Bearing in mind that you are looking to use this space as an extension of your indoor living space, lighting of your outside space should preferably continue the same theme by using similar types of lights where possible. Lighting can transform your evening al fresco experience, turning an otherwise dark patio or terrace into an atmospheric and enjoyable space for relaxing, entertaining or dining. The type of lighting you choose is governed by the style and position of the outside space you want to enhance and regardless of your space, you need to plan your lighting with the same care as you did with the rest of your garden. Do you want bright light for dining or a more relaxed, atmospheric effect for relaxing with friends for a few drinks? Let’s look at a few options.

If your garden is multi-level or your patio is situated away from the house it would be a good idea to highlight any steps and illuminate your paths. This can be done by using post lights, either solar or mains powered. For decking fit some flush fitting decking lights into the risers of the steps. When illuminating paths it is advisable to mount lights either on adjacent walls, along the edge of the path or in a flower bed, rather than situating them on your lawn, as they are liable to be damaged when cutting the grass. Down lighters fixed to an adjacent wall can be very effective and less bright, they also as the name suggests’ concentrate the light they emit in a downward direction keeping the glare of the light away from eyes

Solar lighting, which is often not as bright as mains lighting can be adequate to illuminate paths as the light required is simply to highlight the path. Using solar also negates the need for expensive electrical cable installation if the paths are extensive. Similarly with drives, lighting is only required to give a mellow glow to guide a vehicle, especially when reversing into a drive and modern, good quality solar lighting can provide this. The other benefit of solar lighting is that there is no need for mains power to be installed the length of your drive.

If your patio, decking or terrace is situated in the traditional fashion, adjacent to the rear of your property, you may be able to borrow some light from the property through doors or windows, this can be easily supplemented by the use of wall mounted lights attached to the rear of the property. These will be easily connected to the existing mains electricity of the property and either switched on or off by a standard wall switch inside the property or activated by a motion sensor, giving added intruder protection.

An overhead pergola or similar structure on an area of patio or decking gives the opportunity to add an overhead pendant light, as you would do indoors, particularly if fitted above a dining table. On a less formal note, an overhead structure gives the opportunity to drape string lights above your outdoor leisure area. It is also worth noting that an overhead pergola gives the option to add some hanging plants or wind chimes for extra decoration.

Strings of festoon lights which resemble normal incandescent light bulbs can be draped informally around the garden or patio area. They can be attached to a pergola if you have one, otherwise they can be attached with the use of small hooks to garden sheds, fences or nearby trees. Festoon lights can be battery, solar or mains powered.

Cooking on a barbeque as daylight starts to fade can be tricky so installing task lighting close to your barbeque may be much appreciated by the cook of the house. If undertaking this installation, always ensure that the lighting does not shine in the cook’s eyes as this will be irritating and make using the barbeque a less than comfortable task. A barbeque is a working area and as such you may not wish to highlight it as you sit and relax with friends, so you may wish to have these task lights switched independently of other garden lighting so that they can be switched off when the barbeque is not in use.

There is no need to bathe your entire garden in bright light. Inside your house you chose were to add subtle lighting to accentuate certain features and give brighter light to task areas such as kitchens or studies. Similarly if you want to use your outside space as an extension of your indoor living area, use the same mode of lighting, gentle lighting to highlight specific features and brighter lighting in areas where you have task areas such as barbeques or dining tables.

Always bear in mind that your outside lighting needs to be suitable for outdoor use and check the suitability with your supplier. A fairly full range of lights is now available with suitability for use outdoors. They will be either weatherproof or waterproof, weatherproof are rated as IP-65 and can stand up to light amounts of water such as rain, and the waterproofs are IP-67, which protects them from up to a meter of water. Some lights have plastic bulbs rather than glass which makes them a little more rugged in an outdoor environment. This applies not only to traditional outdoor lighting but also to pendant or floor mounted lights.

Whether you are installing electrical cables to power lights at the bottom of your garden or an outside, weatherproof socket, ensure that any item connected to the mains supply from your property are installed by a fully qualified and certified electrician in keeping with the current regulations. A qualified electrician will be able to self-certify his work and issue you with a copy of the certificate, which your local authority or any prospective buyer of the property may require sight of.