The right interior lighting can enhance everything from your mood to the color of your walls. But when it comes to exterior lighting, it can also play a role in food preparation and mosquito control. When it comes to backyard lighting, whether you have a cozy and modest outdoor space or a large outdoor kitchen, installing the right lighting fixtures can significantly improve your outdoor cooking/dining experience. Here are a few ideas on where you can install various lighting fixtures to brighten up your outdoor kitchen and dining space.
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Spotlights
There is nothing better than a steak cooked to perfection over an open flame, but if you are cooking after dark, it is difficult to tell if the food is undercooked or overcooked. Spotlights placed close to the grill will allow you to keep a close eye on food, which means you can spend more time socializing than taking the food indoors to check if it’s done. Mini spotlights installed over the bar area can also provide the ideal lighting for mixing drinks if you and your friends are enjoying some cocktails.
Pendant Lighting
Pendant lights are available in a variety of styles, designs and sizes. Drum pendants are light fixtures that are made with a cylindrical drum-style shade, which is perfect for over the bar and/or serving areas. If you have a ceiling or overhang above the outdoor kitchen island, consider hanging glass or wooden pendant lights above the island for extra task lighting.
Ceiling Fan With Lights
If your outdoor dining area has a ceiling, consider installing a ceiling fan with a lighting fixture. The fan will help deter mosquitoes and the lighting will add the right amount of light for serving and eating meals. Installing a dimmer will allow you to adjust the amount of light in the vicinity of the table.
Landscape Lighting
When choosing lighting for your outdoor kitchen area, don’t forget to include some landscape lighting. Lighting in the landscape area around the outdoor kitchen will emphasize the kitchen area. For example, if you have a water feature near the outdoor kitchen area, installing upward-facing mini spotlights will highlight the water feature while adding extra light to the eating and/or cooking area.
Pathway Lighting
Whether you have steps leading up to the outdoor kitchen area or a brick pathway, LED or solar path lights will help safely guide your dinner guests to the outdoor dining area as well as provide a soothing illumination to the area. Pathway lighting can also be used around sections of the patio to add additional lighting to specific areas, such as the dining area.
When shopping for outdoor kitchen lighting, always use lighting that is rated for wet or damp locations. It is also highly recommended that you choose energy-efficient lights, especially if you intend to use lights for an extended length of time. When installing lighting in outdoor kitchens, make sure they are encased in protective covers to help resist wear-and-tear from the elements.
Outdoor Lighting Price Guide
Contact Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of West Houston and The Woodlands at (713) 231-5898 to learn more about how lighting can help to enhance your outdoor kitchen and grilling area.
