazards can be minimized and light can always be enjoyed when it is needed. Lights with motion detectors are also more environmentally friendly and last longer, as the light is only switched on when needed.
Low-voltage garden systems (e.g. Plug & Shine from Paulmann ) can be easily installed in gardens and outdoor areas, even without a qualified electrician. Terraces, paths, flower beds, trees and walls can thus be illuminated without great effort. Low voltage with a 12-volt system, for example, enables simple and safe installation. Further advantages: The components are suitable for outdoor use and protected against moisture. The lights can also be repositioned at any time. The systems can also be expanded in no time at all.
As a general rule, the light must not shine onto the neighboring property and, above all, must not dazzle anyone. If, for example, the neighbor has to close the shutters or curtains so as not to be disturbed while sleeping, this neighbor can take legal action against the owner of the outdoor lighting. The owner is therefore responsible for keeping light immissions within reasonable limits. In the event of a legal dispute, the court will decide individually.
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