The weather is growing warmer and many homeowners are eager to host their first outdoor event of the season. This leaves many considering their options for updating their outdoor spaces before party season strikes. If you too wish to ensure that your Hauppauge, NY outdoor kitchen entertainment area has a comfortable yet stylish appeal, you’d do well to make sure that lighting makes it onto your list. While a full lighting plan is something best left to the pros, we’ve put together some ideas to inspire your outdoor kitchen lighting update.
Utilize Levels and Layers
Lighting sets the mood in any area, and often does so in ways that are subtle yet profound. This potential can be taken advantage of to create an atmosphere of relaxation and comfort. Utilizing a number of layers of lighting can help achieve this. Rather than placing one large source of lighting that can be a source of glare, ambience can be built up from multiple low-level sources. Various levels can also work together to achieve this. Consider asking your landscaping contractor to design a lighting layout that places lighting at various heights (for instance, under-counter lighting paired with high hanging chandeliers) and fixtures that emit various wattages.
Consider Utility
Outdoor kitchens combine leisure with function. But how do you create an area that is useable for the preparation of food without destroying the relaxing atmosphere? The answer is task lighting. Multiple focussed sources of light can be placed above working areas such as countertops and cooking facilities. Downlights are perfect for this because they reduce light scattering and provide strong direct light without interfering with the mood.
Leave Your Options Open
Multiple sources of light are a good thing, but they don’t all have to be on at the same time. Speak with your contractor about the availability of light switches and dimmers and consider placing them in many convenient locations. It never hurts to have multiple switches for the same fixture, especially when effective entertaining demands efficiency and convenience. Make sure you have the option to leave certain lights turned off while others set a specific mood.
Bring Indoor Concepts Outside
One unfortunate assumption is that outdoor lighting belongs outside and indoor lighting belongs inside. While certain fixtures are created to be weatherproof, and a homeowner should have outdoor lights installed anywhere weather is an element, there are many concepts in indoor lighting that should be considered outdoors as well. Ambience, style, ease: these are considerations many homeowners include in their indoor lighting but exclude in their exterior plans. Speak with your landscaping contractor about unconventional exterior options and how they can make your outdoor entertainment as cozy and inviting as your interior.
Be Creative
Adding personal touches, particularly with regards to decorative lighting, can make all the difference in creating a comfortable, magical space. String lighting, decorative lamps or hanging lanterns are an excellent way of personalizing your outdoor kitchen and dining areas. Creative candle holders and torches can also add that extra sparkle that contributes to an area that is not just functional but also rich in character.
