How to Create the Perfect Atmosphere with Outdoor Lighting
You’ve got your great new hot tub installed, now all you have to get right is the atmosphere. Hot tubs are brilliant to relax in of an evening. Whether you’re just having a bit of me-time or organising a get together with friends, the outdoor lighting you choose is going to be important.
Of course, someone lighting their own home is going to have different ideas from a business that offers a hot tub experience or large spa.
There are a range of different things you can do to really bring your outdoor area to life. A lot depends on the amount of space you have and whether you want your outdoor lighting to be functional or decorative or both.
Take a Good Look at Your Hot Tub Space
The first thing you need to do is sit down in the early evening and have a good look at your outdoor space and try to visualise what your lighting scheme is going to look like. You might, for instance, have a tree that you want to add lights to or highlight in some way. Perhaps there’s a path to the hot tub that you want to make sure is well lit and people don’t trip over whilst coming and going.
You don’t have to be stuck with lights close to your hot tub, spreading things out deeper into the garden area can create really amazing views.
Remember you’re not looking to turn your backyard into a light show for the neighbours so you don’t want to overdo things either. Ideally, you also want to create a lighting effect without seeing the source such as a naked bulb.
If you’re a business and you have an outdoor spa or hot tub, things will be a little different. You’ll have far more health and safety issues to consider and more scope with the space you have.
Types of Lighting for Outdoors
Let’s start with the spa or hot tub itself. Many have internal lighting which is a good place to begin when deciding on the rest of your layout.
The other thing you want to decide is whether you are going to be mains, battery or solar-powered. Of these three, the mains supply is more reliable but you do have to make sure that the light system is installed by a professional electrician and according to building standards and this can cost a fair amount of money. It’s worth it if you simply want to flick a switch and light everything upon demand.
Battery lights are the next most reliable but, if you have a lot around your garden, it can be a real inconvenience to have to change them at regular intervals. Using solar-powered lights can be highly dependent on how sunny it’s been during the day. If you are choosing to use these, spending a little extra will make a big difference to the quality you will get from them.
If you are a business or a homeowner that wants things just right, building spotlights into pathways and around the garden is one way to create really stunning effects.
If you want something that is more flexible, you might want to opt for spike lights that can be stuck in the soft ground anywhere. If you have a patio, bollard lights are another stylish option.
Another thing you can do to add a little bit of atmosphere is to hang fairy lights to bushes and trees. These can be bought with their own batteries and usually operate well for long periods.
Designing the lighting for your hot tub area can be as cheap or as luxurious as you like and still look great. With a little imagination, you should be able to create a relaxing and attractive area that is sensational at night.
If you are thinking of having a hot tub installed in your home or business, check out our catalogue of quality spas and hot tubs at Aqua Design and Leisure today.
