April 12th, 2016 by

Creating Ambient Pool and Landscape Lighting

The role of lighting is essential in bringing balance to your pool and landscape. Lighting provides an opportunity to enhance and create the perfect ambiance for entertaining and relaxing. It unifies your pool and landscape into a seamless environment. However, to be successful, landscape lighting must go beyond the basic functionality of merely pointing light to evoking a mood that will transform your backyard at night. Similarly, the traditional two large lights embedded into each side of a pool’s interior should be exchanged for playful lights that add color and excitement LED and fiber optics are two lighting elements for both pool and landscape that can provide you with the ability to create the perfect ambient lighting.

A beautiful pool design by Ewing Aquatech enhanced by ambient pool lighting.

LED and Fiber Optic Lighting for Pools

When it comes to pool and landscape lighting, they each have their own rules. For swimming pools, LED lighting is the ideal choice, providing both energy efficiency and endless color options. Reminiscent of the traditional pool era when incandescent lights were the norm for providing a safety light during night swimming, LED lights offer much more versatility. With their rise, incandescent lights started to pale in comparison to the LED’s energy savings and vibrant colors. LED lights owe their vibrancy to their higher color temperature, resulting in increased brightness and visibility at a lesser cost.

Fiber optics can compete with the LED’s vibrancy, but tend to be more expensive. They are best used to compliment pool designs by lending more of a decorative touch. For instance, fiber optics strategically placed at the bottom of a pool can portray a starry night sky to the delight of the pool owner. The goal is to balance having a well-lit pool while maintaining the ambience you desire. When choosing color for your lights, it is also important to note that the different types of interior pool finishes will influence the way the pool light renders. Your pool’s texture and color should be taken into consideration when choosing lights.

ambientlandscaplighting

Landscape Lighting

Extending the use of your backyard for enjoyment year-round can be as easy as adding fire features and, of course, the right landscape lighting. Enhancing your landscape with the strategic placement of lights can create a variety of visual destinations. While every backyard environment will differ, there are common techniques that can add the perfect amount of ambience and class to any landscape. Elements to consider when choosing lighting are types of plant life, pathways, and water features.

A lighting technique that can be used universally among most landscape designs is uplighting. Uplighting is perfect for calling attention to softscape elements such as small trees. Uplighting can also be used to highlight textures and create unique visuals. On the other side of the spectrum, down lighting can provide subtle, yet inviting light where needed, such as around pathways. Pathways with interesting designs can become more visually appealing at night as the subtle lighting follows the curves and dips of the path. For a more dramatic tone, highlight the focal points of your landscape such as water features. The playful movement of water combined with colorful lighting results in a striking feature that enhances its surroundings.

For more information on how lightening can enhance your pool and landscape, contact Ewing Aquatech today to get started on the backyard of your dreams.