Illuminate Your Garden With One of These Wall Light Ideas
Be inspired by these transforming garden lighting design tips
Victoria Harrison
25 August 2018
Editor, Houzz UK and Ireland
Outside lighting can completely refashion a garden and extend the amount of time you can spend outdoors in the summer months. Here are a few wall light ideas to kickstart your own garden plans.
Triple your options
This smart courtyard has no less than three different types of wall lights, to provide the perfect mix of outdoor lighting. Two fisherman-style wall lights above the seating area offer a wash of warm light over the bench, while a box-style wall light by the door is practical for entering the building.
The third layer is the little floor-level wall lights that are angled straight down, discretely illuminating the stairs, ensuring there’s no trip hazard after the sun goes down.
Find a garden designer or lighting professional in your area to help you plan your perfect outdoor lighting
This smart courtyard has no less than three different types of wall lights, to provide the perfect mix of outdoor lighting. Two fisherman-style wall lights above the seating area offer a wash of warm light over the bench, while a box-style wall light by the door is practical for entering the building.
The third layer is the little floor-level wall lights that are angled straight down, discretely illuminating the stairs, ensuring there’s no trip hazard after the sun goes down.
Find a garden designer or lighting professional in your area to help you plan your perfect outdoor lighting
Make a Mediterranean enclave
This garden has a bright, twinkly atmosphere that is just so inviting, thanks to clever use of outdoor lighting, teamed with a light, Mediterranean colour palette.
A neat brass-framed box wall light casts a butterfly of warm light across the white-painted wall, which highlights the seating area, with a lantern behind the bench seat, and uplights at the base of each tree adding two more layers of light that combine to create a warm, welcoming glow.
To create a similar look in your own garden choose a glass-framed wall light to allow an even wash of light across the wall rather than the narrow beam of a spotlight, and choose a light-coloured wall to reflect the light back and magnify the effect.
This garden has a bright, twinkly atmosphere that is just so inviting, thanks to clever use of outdoor lighting, teamed with a light, Mediterranean colour palette.
A neat brass-framed box wall light casts a butterfly of warm light across the white-painted wall, which highlights the seating area, with a lantern behind the bench seat, and uplights at the base of each tree adding two more layers of light that combine to create a warm, welcoming glow.
To create a similar look in your own garden choose a glass-framed wall light to allow an even wash of light across the wall rather than the narrow beam of a spotlight, and choose a light-coloured wall to reflect the light back and magnify the effect.
Create a welcome return
The two small wall lights either side of these patio doors are neat and discrete by day, but when switched on in the evening they case a wonderfully warm glow that echoes the lighting in the room beyond and makes the entire space feel warm and enticing when viewed from outside.
As this example shows, it’s worth considering your external house lighting as part of your overall interior design scheme, especially if you are lighting the exterior of a conservatory or glass extension where the interior is clearly visible. Choosing the same colour of light (warm or cool) and an appropriate style will help to blend inside and out.
The two small wall lights either side of these patio doors are neat and discrete by day, but when switched on in the evening they case a wonderfully warm glow that echoes the lighting in the room beyond and makes the entire space feel warm and enticing when viewed from outside.
As this example shows, it’s worth considering your external house lighting as part of your overall interior design scheme, especially if you are lighting the exterior of a conservatory or glass extension where the interior is clearly visible. Choosing the same colour of light (warm or cool) and an appropriate style will help to blend inside and out.
Construct a warm atmosphere
How enticing does this outdoor space look? It’s the sort of garden that is begging you to settle down and fire-gaze on a summer’s evening, and it’s all thanks to the layers of atmospheric lighting (and that comfy sofa).
Spotlights with warm-toned lightbulbs on the walls behind the sofa create a welcoming mood around the raised area, zoning the space from the rest of the garden and adding to the mood created by the fireplace. The warm-toned lightbulbs pick out the warm red tones of the timber fencing behind and match the warm copper colour of the fireplace interior.
Strip lighting under the stone steps leading up to the seating area clearly marks the change in flooring level.
How enticing does this outdoor space look? It’s the sort of garden that is begging you to settle down and fire-gaze on a summer’s evening, and it’s all thanks to the layers of atmospheric lighting (and that comfy sofa).
Spotlights with warm-toned lightbulbs on the walls behind the sofa create a welcoming mood around the raised area, zoning the space from the rest of the garden and adding to the mood created by the fireplace. The warm-toned lightbulbs pick out the warm red tones of the timber fencing behind and match the warm copper colour of the fireplace interior.
Strip lighting under the stone steps leading up to the seating area clearly marks the change in flooring level.
Add some glamour
The smart brass wall light in this tiny London terrace suits the style of the space perfectly. Traditional, polished and quietly chic, it’s the perfect accompaniment to the classic style of this outside space with its checked flooring, clipped topiary and ironwork furniture.
This style of wall light is quite versatile and would also work well in a country-style setting – try setting it against timber cladding for modern-country style.
Shop for outdoor lighting on Houzz
The smart brass wall light in this tiny London terrace suits the style of the space perfectly. Traditional, polished and quietly chic, it’s the perfect accompaniment to the classic style of this outside space with its checked flooring, clipped topiary and ironwork furniture.
This style of wall light is quite versatile and would also work well in a country-style setting – try setting it against timber cladding for modern-country style.
Shop for outdoor lighting on Houzz
Highlight a feature
Uplights or downlights – or both – can serve to create a dramatic effect in a garden if used to highlight a feature such as a textured wall surface, sculpture or even a water feature. Here, an uplight has been used to shine a spotlight on a small wall-hung piece of sculpture that might otherwise have quietly blended in to the wall surface behind.
If you’re considering outside wall lights, think about exactly what they will be illuminating and position them somewhere where they can add drama and interest.
Tell us…
Have you used wall lights in your garden? Tell us what style you chose in the Comments.
Uplights or downlights – or both – can serve to create a dramatic effect in a garden if used to highlight a feature such as a textured wall surface, sculpture or even a water feature. Here, an uplight has been used to shine a spotlight on a small wall-hung piece of sculpture that might otherwise have quietly blended in to the wall surface behind.
If you’re considering outside wall lights, think about exactly what they will be illuminating and position them somewhere where they can add drama and interest.
Tell us…
Have you used wall lights in your garden? Tell us what style you chose in the Comments.
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I’m becoming aware of how damaging to wildlife nocturnal lighting is. I have cut my use of it.
It's of course - personal choice - but when it comes to lighting - less is more. The low wattage LED base level lights give good structure to features you really want to highlight and allow you to navigate around essential parts of the garden - which is vital for the ageing and visually impaired. However - the days of illuminating your garden like a Walt Disney theme park are (mercifully) coming to an end. Better for the environment too - using less power. Some classic white gardens (like Sissinghurst) were designed originally to look fantastic in moonlight.
Sensescape.......Hear hear! But let's not forget the wildlife visiting and living in our gardens, which depend on their own precious natural circadian rhythms....light annnd darkness.