Outdoor Task Lighting Tips

If you aren’t someone who likes to grill in the snow, let the outdoor cooking season begin! Have you already fired up the barbeque? Our experts at Landscape Lighting Ottawa are excited that spring is here and we know homeowners can’t wait to enjoy their outdoor kitchens and dining spaces. Whether you have a dedicated outdoor kitchen, or just a dedicated spot for the barbeque, proper lighting is a safety issue. We want you to be safe, and be stylish at the same time!

You need to be able to see properly to ensure that your food is fully cooked.

You need to be able to see your way to and from the house to the cooking area.

Lighting doesn’t have to be merely functional. With a wide variety of stylish options on the market, your task lighting can be attractive and perform well. Even task lighting over a barbeque can be incorporated into the overall design landscape of your yard and patio.

An outdoor kitchen or barbeque needs white overhead light. This can be accommodated in a variety of fixture types whether it’s a fixed post light or a high-end pendant light, there’s a lot of choices available. Remember that whatever lighting you choose, it must be rated for outdoor use. If there’s a solid roof overhead (a porch for example) then having lighting rated for damp weather is sufficient, but a barbeque on a patio will need to be weather proof.

If there are cabinets installed in your outdoor kitchen, why not place LED lights under the lip so that you can easily see drawers and cabinets and also provide attractive ambient light? Even functional task lighting can serve more than one purpose!

There are a wider variety of options available from free standing or table top lamps that look just like the lamps you might use inside. These lamps will be rated for outdoor use and the shades will use outdoor fabrics. Going low tech with candles is a great idea, but if you don’t want to worry about a stray napkin touching the flames, why not try an attractive lantern, an overhead chandelier or pendant light for a focal point or fun accent?

If you want to be able to read or work on our laptop after dark outside, be sure the lighting is versatile enough to allow this. Dimmer switches inside to control how bright the outdoor lighting is can be really handy. Be sure that any lamps with shades are set at the proper height. You want the bottom of the shade to be lower than your eye level to prevent glare or tire your eyes.

Some people are now watching movies on their decks and a variety of other activities beyond just small gatherings after dark. Lighting that can be moved around is handy. Be sure to have an extra outlet or two installed to allow for this versatility.

Be sure that pathways, stairs and changes in elevations in your outdoor living spaces are clearly lit. Safety first!

Why not get in touch with the lighting experts at Landscape Lighting Ottawa Ottawa for a quote and professional recommendations on the best kind of lighting for your outdoor cooking space. Let our experts take care of the details for you with style.