Landscape lighting in Atlanta should always be designed to draw attention to the most important features of a garden. Water features are often one of the most effective focal points for a landscape lighting installation.
Whether they are viewed in the daytime or at night, water features add significantly to the visual appeal of an outdoor living space as well as offering an element of tranquillity. If done correctly, lighting a water feature such as a fountain, stream, swimming pool or pond can turn a seemingly simple feature into a captivating focal point. Water feature lighting is important from both an aesthetic and a security point of view, as if extended time is spent outdoors in the garden after dark, the feature is a potential hazard.
The water feature needs to be considered from all aspects as external and possibly underwater lighting will be needed to illuminate the structure, create a contrast between light and shadow as well as enhancing visual interest and capturing the movement of the water. Here, working with an experienced landscape lighting company is essential as they will advise on the correct features to use and ensure that the solution works well with the yard’s existing landscape lighting installation.
The most important factors to consider are the:
1. Angle of the LED Lights
The landscape lighting should enhance the water feature and draw attention to the reflections of the water on nearby objects, but it is important to avoid glare on the water or blinding lights that shine on outdoor seating of a patio area.
This becomes a bit trickier if there are different seating areas and access paths as the lights need to be angled away from the main viewing positions. It is possible to use existing elements from the garden to shield the lights such as rocks, trees and plants.
2. Safety
While the primary focus of installing landscape lighting may be to enhance the visual appeal of the water feature, security is also an important consideration. Bodies of water can be close to invisible at night, which is a safety hazard for children and adults that are outside in the yard. Adequate water feature lighting along with clear lighting on pathways will help guests to navigate the garden safely.
If additional lighting is needed for safety, uplights can be used to illuminate a bridge and floodlights can offer illumination of a bigger area.
3. Fixture Location
It’s important to be able to enjoy the effects of the lights without seeing the mechanics of how they work. A specialist landscape lighting designer will be able to assist with this, placing the fixtures in such a way as to optimize the effect of the fixture while ensuring that the source of the light remains hidden or obscured. They will still need to be accessible for maintenance and cleaning.
There are a number of other factors that a professional landscape lighting company will look at when lighting a water feature, including the transformer location, taking into account flora and fauna, the mood or ambience, and considering different external and underwater lighting options.
Southern Landscape Lighting Systems has been installing LED lighting solutions for homeowners in Atlanta for many years. They are highly regarded for their ability to match the project vision with a solution which is both practical and enhances the aesthetic of a yard after dark. Their high levels of customer service and professional installations ensure that they are one of the leading outdoor lighting installation specialists in Atlanta.