Light Up an Outdoor Kitchen This Spring With These Landscape Lighting Ideas in Bexley, OH

When lighting a Bexley, OH, outdoor kitchen this spring, you will want both functional and ambient lighting. These landscape lighting ideas can bring everything you want to your outdoor kitchen after the sun sets. 

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Task Lights

The last thing you want when you are preparing food in your outdoor kitchen is to slice your finger open because the light is too dim when the sun is setting and this is where task lighting can give you the illumination level you need to prep food safely. Task lighting is bright and placed overhead to shine down on a countertop and cooktop to ensure accidents are few. Another space where task lighting can prove important is over the grill so that you can make sure the food you are cooking is done and safe to eat. 

Adding pendants over the bar and countertops can also increase the amount of light that you need when cooking and when your guests are sitting nearby to chat while you cook can allow everyone to see as the meal is prepared. Undercabinet lighting can also be functional as it helps you to see where the solid structures are located in the dark night.

Ambient Lights

Your landscaper typically places ambient lights on dimmers so that they can be increased or decreased according to your preference. You might want brighter lights when you are cooking and dining but lower lighting is more comfortable when you are relaxing after dinner.

There are many types of ambient lights that your landscape specialist can recommend. 

Recessed floor lights: Lights that are recessed into the floor can follow the perimeter of the patio and outdoor kitchen flooring to shine a soft glow for navigating easily. Because the lights are hardwired by an electrician, you will never see any wires or other unattractive parts, only the gentle glow they cast on the floor.

Chandelier: If your outdoor kitchen and dining space has a full roof, your landscaper might suggest a focal light like a vintage chandelier to add charm and uniqueness to the space. Operated on a dimmer, a chandelier can reflect your personal style well. 

Wall lights: Wall sconces can add just the right amount of light to your outdoor kitchen as they shine softly on the existing walls.

String lights: Draped from one side of the patio and kitchen to another side, string lights bring a whimsical feel to your outdoor space and can be placed on an automatic timer to turn on and off at specific times. 

Lights for trees: Your landscaper will most likely suggest that you extend the landscape lighting into the yard for the best effect. Uplights that sit at the base of the largest trees to shine upward can juxtapose the shadows and texture of the bark with the gentle light that illuminates the bottom of the tree. Downlights are positioned in the tree branches to shine through the leaves for a mottled look that mimics moonlight falling on the ground. 

Walkway lights: Low-level lights along the edges of walkways can let you and your guests move about the yard easily. The walkway lights and the tree lighting can present a unified whole once the sun sets. Your landscaper knows that lights installed in the right places can make your nighttime landscape come alive.

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