Page 184 - Australian House & Garden (January 2020)

H G ADVICE

“Steps, decks and meandering pathways really need to be
lit so people can move about the space without risk of
injury.” The front door and house number should also be

illuminated. Sensor lights are Locke’s top picks for these
spots. “Make sure the light isn’t too bright, because it can
affect your night vision.”
In outdoor entertaining areas, ambience is everything.
“For dining, opt for portable table/floor lamps or lanterns
rather than overhead pendants, which can often be too
harsh,” says Celina Clarke, lighting designer at ISM Objects.
Don’t forget to illuminate areas of the garden you can see
from inside the house. “This creates a lovely view, even in
winter,” says Clarke. It’s also wise to add task lighting

1 near barbecues and inside cupboards so you can cook easily
and find things such as the gas-bottle control and utensils
with ease, says Hammond.

“ Illuminate steps, decks and pathways so people can

6 move around safely.” Denise Hammond, Beacon Lighting

Style-wise, the outdoor feature lights have come a long
way. “Luminaires are becoming more decorative, creating
5 a beautiful fluidity between those used inside and outside

the home,” says Donohoe Church. “At this year’s Salone del
Mobile in Milan, we saw a shift from concealing the outdoor
light source within the landscape to visibly incorporating
the forms into a scheme. In terms of materials, we’re noticing
more stone and concrete being used, accents in outdoor
leather, and bronze textured powder coating,” she says.
“We’re moving away from standard spike lights to clever
2 lighting that creates real drama outdoors – there’s a shift

towards discreet fittings that produce interesting light
patterns,” says Locke. “We’re seeing more consideration of

3 light pollution, too – designers are looking to light up outdoor
spaces rather than the sky,” she says.

If you’re updating your outdoor area, plan lighting early.
4 “The key with garden lighting is getting electricity to the

right places before the plants go in, so you need to know
where you want light at the start,” says Locke. And quality
VIVE LA RESISTANCE counts, she says. “That $50 lighting fitting will barely see

The Ingress Protection – or IP – Rating on a light fitting tells you out a season, especially if you’re on the coast. Spend once,
how suitable it is for specific environmental conditions inside spend well and enjoy your lights for years to come.” #
and out. The first digit refers to its level of protection against
solids, such as dust or flies. The second digit tells you how well 1 Le Corbusier ‘Borne Béton Grande’ concrete LED outdoor
protected it is against liquids, such as water. “Good all-round floor lamps, $2620 each, Mondo Luce. 2 Mullbacka plastic and
ratings for most domestic uses would be IP44 or IP54,” says bamboo portable LED light, $79, Ikea. 3 Faceted brass lantern
Hammond. “But always seek advice from a qualified electrician.” (use undercover), $79, West Elm. 4 Castilla rattan lantern (use
Look for ‘smart lights’ too. “Smart outdoor switches such as undercover), $129, Domayne. 5 AQL-404 brass LED-compatible
Arteor with Netatmo allow you to control your outdoor lights path light, $249, Lighting Collective. 6 Foscarini Gregg XL
and monitor energy consumption from anywhere using polyethylene suspension lamp (use undercover), $600, Space.
a smart device or voice control,” says Densten. For Where to Buy, see page 190.

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