Illumination and illumination of the garden plot. Illumination options, selection and installation of luminaires for lighting garden paths Garden lighting without lighting devices

Light at night is a comfortable movement around the yard and garden. It creates a cozy and romantic atmosphere in the recreation areas, and competent lighting of the garden will turn it into a fairy-tale kingdom.

But light is primarily electricity, the consumption of which is limited by the capabilities of the transformer and your budget. That is, when planning the illumination of the site, first of all, it must be made functional and economical, and after that, pay attention to the decorative part.

FUNCTIONAL AREAS LIGHTING

Nobody argues about the aesthetic side of the issue: in this regard, the widest range of outdoor lighting fixtures with a waterproof body has been created. These are wall, floor and ceiling instances that require a power source to connect.

The important thing is where to place them and what type of lamps to choose in order to ensure the most convenient movement around the site and rational energy consumption. The shape and size of the yard can vary greatly, so it is customary to install the light based on individual needs. But there are places where it must be.

! Lighting the entrance to the yard (gate, gate) is your protection against injuries and the safety of the house from unauthorized intrusion. The intensity of illumination in this zone is chosen moderate.

! Shine in the area of the porch and the front door, and in such a way that shadows do not form on the steps, otherwise the descent from them may end in a fall (there is additional side lighting for this). Here you can set the average intensity of evening lighting and additional bright light for the moments when you need to open and close the door with a key.

Make visible outbuildings and approach to them. This technique will protect their integrity and the safety of the content. The intensity of the light must be sufficient to see what is happening around them.

It is customary to combine such local lighting with perimeter lighting, and if the latter is usually on constantly during the night, then the local light is turned on only as needed.

There are several ways to turn the light on and off: manually by installing a relay on the switch and using infrared sensors.

With manual lighting control, switches for all points are installed inside the house, and the control of the illumination of the porch, main path and gate is regulated at the entrance to the yard. It works like this:

leaving the house in the evening, you turn on the lighting around the perimeter and illuminate the way to the exit;
having closed the doors, before leaving the gate, you turn off the local light with one movement, and the perimeter will act as general lighting;
when you return home, you turn on the light on the way to the house, and turn it off only when you enter the room.

Lighting of outbuildings is best controlled from the house and switches located inside them.

Motion sensors will help replace manual activation. There is no need to flip the switch: as soon as the door or gate opens and the movement around the yard begins, the infrared device will work and turn on the desired lamp. The sensitivity of the sensors can be adjusted, so fears about cats and dogs in the yard are in vain. With a well-adjusted adjustment, you can exclude them from the "list of incoming".

And for general illumination of the perimeter, the installation of an automatic relay is suitable. It works when the level of daylight decreases and turns on the necessary lighting, and extinguishes it in the morning.

The choice of the type of lamps for functional lighting of the yard and garden will be discussed later.

DECORATIVE LIGHTING OF THE AREA

Light on the site is not only a necessity caused by security, but also a luxurious element of decorating the yard, garden and building facade.

The complexity of decorative lighting lies in its design solution: the compatibility of the style of the lamp and its location.

A garden bench can be illuminated with a garland of small lamps (by no means an LED tape - here it will look cold and uncomfortable), wrapped around a nearby deciduous tree and sometimes hanging from the branches. Leaves will mask light bulbs and mysteriously shimmer in the dark with flickering light.

Lanterns are hung on a tree by wrapping an electric cable in a thick winding around a branch or trunk. The other end of the cable is connected to the wiring (read later in the article).

Ground lamps-balls with matte shades look luxurious and modern. Their light will not hurt the eyes and favorably illuminate the surrounding area.

To illuminate the water surface, floating and underwater lamps are suitable, built into the bottom of the pond even at the stage of its laying. Water gratefully accepts the color change, so you can safely experiment with the evening coloring of the surface of the pond.

In my opinion, floating lamps most effectively illuminate the calm expanse of the pond.

Underwater lighting is especially good at illuminating a waterfall. It is directed from bottom to top along the line of falling water or behind a water screen.

The pool or bathing pond is illuminated so that its edges (outdoor lighting) and the bottom of the reservoir (underwater lights) are clearly visible.

You can entrust the installation of such lighting only to specialists involved in this type of activity.

A separate story is the lighting of plants. There is no point in singling out each. In the garden, several of the most spectacular trees, shrubs, tall grasses are selected and illuminated from below.

