Plan your Landscape Lighting Before You Plan Your Party
With the improvement in weather we’re finally beginning to see all over the US, many of us are planning our first BBQ of the season complete with friends, good food and great atmosphere in our backyard getaways. Of course, we want our gatherings to be flawless affairs and, if you’ve learned your lessons from past experiences as I have, you know there are always some challenges to getting there.
With the recognition of inevitable roadblocks, my approach is to do what I can to prepare just before my events. I double check my propane supplies and test-fire the grill. I also go through my food check list to ensure there will be no shortage of snacks, drinks and entrees (be they hotdogs, hamburgers or sword fish steaks). Last but not least, I make sure my tiki torches actually light.
Did he just say he tests his tiki torches? Yes he did. Though you may think that’s a bit unusual, setting a mood is one of those subtle but critical elements to hosting a great party and I’ve been unpleasantly surprised by my lighting choice in the past by torches that wouldn’t light, so they’re part of the check list.
It’s the little things that get you in the end. Though there isn’t much to tiki torches beyond a wick, fuel reservoir and the stick to hold them up, these deceptively simple critters can suffer from performance anxiety for several reasons. The obvious one being lack of fuel, but that’s not the only reason. So, lesson learned, I test them.
But is all really lost just because a few lousy torches wouldn’t light? Of course not, but my goals won’t be met as lighting plays such a critical part in the overall design of my yard. A dramatically accent-lit yard pulls everything together. Whether its a tropical paradise (what I’m shooting for), or painting with light in a formal setting elegantly lit by professional landscape lighting, you really lose something when it’s missing.
In my case, going without the torches would be like wiping the hint of a smile off Mona Lisa’s face or straightening the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Each would still be a notable masterpiece but would lose something substantially for the absence of those quirks. The little things count for a lot!
And that’s just the day-of prep. For advanced, dig deeper. This is the opportunity to look beyond the food you’ll be serving and think about atmosphere. Lighting, particularly in-ground lighting, requires taking the time to plan. Do you want something classy? Perhaps the mysterious or fanciful is more your speed. Whatever setting you’re going for, try to make it an escape from everyday life for both you and your guests.
For events that will run into the evening, lighting is a critical element. Obviously, I use tiki torches to set a subtly mysterious and romantic mood, but there’s considerable flexibility with in-ground, low-voltage lighting. Take the time to learn various lighting techniques such as up and side-lighting or silhouetting to make important features stand out. Learn what to avoid such as over-lighting your landscape. Unlike tiki torches, in-ground lighting can’t be easily relocated once planted so careful planning with goals in mind is critical.
By investing some up front time in planning and then implementing a well conceived landscape lighting layout, you will create events that will be exceptionally memorable. Where others have only their grill mastery to wow the crowd, you’ll have your guests reminiscing around the water cooler on Monday about the mini-vacation you graciously provided them. Assuming, of course, you tested your lights before they arrived.
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