Chilly evenings are perfect for relaxing beside a cozy fire under the stars. Landscape lighting adds to the ambiance to your fire area, along with safety of your outdoor spaces. Here are landscape lighting ideas that enhance an outdoor fireplace or fire pit on Long Island, NY.
Depending on the location of your fireplace or fire pit, various lighting techniques can be used to give you exactly the kind of light you want around the fire and in other outdoor spaces.
Highlight the Masonry
Uplighting or in-grade lighting (where well lights are installed near the base of a tall fireplace and point upward against the masonry) can highlight the textures of the masonry with more intensity than sunlight or moonlight since the beams of light are relatively concentrated. The unique shadowing effect is especially noticeable on highly textured fireplaces such as those made with a stacked flagstone veneer, river rock, or brick.
If you have a smooth fireplace such as stucco or poured concrete, you can achieve a dramatic effect by using a wash technique to softly illuminate the surface and bring out the more subtle texture without casting a harsh light.
Use the Masonry to Disguise Light Fixtures
To avoid a cluttered look and provide soft ambient light in the fire area, light fixtures can be installed under the capstone of a fire pit, a seating wall, or under stair risers on garden steps. Be sure to use relatively low-wattage bulbs so that these built-in lights don’t compete with the glow of the fire.
Moonlighting
If your fireplace or fire pit is located near some tall trees, create a romantic moonlit effect by placing light fixtures high in the tree canopy. This typically doesn’t provide quite enough light for safety, but can create a spectacular dappled effect on the ground that looks just like moonlight filtering through the leaves.
Downlighting
Downlights can be attached to any nearby structure such as a pergola, covered porch, or under the eaves of the home’s roof. These fixtures can blend into the architecture during the day, and provide soft lighting to a specific area without creating a blinding effect.
Uplighting
In addition to highlighting the texture of the fireplace or fire pit, uplighting can be used for dramatic effect or to provide ambient light. Place uplights against tree trunks, within shrubbery or planting beds, or against the home’s siding.
Path Lighting
Low (lower than knee-height) fixtures can be placed along a walkway or around the perimeter of a patio or your fire area, adding a touch of romance and interest to the illuminated spaces.
Achieving the Best Effects
Many landscape lighting experts combine several lighting techniques for the most pleasing effect.
While it’s easiest to install landscape lighting during the construction of an outdoor space, it’s possible to retrofit the area to create the ambience you want around your fire feature.
Also keep in mind that many of your modern outdoor light fixture options are barely visible during the day, but will provide enough lighting for safe passage to and from the fire area and wonderful ambience at night.
Choose low-wattage bulbs to ensure that fireside lighting does not compete with the glow of the fire.