The easiest way is to illuminate the garden paths: ceiling lamps on the posts will look beautiful and natural in this role, they are made either from frosted glass, or they direct the light down so as not to blind the eyes. Patios and terraces are decorated with the same lamps.

Solar-powered lamps will help to avoid electrical work in the garden - their light is not bright, but sufficient for decorative purposes and lasts until the morning.

Small lamps with low power scattered around the garden look charming, tearing fragments of a mixborder from the paws of darkness, garden sculptures, stone placers.

LAMP TYPES

It goes without saying that only street lamps in a waterproof case are suitable for outdoor lighting. Any initiative in this regard is punishable by accidents.

Incandescent lamps have long passed into the category of endangered specimens, since their use is completely uneconomical. The best indicators of rationality for LED (light-emitting diode) lamps. Despite their high cost, they are the lowest energy-consuming and practically eternal (11-15 years of operation - such an indicator cannot but cause respect).

LED tapes are hidden under the lower part of benches, gazebos, road decking. When the light is turned on, the effect of soaring and weightlessness of the structure appears.

If LEDs seem expensive to you, opt for less economical, but optimally priced compact fluorescent lamps. Their place is where there are doors and a very good degree of illumination is required.

But halogen lamps have reflectors, which is only appropriate when illuminating the porch, steps, facade and tall objects - where you need to give a long light beam.

Avoid placing lamps with reflectors around the perimeter of the site, especially if their light can be directed into the eyes. You are not guarding a food warehouse, but decorating your beloved yard with light!

The convenience of solar-powered lamps has already been described above, but they have another indisputable advantage - you do not need complex verified calculations for the power supply location. You can improvise with their location as long as you like until you find the best placements. By the way, this is a great tool for learning the tricks of light decoration. Minus - fragility.

POWER SUPPLY

So, the supply of electricity on the site can be ground and underground. In the first case, it is mandatory to hide it in an insulated and impact-resistant box and lead it to those places where walking is excluded.

Garden lighting is performed primarily for practical purposes, as it allows you to comfortably spend time outdoors at night, as well as for aesthetic purposes - the illumination of bushes and trees looks incredibly beautiful. In this article we will consider some features of the organization of garden lighting.

General information

Garden lighting is a creative process, akin to art. With a skillful approach, you can create incredible effects created from a combination of plants and. This allows you to turn the most ordinary and unremarkable garden into a fabulous corner.

In addition, as mentioned above, lighting will allow you to move around the garden at night without fear or even spend time here with your family or, for example, with friends. True, for this you will need another gazebo equipped accordingly.

Depending on the area where lighting devices are located and their functions, garden lighting is divided into several types:

Lighting a house or gazebo;
Track lighting;
Illumination of stairs or bridges;
accent lighting;
Festive illumination;
security lighting.

One of the most important conditions for lighting a garden plot is to preserve its aesthetics during the daytime. In other words, the lamps should not disturb the harmony of the garden landscape. However, they can serve as its decoration and addition.

Therefore, the choice of lighting fixtures should be approached wisely.

Types of lighting fixtures for the garden

All outdoor lighting fixtures, regardless of their type, must meet the following requirements:

Waterproof;
Frost resistance;
Corrosion resistance.

I must say that this requirement also applies to switches located on the street, as well as to sockets. The safety of using the system depends on their observance.

Also, when choosing devices, you need to keep in mind that they are of several types:

Advice!
For lighting small areas, it is best to use compact ones with soft, pleasant light.
Devices with a height of more than 60 cm will direct the light flux into the eyes, which will cause discomfort.

Features of garden lighting

Performing decorative lighting for the garden, you should carefully consider the location of all lighting fixtures. Each lantern, as mentioned above, should not only fulfill its main function, but also serve as an element of decor during daylight hours.

It is better to give preference to not very bright and warm light, which is able to create the most comfortable conditions for vision. Sources can be placed between decorative elements and plants. An upward beam of light should be used to illuminate trees and large bushes, a downward beam is suitable for illuminating small plants.

Path lighting

To illuminate the paths, it is best to use lanterns in the form of small mushrooms. Otherwise, they will illuminate a large area around, but not the paths themselves.

