Bill Locklin is credited with inventing low-voltage landscape lighting in the 1950s. Nightscaping®, the company he founded in 1959, enjoyed great success as the go-to source for reliable lighting components and professional know-how for many decades.
Nightscaping’s fixtures were known for their durability and understated elegance. They were a function of Locklin’s landscape lighting philosophy, “See the effect and not the source”. The company enjoyed a national reputation with many notable clients, including Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower, the President and First Lady of the United States.
Nowadays, landscape lighting has exploded into a full-fledged, in-demand industry. No longer an add-on service, landscape lighting is considered essential for new landscapes and renovations.
Read further to discover more about the current landscape lighting trends that are sure to take hold in 2022.
#1. Solar-Powered Lighting
According to Better Homes & Gardens, “there’s no better way” to light your outdoor living spaces than by using solar lights.
Solar lighting is an eco-friendly trend in landscaping lighting because it uses the sun’s natural energy during the day to charge the lights for the night. By the year 2030, clean energy technology is expected to be the standard for American homes.
Why not integrate some of these lighting technologies now so you will be ahead of the curve? Take that lovely garden path you just created with interlocking pavers. Consider installing in-ground lighting to accentuate its graceful curves at night.
You’ll discover solar lights can be a DIY project because, without wires, the fixtures are easy to install. And, of course, they are sustainable. This makes solar fixtures a win-win for you and your garden path.
#2. Color-Changing LED Lighting
Just as the color of nature changes with the midwest seasons, so too can the color of your landscape lighting. Stay seasonally relevant by using color-changing LED lighting instead of the standard white or yellow hue.
Whether it’s the Halloween or Christmas season, you can choose the right hue to make it magical. With trending color-changing LED lights, homeowners can make such ambiance changes with a click of a button on their phone. Online apps make it easier than ever to adjust such preferences on a whim.
In addition to ease of use, this style of bulb is popular for both artistic and practical reasons. It’s ideal for those still working from home, those who want to exercise, those who want to relax, and those who want to entertain.
The multi-contextual nature of the color-changing LED light is a big reason why it’s one of the leading trends in modern lighting technology.
#3. Bluetooth Control
In addition to color, you can also manipulate the timing and brilliance of your lighting using Bluetooth technology. The days of making such adjustments on the transformer itself are coming to an end. It’s time to embrace a new era, one consisting of convenience and dependability.
Bluetooth technology boasts the ability to offer a universally compatible and secure connection, without bulky hardware. Modern lighting systems will sync to your phone’s Bluetooth, and magically become the conductor of your own lighting show.
Guests will be wowed by lighting changes that adjust the night’s tempo for the better. Of course, you will enjoy the day-to-day flexibility for enjoying your outdoor environment to its fullest.
#4. Built-In Lighting
Whether you are looking to add landscape lighting to your new project or incorporate it into a planned renovation, you will be delighted at the new features to choose from.
Building lighting into hardscape elements such as patios and decks, fire and water features, and pergolas and arbors is one of the biggest trends. The idea of “less is more” applies to lighting your hardscape structures. You want to keep your lighting features hidden from view, while also offering a functional and aesthetically pleasing lighting design.
Let’s explore patio stairs, for example. Whether your stairs are made out of brick, concrete, or wood, they often pose a safety hazard at night, especially in our frosty Oklahoma winters. This is why it functionally makes sense to literally light the way for your guests.
Instead of using traditional downlighting, consider using the newly popular “floating light” technology. This essentially means you build into low-voltage lighting under the stairs themselves, which gives the illusion that the stairs are floating in mid-air. Not only does this enhance safety, but it also establishes that classic “mood lighting” homeowners strive for in a backyard oasis.
The floating lighting trend can be used on other hardscape structures like benches or fire pits for the same practical and enchanting effects.
#5. Warm LED Lighting
The soft, yellow glow of the incandescent light bulb has made it a mainstay for decades. Unfortunately, right or wrong, it has become associated with high energy bills and unnecessary risks because they are hot to the touch. This is why many states are issuing mandates to swap out these ancient bulbs for more efficient LED light bulbs.
We all know that the sterile, blue light of the first LED lights was about as pleasing to the eye as staring directly into the sun. But, thanks to modern lighting technologies, we now have warm-toned LED lighting.
Leading garden and landscaping authorities recommend using warm LED lights instead. The new LED lights offer a warm glow for ambiance, but without the costs and risk to family and guests. Additional benefits to warm LEDs are greater lighting fixture longevity and compatibility with nocturnal wildlife.
Tulsa’s Lighting Experts
Looking to elevate your landscape for nighttime activities? We can help answer your outdoor environment questions, including the advantages of current landscape lighting advancements. We’ll help you build on Bill Locklin’s vision to light up your night the right way. Contact us for a free consultation. We also have extensive experience with holiday and Christmas lighting too!
