Did you know that creative garden lighting owes a lot to the art of theater stage lighting? Although theater lighting is a powerful and complex form of art, a lot of the subtle effects can be achieved with low voltage landscape lighting. Talk about adding drama to your garden!
Theater uses lighting to create the right atmosphere for each scene. Here the mixture of light colors with both up and down lighting techniques creates a traditional and very romantic hacienda feel.
Lighting is also used to mold backdrops and add some depth and interest to the stage. On this lovely contemporary patio, the brightened palm tree creates the perfect background.
Even leafless trees can be the main character of your garden. In this example, the designer used low-voltage well lights to make the trees stand out on the landscape.
In theater, lighting can be used to define the perception of day and night. In a garden, lighting can have the same effect. By adding brightness to your garden, you can enjoy the outdoors on a warm summer evening well into the night.
Lighting can also be used to alter the perception of temperature. Notice how the house seems warm and cozy despite its cold, wintery surroundings.
Lighting has the power of changing a scene’s perspective. For instance, a lit landscape viewed from inside a home encourages movement to the outside. Focusing landscape lighting on trees rather than paths draws the eye up and inspires curiosity.