Also, the lighting of paths in the garden can be arranged using light sources built into the path itself, located on both sides of it. They will give only a hint of lighting, however, they will indicate the direction of movement. The advantage of this solution is that the lamps are not visible during the day.

Illumination of the reservoir

Special attention deserves the lighting of the garden pond, if any. The fact is that during the day any pond looks interesting on its own, but with the onset of darkness, its beauty fades. Properly organized lighting will allow the reservoir to serve as a decoration of the garden in the dark.

There are several options for pond lighting:

The most common way is to use flashlights located along the edges of the reservoir, which provides a clear delineation of its boundaries.
Experts recommend focusing on the composition of plants near the coast by installing a lighting fixture right in the thickness of the foliage. Moreover, the light flux should be directed to beating fountains, sculptures or a waterfall.
An interesting and unusual solution is the "light from within". The backlight in this case is installed in the reservoir. For such purposes, a special lamp with a sealed housing should be used.
Often, landscape designers use floating lights when designing ponds. They can be made in a variety of styles, for example, imitate animals or plants, geometric shapes or transparent spheres.

I must say that with the lighting design of the reservoir, you can use all types of lighting at the same time.

In the photo - the illumination of the stairs

Stair lighting

Illumination of stair steps in the first place should be of high quality, since the safety of movement depends on it. An excellent option is the installation of fixtures in the steps or in the stairway railing. This approach will give the garden a special romantic entourage.

Note!
When organizing the lighting of the stairs, it is necessary to focus on all the steps, i.e. each step should be equally well lit.

Features of connecting lighting devices

Garden and park lighting can be of several types:

High voltage - 220 Volts;
Low voltage - 12-24 Volts;
On solar batteries.

Depending on the type of lighting, the wiring is laid in different ways.

high voltage lighting

Laying of high voltage cables is carried out at a depth of about 80-90 cm. The cable for garden lighting must be double insulated. Moreover, the cables are not laid in the ground, but in metal or polyethylene pipes. When laying the electrical network to the lighting fixtures, it is advisable not to damage the roots of the trees.

Note!
It is unacceptable to lay cables under the foundations of residential buildings.

Lamps powered by a high-voltage network have a strong even light and are able to illuminate the space by 5-6 meters.

True, the nature of lighting largely depends on the type of lamps, which can be:

halogen,
LED;
metal halide, etc.

The choice of the type of lamps depends only on your personal preferences and financial capabilities, since the price for them can vary greatly.

Low voltage lighting

Low voltage lighting is much more financially beneficial and also safer. Low-voltage line cables can be located directly on the ground, the only thing is that they must be masked, for example, with stones or mulch. In addition, in order not to damage the wiring during gardening, wrap it with casings.

The disadvantages of low-voltage lighting devices include the fact that they do not give very much light - they illuminate the space by 1-2 meters. But in order to connect such a lighting system, it is not necessary to have any skills and understand electrics, since the installation instructions for lighting fixtures are extremely simple.

solar powered

Solar-powered garden lighting is attractive because it does not require laying cables and digging trenches. However, in cloudy weather, such devices are practically useless. Therefore, they should hardly be considered as a full-fledged replacement for other types of lighting.

However, solar-powered lamps are quite suitable for decorating garden paths, lighting artificial ponds, etc. Since the light from such devices is not very strong, it is better to install them in small groups.

Conclusion

To organize the lighting of the garden with your own hands is within the power of every summer resident or gardener. The main thing is to correctly distribute the lighting fixtures and adhere to the above recommendations.

From the video in this article you can get some additional information on the topic of garden lighting.

In order not to get lost in your own garden, when it's already dark outside and you can't see anything, you need to create artificial lighting and illuminate your entire suburban area with it. If earlier all the lighting of the area in front of the house was reduced to only one single lantern, today more and more attention is paid to the lighting of the garden and the garden, as well as the territory of the site. Backyard lighting. 50 photo options for your dacha, garden, backyard.

Artificial lighting of the backyard area in front of the house can be conditionally divided into two types. The first one is functional lighting and the second one is decorative lighting.

Functional lighting

The first type is designed for functional lighting, that is, it directly resists darkness, and for this reason this type of lighting is installed right near the entrance to the house, garage, bathhouse and other buildings on the site. Illumination of the suburban area photo:

In addition, those lighting fixtures that distribute light along all garden alleys and porch paths are considered functional. With all this, designers, or owners of houses, use lanterns, which are located at a height of 1/2 meter to 3 meters. This will already depend on the type of lighting for the suburban area, since you can create it yourself. In addition, what kind of lighting device you install in each individual place also plays an important role.

