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Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting today offers infinite possibilities. Gone are the spotlights and step lights that all used to look the same. Now both colourful and creative, garden lighting has come a long way, thanks to innovative materials and technologies.
 
Outdoor lighting has followed the same trend as outdoor furniture. The garden has become a living area in its own right decorated with as much care as the home. Where the interior stops and the exterior begins is no longer clear. Comfortable beds and sofas and fashionable console tables can now be found outside while garden lights now have the same features as indoor lights, including free standing lamps with lamp shades. Ramon Ubeda and Otto Canalda's InOut lamp is a perfect illustration. Philippe Starck's Superachimoon now exists in an outdoor version. What could be more chic than an outsized flexi-arm desk light to brighten your patio! Starck has also redesigned his Romeo wall lamp for outdoor use. His plastic lampshades, just as stylish as his indoor models, look like woven wickerwork or folded fabric. Marc Sadler's Miss Jane, no less than 1m50 tall in black or white lacquer, is so trendy that you could put it in your living room. It looks as though it's spiraling up into the air. A unique engraving process lets the light filter through.
 
The designers have come up with illuminated furniture that creates a soft poetic ambience at night. Paola Navone's Ivy doubles as a table and stool and lights up at dusk thanks to photovoltaic cells hidden under the tabletop. Arik Levy's Meteor Light looks like a glowing rock that dropped out of the sky. Whether used as a seat, a table or a decorative sculpture, it will bring magic to your garden. Illuminated flower pots don't even need to have plants in them, they look good on their own. For arty decorative lights, you can play with the heights and colours of Rob Slewe's Bloom and Luisa Bocchietto's Vas-Three Light.

The solar energy system used for these lights makes installation easier. When you don't have to worry about connecting your outdoor lighting to a power supply, you can have bollard lights anywhere you want in the garden or put ambience lights on the water or in the trees. Rebecca Porter's Daylight solar bollard is ideal for a romantic dinner under the stars. To recharge the solar panel underneath the base, you simply turn it upside down during the day. Ten hours of exposure in summer will provide 40 hours of light because its TSA technology reduces the recharging time by two-thirds. Solar technology is constantly evolving. Environment-friendly Japanese lanterns and outdoor hanging lights are very moderately priced. Reflective lamps with twinkling led lights look like candle flames. And, in addition to that, outdoor lighting is watertight. Hector Serrano's Waterproof lamps look like fairy lights in a swimming pool or ornamental pond because their reflection in the water makes it look as though there are twice as many.
 
Solar bulbs have not eclipsed traditional bulbs which, for safety reasons, must comply with European standards and have an IP code of more than 23 to guarantee watertightness.
 
All these innovative features have given a new look to outdoor lighting. All we need now is some warmer weather to try them out!