Fall is approaching! The days are getting shorter and the kids are back to school, but there’s still plenty of outdoor entertaining time left in 2016!  Whether you’re planning a Harvest party, Thanksgiving get-together, want to decorate for Halloween, or just a romantic evening for two, the lighting experts at Nite Time Décor Oakville have put together a few ideas to help your patio look its best after dark this fall. As always, if you’re unsure about something, give us a call. We are happy to answer your questions.

Rope Lights

Rope lights are versatile and with proper installation are weather-proof so you can leave them up all year long. We love these for under small overhangs like steps or the edge of a deck, bench or railing. The trend is to hide the light fixture so a deck offers many groove and nooks to install rope lighting. LED lights are available in a variety of colours so if you’re having a themed party you can add some sparkle to the patio with these. If you’re having guests over this fall, ensure that changes in levels on patios and stairs are clearly illuminated for safety.

String Lights

If you’re looking for temporary pizzazz, string lights might be just the ticket. These are easy to install and can instantly transform your deck. String lights are available in a variety of shapes, lengths, and price points so whether you’re looking for something for Halloween (ghosts, jack-o-lanterns) or Thanksgiving (pumpkins maybe) or just romantic, you should be able to find what you’re looking for. We think these are a fun way to brighten your deck. String lights are easy to put up and take down. You don’t have to make a year-long commitment with these.

Trees

A popular landscape lighting design feature is to add spotlights shining up into the full foliage of a tree, or moonlighting by placing a light fixture high up in a tree so the light filters down through the leaves. But the leaves will be changing colour soon and dropping. Now what? You could adjust those lights once the leaves come down, or perhaps you can dim the lights using frosted or coloured lenses. This muted light can add a romantic feel to the landscape in fall. If you love decorating for Halloween, maybe you want to keep the spotlights on the tree’s naked branches and try to capture a spooky feel.

Dark Light

Don’t stress about lighting every corning of your yard. Once you’ve lit specific areas for safety, make use of those dark spaces to add contrast to the lighted portions of your yard and patio. The dark can act as a kind of privacy increasing the romantic or intimate feel. Use the dark to make the lighted spaces really pop and add a focal point.

Pathway Lights

The days are growing shorter, so if you plan to entertain this fall and haven’t yet installed pathway lighting – this is something we recommend. Not only does pathway lighting help guests find the pathways, but it might just keep them out of your gardens! There are a wide variety of pathway lighting options from solar stake lights to more permanent wired options. Fall is a great time to take advantage of end-of-season discounts at retailers.

We’d love to answer your outdoor lighting questions. Contact our outdoor lighting experts to learn more about our lighting services or view our gallery of one-of-a-kind designs.