Lighting devices that have a base orientation illuminate only certain areas, and very often can have a cutting effect on the eyes. Their main purpose is to illuminate the most important part of the territory. For example, it can be the entrance to a house or another building, stairs, or other dangerous areas. It is for this reason that it is important to competently and correctly, sometimes with the help of specialists, completely and completely think over the lighting of the site of a country house, what, how and where to place it.

As mentioned earlier, in the lighting of the garden plot there is such a special concept as functional lighting. This type of lighting uses such types of lighting fixtures as: mast lights, sidewalk lights and the like. Illumination of the suburban area photo:

Let's now look at what a functional mast lantern is. This type of devices for artificial lighting of the site does not hurt the eyes and evenly scatters light over the surrounding area. Being located in the light zone of such lanterns, you can easily see the surrounding area.

Watch the video: Lighting a summer cottage - how to organize

Lanterns or pole lights are a great addition to your garden design when they illuminate alleys, lawns near a house or pond, or a fountain in a circle. Such a path will look very attractive from the side, when small lanterns illuminate it on both sides. They can be as high as 50 cm and 150 cm. Lighting of a suburban area photo:

With regard to sidewalk lighting, this type of lighting is used for orientation in the garden. Such lamps are placed in those places where bright light is not required. Recently, the installation of such sidewalk lamps directly into the stone slab, which is the pavement, is very common, although they can already be attributed to recessed lamps.

The inclusion of such lamps, both sidewalk and mast, can be performed both independently, that is, manually, and automatically, using a control panel or a computer program. In addition, such a light in the garden can be turned on with a conventional knife switch. To use automatic lighting, it is important to install touch sensors that will turn the lights on and off in response to your appearance in the garden and movement. Illumination of the suburban area - see photo:

Decorative lighting in the garden

Devices for providing lighting can be very diverse, because with the help of them you can beat any design and make a great decor. Lighting equipment perfectly decorates any garden. After all, it is known that in garden lighting there is such a thing as decorative lighting. Decorative lighting of each individual garden is a great opportunity to realize any fantasy. It is there that you can show your talent in the design art of decorative lighting for a summer cottage. Where, if not at home, it can still be manifested.

In this type of lighting, you can use a variety of types of backlights and forms of lighting devices, from the most ordinary spotlights to a garland with LEDs. After all, it is the decorative landscape lighting of the site that will help create that unique beauty, mystery and mystery that almost all owners of country houses strive for.

Decorative lighting of a country house site is most often used to highlight the most beautiful and unique places in the garden, these are usually waterfalls, sculptures, fountains, trees and other architectural and natural forms. With all this, experts do not recommend using a large number of colors, colors, so as not to disturb the perfect harmony of nature and its natural environment.

Designers, lighting specialists, say that only two or three colors are enough to create beautiful decorative lighting for a summer cottage, they just need to be correctly placed. In this direction, special design studios offer their services, which usually first create a garden lighting project on a computer, and only then, taking into account all the wishes of customers, will bring it to life.

Designing and selecting lighting for decorating any garden is a rather difficult and tedious task that requires a professional and responsible approach. But even if you do not have such skills or funds to use the services of professional designers, do not be discouraged. You can always experiment with lighting in your garden on your own. Even simple lighting of a stone-paved path along its entire length will already create a pleasant atmosphere in your area with the onset of darkness. Keep it up and everything will work out. See the lighting of the suburban area photo:

The romance of the evening garden ... It is formed like a mosaic of many nuances, among which light plays a leading role. Unfortunately, the lighting of the suburban area is sometimes given an undeservedly secondary place, although the “beam of light in the dark kingdom” is necessary elementarily in order to move freely through your possessions in the evening. Not to mention the fact that the beauty of plants, hidden in the dark, is able to light up with new colors and acquire unexpected fantastic forms. It is enough just to skillfully “play” with the light, applying some interesting ideas for lighting and decorating garden lamps.

Truly, garden lighting is akin to art - it can create unprecedented effects that are born from the union of plants and decorative lighting. You just need to bring to life some “educational” ideas for giving - with your own hands you can transform your garden so much that from an inconspicuous, no different from many others, it will turn into a fabulous corner that can touch you at any time of the day.

