Whether it is a three-tiered water fountain, a pond or bird bath, a water element can completely transform your outdoor space. However, the sights and sounds of running water are not only for daylight hours. You would like to enjoy it even during the night. And the ideal way to show off the magical qualities of your water element after dark is to add lights. Lighting a water element is more than just pointing a spotlight. It is because you would not like to bounce off the water and blind passerby. Instead, the goal of lighting is to enhance the feeling of serenity, as well as highlight what makes the environment unique.
So, whether you are planning to install one of the popular water features or renovate the existing one by lighting, there are a few things that you have to consider. To help you, here we have listed down these things. Take a look.
-
Create a mood
By enhancing the feeling of serenity, proper lighting can change a water feature. You can get much more out of the water element when you enjoy the night too. For instance, when there is water in front of a feature, position the light so it skims across the surface of the water. When the water is calm, it will create a peaceful surface and it will turn to glimmering one when water moves. In order to continue this relaxing mood, make sure that people don’t see the wires but your vision.
-
Use plenty of lights
Not using adequate light is one of the mistakes that most property owners make while lighting their water features. Water dissipates lights, so, it is better to add more lights than you think you need. Though there is no specific formula that you have to follow, figure out at least 1/3 to 1/2 more than you anticipated. Moreover, you need to increase it based on the depth, the clarity of the water, as well as the material that you are lighting. For instance, light-coloured stonework reflects light while dark one absorbs lights.
-
Experiment with design
Another excellent way to get the desired result with the lighting is to play around with the fixtures. You can test the effects of fixtures in a bathtub by using a hose. It will help you to watch how the light looks with the fall or spray of water. When submersing the lights, you may not necessarily get light where you think you will. So, you have to get in there and adjust placement. When you are at it, be careful of glare. In order to save your time and energy, avoid doing permanent installs of fixtures until you have made night-time adjustments.
-
Maintain systems
It is important to know about lighting and the ongoing care that it needs. Plants grow and cover the lights, mulch gets piled up in front of fixtures, and lenses get cloudy from calcium build-up. To avoid all these, you have to maintain your system. You need to clean and re-position your system. You can hire a professional, who will clean and adjust lights on a regular basis.
These are the basic principles of lighting that will help you to enhance your water element. So, start beautifying your water element with lights. But if you still have not installed a water fountain, pond or bird bath, then wait no more, and opt for a company that offers different types of water features Sydney. Buy a suitable one and add the right lighting. You will be amazed to see the result.
Author Bio: George Thomas, a famous blogger on water features, here writes on a few principles that you should keep in mind when installing water features.
