LIFESTYLE
A chandelier in your gazebo? Why not? Just make sure it’s safe for moisture, heat and cold. You’re going to want to leave it up year-round. — Photo provided by Maria Bortugno
Light Up Your Life Clever ways to easily add lighting to your yard without breaking the bank
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BY BRIANNA SNYDER
ometimes small things really can make a backyard space pop. Hanging fairy lights in Mason jars from the trees, for example. Solar light mobiles. Or a portable fire pit. The great news is that backyard lighting can be as simple or elaborate as you want it to be. So first, let’s strategize.
ing light across the ground, Maurer says. “Vertical lighting adds dimension and helps identify objects and faces.” Here’s where taller stake lights can play their part, as well as sconces, pendants and other hanging lamps and lights.
START WITH PRACTICALITIES
“Rope lights and string lights were a big thing for years,” Bortugno says. “They’re simple to use, especially if you have a gazebo, but I’m kind of tired of them!” Bortugno prefers LED-lit umbrellas instead. “It’s such romantic lighting,” Bortugno says, and is especially great for yards without gazebos. “Natural woven pendants, rattan, grasses and wicker? They’re all in. And that’s fun because they go so well with nature.” Maurer says the tone of light can also make a big difference: “Use warm lighting over cool lighting for a sense of intrigue,” she says. And while rope lights on gazebos may be tried and true, Bortugno says a lovely alternative is to drape them throughout tree branches, which adds elegance and romance to the space.
The first step to lighting a backyard with pizazz is deciding what places make the most sense to light. Footpaths through the yard, steps and other perimeter lights are an obvious priority. As with all great design—interior and exterior—function should guide your approach. For footpaths, avoid a straight line out into the yard or else “it’ll look like Project Runway,” says Maria Bortugno of B Designs Interiors in Latham. Chart your path along the foliage and features of your yard to give a winding-path look. Flank the path with solar-powered LED stake lights, Bortugno says, which are inexpensive and can last a long time. “Safety first!” says the now-retired Denise Maurer, formerly of Denise Maurer Interiors, based in Troy. “Light entrances, steps and walkways using a combination of horizontal and vertical lighting.” Which brings us to the next practical areas you’ll want to light: tables, sitting areas and the faces of your family and friends. Horizontal lighting is used to mark footpaths by cast-
RATTAN IS IN. ROPE LIGHTS ARE (KIND OF) OUT.
MOVE THE INSIDE OUTSIDE
“You want to keep in mind the architecture of your home and the design of your interior,” Bortugno says. “Your exterior and your interior need to go together.” If your interior is midcentury modern, take the same apSPRING 2022 | 55PLUSLIFEMAG.COM
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