Evening lighting of the dacha will not only give the garden a certain mystery, but also allow you to safely move around the site

Your garden house and country landscape will look natural during the day and mysterious in the evening, if you successfully combine the functionality of lighting with its decorative effect. What are the tasks assigned to the lighting of the garden plot? Depending on the function and area of location of outdoor lamps, the following types of summer cottage lighting can be distinguished:

home lighting;
track lighting;
staircase lighting;
accent lighting;
patio lighting;
holiday lighting;
security lighting.

An important condition for the proper organization of the dacha lighting system is the preservation of the aesthetics of the garden during the daytime, that is, lamps for night illumination should not disturb the harmony of the dacha landscape. To fulfill this condition, it is enough to choose lighting fixtures of natural shape and / or made from natural materials. A widespread technique for decorative garden lighting is that they absorb solar energy throughout the day and give it off at night in the form of a mysterious glow that flows softly, as if from inside the rock.

The original lighting, placed in dense vegetation, will create a cozy atmosphere in a secluded recreation area.

Airy butterflies and dragonflies, glowing in the dark, naturally and unobtrusively coexist with garden plants

Or maybe you prefer a group of colorful butterflies on long twigs stuck into the ground that will enliven the lawn during the day and glow at night? And how do you like a dwarf suddenly peeking out from behind a bush with a lamp or a luminous frog perched under a large leaf? Such original solutions will give your dacha individuality and originality, to the delight of you and to the good envy of your neighbors.

In addition to the artistic impression, it is necessary to think over the technical side of lighting the dacha. The use of alternative light sources based on solar energy is the most economical option for garden lighting. In addition, this type of lighting will not spoil the appearance of the site with long electric cords stretching along the flower beds and paths, as it consists of an autonomous battery pack and a group of lamps connected to it.

The unusual illumination of trees in the form of luminous wells is so mysterious that one inexorably wants to look into this depth.

Artificial flowers in the form of solar-powered lamps will harmoniously fit into the landscape design of the garden

It is more logical to place lights connected to the mains closer to the house - to illuminate the facade, entrance group, terrace, since these areas require more active light, and laying a short wiring will not require significant labor costs and cash investments.

Types of lighting for the garden plot

Decorative focused lighting is the most expressive lighting created by an accent beam of light and aimed at an original landscape composition - a flower bed, a pond, a tree, or just a beautifully shaped flower. With such directional lighting, it is important to correctly balance the intensity, color spectrum, pattern of the light spot and the location of the light source. An interesting idea for illuminating the garden can be groups of lighting fixtures located under trees with an unusual crown - in the evening, directional light will draw the silhouette of a tree and create a bizarre pattern of shadows on the ground.

The evening illumination of the garden draws the outlines of plants so subtly that they sometimes take on a fantastic, unrealistic look.

Garden path lighting does not imply an abundance of powerful lamps - these can be small spots or light sources built into the ground, giving only a hint of lighting on both sides of the country “fairway” and indicating the direction of movement. A more thorough “navigation” requires stairs, which can be illuminated by lamps mounted in the steps or in the flight of stairs. The main idea that can be applied is to illuminate the stairs with a large number of lamps in the form of improvised candlesticks from glass jars or tins, grouped along the edges of the steps. Such a move will give the garden a romantic entourage in the best possible way, and it will not be difficult to make such miniature light sources with your own hands.

Illumination of the gazebo in the garden and the path leading to it will be the key to a pleasant evening pastime with your family in the open air

Lighting a patio, terrace or gazebo is the way to keep your vacation spots accessible in the evening, on rainy or cloudy days. Since the lighting based on the accumulated solar heat is not too bright, it is better to use electric light sources for illuminating common areas. It can be floor and table, built-in and spotlights or whole “garlands” of lamps suspended from the ceiling. Beautiful multi-colored bottles, complex lampshades made of plastic or wood, bright balls of beads or an extravagant design made of shiny metal - it is up to you to choose the design of the central lighting in the relaxation area. Depending on what kind of atmosphere you want to give to the place of “social meeting”, the lighting can be chamber and cozy, or more festive and bright.

An unusual and slightly fantastic effect can be achieved by placing a lot of ball lamps on long rods along the path.

