summer style


Photography www.nude-designs.com GARDEN LIGHTING DESIGN


Lighting and home technology studio Nude Designs has plenty of good advice to offer – in fact almost every lighting scheme they work on now includes either the area immediately outside the property or the entire garden. Careful consideration needs to be given to lighting in each area and the transition between those areas. By differentiating between types of lighting and function, the lighting can be fine-tuned to alter its emphasis throughout the year. The choice of fitting is particularly


important. Choose good quality fittings that will last and which are properly protected against water ingress. Fittings that reduce glare, have spikes to allow repositioning in flower beds as seasons change, and the colour of light source are particularly important. Different light sources and colour temperatures will accentuate the colour of planting and trees, bringing out the blue- green of evergreens, the ethereal bark of Silver Birches and the bright hues of flowers in high season.


Control is crucial to good design. Daylight sensors can bring on welcoming lighting to the front drive and porch and soft lighting to areas immediately adjacent to the house remove black mirror window syndrome. More extensive feature and texture lighting in specific areas can be on separate circuits, with control switches that are accessible and practical. Good installation is the backbone of good design. Qualified contractors should install external lighting circuits, adhering to regulations, ensuring good connection, and putting all external circuits on separate breakers. It certainly pays to get it right. Whether your home is centuries old or recently established,


Photography www.nude-designs.com


The concept of the garden as an extension of the interior is now fully accepted.


good external lighting design will entice you to linger and enjoy your outside space long after the sun goes down. The concept of the garden as an extension of the interior is now fully accepted. The value of any outside space is now appreciated and we are seeing a significant budget allocated to renovating gardens as part of a whole house renovation. Along with this is the requirement to appreciate the investment and utilise the garden both during the day and at night. With the advances in the efficiency of heating, the availability and styles of furniture, the wide choice of temporary, or more permanent coverings and bi-fold doors creating an open plan link to the interior, it is no wonder interior designers and homeowners are making maximum use of this opportunity. This extra ‘room’ is widely used for entertaining, al-fresco family time, or simply for bringing the beauty of light and nature a bit closer to our everyday lives. Gardens reflect individual styles and preferences in the same way as the chosen design for our homes expresses the same. Almost every lighting scheme we work on now includes the area either immediately adjacent to the outside of the property, or the entire garden.


Nude Designs mirror this increased and varied usage. Careful consideration needs to be given to task lighting, architectural lighting and feature lighting in each area and the transition between those areas. By differentiating between these different types of lighting and function, the ability to alter the emphasis of the lighting throughout the year as the garden features change is finely tuned; be it to arrive, view from inside, to travel


through or to be in and appreciate. The choice of fitting is particularly important. Good quality fittings should be selected which will last and are properly protected against water ingress. Fittings that reduce glare, have spikes to allow repositioning in beds as the seasons change and the colour of the light source are particularly important. Different light sources and colour temperatures will accentuate the colour of planting and trees, bringing out the blue green of evergreens, the ethereal bark of Silver Birches or the colours of flowers in high season. Control is crucial to good design. Circuitry should be carefully considered to allow for different emphasis at different times. Daylight sensors can bring on welcoming lighting to the front drive and porch and soft lighting to the immediate areas adjacent to the house, removing the black mirror window syndrome. Whilst more extensive feature and texture lighting in specific areas can be on separate circuits for entertaining. Positioning of control switches should be considered so that use of the Lighting is accessible and practical. Having the light switch in the cupboard under the stairs near the fuse boards will probably mean that you rarely use it!


Finally good installation is the backbone of good design. Qualified contractors should install external lighting circuits, adhering to regulations, ensuring good connections are made and putting all external circuits on separate breakers. Whether your property and garden is centuries old or newly built and established, a good lighting design will ensure that any building will sit happily within its’ surroundings by day and night welcoming you home, visitors in and enticing you out to linger and enjoy. www.nude-designs.com


surrey magazine summer 2015 49


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