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Summer is in full swing, but there’s still time to get some of these trending lighting designs into your garden!

We’ve picked out some of our favourite design trends that are being brought to the forefront this year, and provided some tips for how to get them into your outdoor spaces.

1)     Underlighting Hardscapes

By hardscapes, we mean things like stone pathways and fencing. Underlighting these areas provides a look that is both stylish and functional. This look will improve safety in a chic and attractive way.

For example, you could select one of our ground lights such as the Mirrorstone Stainless Steel LED Outdoor Rectangle Recessed Light With Polycarbonate Diffuser to cast light across your pathways, creating a stylish look that also helps guide you.

If you have an outdoor kitchen, you could also invest in some underlighting there to create similar effects seen in an indoor kitchen, enhancing visual interest and providing you with task lighting.

2)     Combine Lighting And Water Features

Water features make for unbeatable focal point for most landscapes, so why not make sure they’re properly highlighted? Adding lights into your water features creates a soft and inviting glow that really accents the relaxed feel water features create.

For this project, you’ll need to make sure the light fittings you select are at least IP68 rated, as these fittings can withstand permanent submersion.

Note: Even with correctly IP rated fittings, installing lighting and water closely together can be dangerous. We highly recommend getting a qualified electrician to help with this project.

3)     LED Strip Lighting

Strip lighting is perfect for anyone looking for a more flexible approach to lighting. These strips of LEDs can be stuck to most surfaces, and customised to your exact needs.

You can choose strips that produce light in a single colour, or you can select an RGBW or RGB option that give you extra colour customisation. All the LED strip lights we stock are dimmable with the right driver too.

One particularly popular place for outdoor LED Strip lighting is around the facias of your roof. During most of the year, this can provide general cool or warm white light to create a pleasant welcome home, but during holidays you can change things up for an instant festive look.

4)     Exterior Wall Lighting

Most homes have some kind of external wall light right by the front entrance, creating a pleasant atmosphere to welcome you and your guests into your home. However, wall lights can do so much more when given the chance.

One popular trend seen this year is for additional wall lights to be placed every few feet along the wall, creating a wider spread of light.

In particular, wash lighting effects continue to be very popular, as they can help your home appear larger and more uniform. This is especially true in homes with smooth exterior walls that really benefit from this look. Check out our Up/Down lighting range for more options here.

As for style, it’s best to go with light casings that match your home’s theme. So, for a more traditional look you could choose a classical wrought iron lantern light, while a modern home might want something crafted from sleek stainless steel.

5)     Solar Powered Ground Lights

Eco-efficiency and self-sustainability never go out of style! Solar powered lights are therefore a really popular option, with solar powered ground lights in particular standing out from the crowd.

That’s because these lights don’t require any wiring, so it’s easy to plant them in the ground exactly where you want, letting you achieve lighting affects you might not have been able to before! The Solar Superspot Outdoor LED Spike Light is a great place to get started on with this trend.

Finding a trend you love and applying it your space is a great way to give your garden a fresh new feel. Want to learn more? Give us a call on 0116 321 4120 or send us an email to cs@wled.co.uk. You can also follow us on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.