The main requirement for security lighting is its intensity and location in crucial places for site security control - near the gate, at the entrance to the house, around the garage, along the perimeter of your property or in other places where valuable equipment or country inventory is located. As a rule, security lighting systems are formed using powerful LED lamps and are subject to certain rules - both in terms of placement and design, so in this case it is better to choose industrial options for light sources.

A comparative review of garden lamps will also be useful:

An excellent solution for lighting a summer cottage is pots for plants that accumulate light during the day and emit it at night.

Examples of handmade lamps

A floor lamp that has fallen into disrepair, retired kitchen utensils, outdated plastic utensils and other seemingly useless things will now be useful to you for the “production” of country lamps. Everything will be used - from glass containers to grandmother's services - a little imagination, a little patience and all the rarities, standing with one foot in the landfill, will turn into lighting fixtures that bring you light and joy.

In order to make a country lamp, you do not need to spend a lot of money - look into your grandmother's chest and you will find everything you need for creativity

Option #1 - from glass bottles

Fantasy lamps made from waste glass containers can transform your garden, and will not cost a single penny. An ordinary glass container can be turned into an amazing lamp without any effort. Take a bottle of an original shape or an unusual color, put multi-colored small beads, polished glass, transparent balls on the bottom that will reflect light. Wind the multi-colored wire around your finger so that you get spirals and place them in a vessel. Fix a small flashlight with silicone in the neck of the bottle - this will be a light source that is convenient to turn on and off as needed.

When buying alcoholic beverages - look at the shape and color of glass bottles - because now they will come in handy for you to create homemade lamps

Interesting shades for hanging chandeliers can be obtained from glass containers of various shapes and sizes. But how to cut off the bottom of the bottle? Yes, easily! Tie the bottle with a thin rope soaked in kerosene or gasoline at the level of the desired cut, and pour cold water into the bottle clearly up to the line marked with the rope. When you set fire to the rope, the bottle will burst and an even cut will form, which you just have to grind a little so as not to cut yourself. Now you can fill the electric cord into the ceiling and connect the bulb holder.

By cutting off the bottom of the glass bottle and attaching the metal plate to the pin, you will get a convenient candlestick for lighting the garden.

For a more powerful source of light, tie several colorful bottles with wire and hang them from the ceiling of your gazebo, patio, or summerhouse. In the event that bottle colors seem a little gloomy to you, take stained glass paints and paint the glass, showing your imagination and your innate sense of harmony. And do not be afraid to give yourself free rein - you can always remove the not entirely successful fragment of stained glass painting with a solvent and update it. Even better, if you entrust the mission of painting bottles to children or grandchildren - both you will remember and the kids will be happy.

A little creativity - and from a glass bottle you get an expressive wall lamp in the form of a stylized torch. To do this, a hole is drilled in the tightly screwed cap of the bottle, through which kerosene is poured inside and a wick made of natural rope or a stainless steel tube pre-impregnated with the same combustible mixture is filled.

By pouring a combustible mixture into a bottle and filling the wick inside, you will create a lamp in the form of an impromptu torch

The alternation of bottle-plafonds with candles and flowers gives the homemade chandelier on a metal frame an unusually natural look.

Why should a New Year's garland gather dust in anticipation of the next New Year? Place it in a champagne bottle and you will have an expressive garden lamp. Too lazy to make something for a long time, but it hurts to be original? Wind the thread or rope around the bottle absolutely arbitrarily, but so that there are gaps, and apply paint of your favorite color from a spray can onto this kind of cocoon. When your “painting” dries a little, unwind the bottle. Unusual? Move on.

The bottle-candlestick is original due to the idea of a candle holder in the form of a spiral, fixed in the neck with a ring

Option # 2 - from glass jars

The main problem of a glass container, as a base for a homemade lamp, is an absolutely transparent surface that does not scatter light. The task that you face in the process of making a glass lamp with your own hands is to fragmentarily decorate a transparent vessel in such a way that, nevertheless, it works in places through the light - it diffuses and smoothes the light from a candle or light bulb placed inside.

