What you need to know about lighting a summer cottage

When choosing garden lighting, it is important to understand what effect you want to achieve. Well-planned lighting enhances the universe, aesthetically zones the area and highlights the brightest details of the garden. When darkness falls, it becomes unsafe to move around the area. Decorative elements and plantings lose their clear outlines. In addition, at night the site becomes more vulnerable to intruders. Together with the designer, we tell you how to properly equip lighting in a suburban area in order to feel comfortable at any time of the day.

Contents of the article:

• Lighting of a summer cottage
• Types and color of lighting
• Plants and decor
• Paths and decking
• Fence and entrances

Lighting of a summer cottage

Lighting in a summer cottage can play an important role in creating a cozy and safe atmosphere at night. For this you can use different types of lamps.

1. Powerful floodlights – suitable for illuminating large areas such as paths and areas in front of the house.
2. Pole lamps – look elegant on terraces and wall loggias. They are suitable for illuminating areas where you need to establish a specific focus.
3. Garden lanterns – can be used as functional and decorative lighting, for example, to illuminate paths and flower beds.
4. Directional light sources – can be used to illuminate specific objects, such as decorative fountains or sculptures.
5. Automatic floodlights – can turn on when you have traffic in your area.

When choosing garden lighting for a summer residence, do not forget to consider their waterproofness and resistance to external factors such as rain or wind. Also pay attention to reliability so that you do not have to change lamps and fixtures too often.

Types and color of lighting

At your summer cottage, you can use several types of lighting of different colors:

1. White light is the most natural color of light. It is suitable for illuminating objects on the site and for general general lighting.
2. Warm white light is a light color similar to the color of candles. It creates a cozy and romantic atmosphere. This lighting color is most suitable for outdoor cafes, as well as for deck or patio lighting.
3. Yellow light is a color of light close to the color of fire. It is great for creating a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere.
4. Red light is perfect for creating a festive atmosphere.
5. Green Light – This color of light promotes eye relaxation and rest. It can be used to illuminate plants or trees located on the site.
6. Blue light – this color of light creates an atmosphere of calm and comfort. It can be used for general lighting of an area or to create ambiance on a deck or patio.
7. Purple light – this color of light creates an atmosphere of mystery and mystery. It can be used to illuminate architectural details, fountains, monuments, etc.

Plants and decor

To decorate your summer cottage, you can use various types of plants and decorative elements.

Plants:

1. Flowers – buttercups, cosmos, astilbes, orchids, lilies, tulips, etc.
2. Trees and shrubs – apple trees, lilacs, birch, spruce, linden, elderberry, juniper, etc.
3. Herbs – mint, rosemary, basil, parsley, thyme, chamomile, St. John’s wort, etc.

Decor:

1. Garden figures – gnomes, animals, birds, fountains.
2. Stones and stone paths – you can use large stones as decoration or make a paved path from stones.
3. Lanterns and candles create a romantic atmosphere in the area.
4. Furniture – chairs, benches, swings, tables made of wood or metal.
5. Bridges and gazebos – if there is a pond on the site, you can install a small bridge, and the gazebo is an excellent place for relaxation and communication.

When choosing plants and decor for your summer cottage, it is important to consider their mutual compatibility, as well as the possibilities for caring for them.

Paths and decking

On a summer cottage, you can create various paths and decking that will help provide access to various areas of the site and ease of movement around it. Let’s look at some of them:

1. Gravel driveways are one of the easiest and cheapest options. The gravel is poured onto a leveled surface and compacted. To strengthen the gravel, you can lay geotextiles or use stone chips.
2. Wood decks are a great solution for areas with a lot of moisture or dirt, such as near a pond or garden beds. For such flooring, processed boards or bars are used, fixed on studs with special metal fasteners.
3. Stone decks are slabs of natural or artificial stone that are laid on the ground using cement or special fasteners. They can be used to create paths, seating areas or decorative elements.
4. Decorative tiles are floorings whose main function is decorativeness. They can be made of various materials, such as ceramics, stone or artificial stone. Often used to create areas for relaxation, barbecues or near the pool.

It is important to remember that to create paths and decks, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the site and its soil, as well as plan the location in such a way as to ensure the greatest ease of movement and use of the site.

Fence and entrances

You can order a fence from different materials (wood, brick, metal) and choose the appropriate type of fence (for example, chain-link mesh, corrugated sheets, wooden panels, etc.). The entrances to the summer cottage can also be decorated as desired: install a wicket, gate or automatic barrier. If necessary, you can provide an intercom or video surveillance to control access to the territory. In addition, you can design additional arched structures that will decorate your summer cottage. In general, there are many solutions, and the choice is possible in a wide range of prices.