In order to conveniently remove the melted wax from the bottom of the candlestick jar, pour some sand or pebbles into it

What can be done with a prosaic, but beautiful jar, left as a memory from once eaten exotic pickles? It all depends on the style in which the new lamp is conceived. If you want country style, wrap the jar with jute rope, fixing it on the glass with silicone glue. Do you want vintage style? Cut into narrow long strips of colorful chintz, cotton lace or guipure and “dress up” your jar in great-grandmother's outfit. Do you like techno style? Take out the voltage coils and diode lamps from the old TV or tape recorder - wind the copper wire around the jar. Stick cylindrical bulbs of LEDs as a decor - they will refract and modify the flow of light even more, and the lamp will turn into some kind of object of alien origin.

Unlike bottles, glass jars are rarely multi-colored - paint them with bright stained glass paints

An original idea for decorating a lamp for a country house in the pop art style is painting a jar with multi-color fluorescent paints applied to the inner surface of a glass jar in the form of irregularly shaped spots. Accumulating sunlight during the day, at night the jars will emit a soft, unobtrusive glow, shimmering with juicy shades of neon blue, pink or lemon. By arranging glass containers of different heights and diameters, painted with matching phosphors, you can create a bright compositional group in your garden by illuminating the path to the house, an alpine hill or a flower bed.

The jar, covered with a myriad of small dots applied with a phosphor, emits a soft, elegant light.

Option # 3 - from cans

After drinking beer and having a bite of sprat in tomato sauce, do not rush to send tins to the trash - everything will come in handy in the country house. For example, to implement extraordinary ideas in creating country lamps that can give your garden an unforgettable look.

What is needed for this? Hammer, nails of different diameters and a cylindrical piece of wood. Sketch the motif of the drawing on paper - it is desirable that it be not a very complex closing ornament. Now attach your sketch to the tin, and put a piece of wood inside it - it will protect the tin from deformation. Punching holes at equal distances with nails, transfer the design to the jar - you will get holes through which delicate light will leak.

An ordinary beer can can turn into an exotic lamp due to the pattern formed by small holes.

Who would have thought that the union of canned food and wooden clothespins could make such an unusual lamp

Option # 4 - from building materials

After the construction of the dacha, various building materials often remain - cement, plaster mixes, liquid nails, etc. It is impossible to store such mixtures for a long time - they quickly absorb moisture and are taken in lumps, but the hand does not rise to throw away. Do not despair, here are a couple of fresh ideas on how you can attach building goods for the benefit of business, namely, to create country lamps.

Using unnecessary residues of cement and plaster mixtures, you can make a fairly original lamp

Take a large and a small plastic bottle, cut off the bottom and put one inside the other, securing them with a threaded pin. Turn the resulting design upside down and install it, say, on a tin can of a suitable diameter. Mix the cement mixture and fill the space between the two bottles, shaking the mold occasionally to evenly fill it. After the solution hardens, cut the bottles and release the cover.

Forming separate fragments from cement mortar, combine them together - you will get a patterned lamp-egg of unprecedented beauty

Option # 5 - from wood and ropes

Having picked up small, but expressive dry twigs, stick them overlapping in a chaotic manner on a children's inflatable ball. Once the glue has set, carefully detach your construction from the balloon and deflate it. The eco-style lampshade is ready, you just need to fill the light bulb and connect the lamp to the network.

Unnecessary branches from cut trees will be an excellent material for creating a country lamp in the form of a ball.

By the same principle, using inflatable balloons, make a lampshade in the form of a hemisphere from a jute rope. To do this, draw a border on the ball and, gradually gluing the intersections, wrap it with a rope. After the glue dries, gently deflate the balloon and detach the rope cover from it.

Snow-white openwork rope lamps will create a festive atmosphere on your terrace or patio area

In order to make a lamp out of wood, it is not necessary to be able to plan or saw - there are a lot of ready-made wooden semi-finished products that you just need to skillfully apply.

If you twist the birch bark into a cone shape, you will get a very delicate and elegant lampshade for the lamp.

Do not rush to get rid of stumps - you can make not only a stool from them, but also an extravagant country lamp

Option #6 - plastic

Plastic bottles have long been used both in the tail and in the mane for a variety of country crafts. What our inventive people did not come up with, conjuring with "very skillful" pens over plastic bottles. Not wanting to lag behind the mass trend, we are in a hurry to offer our version of the "utilization" of a plastic bottle by creating an extraordinary lamp.

Here is an unusual lamp - whether a hedgehog, or an insect, can be obtained from an ordinary plastic bottle

Lamp-ball made of plastic. 1. Cut off the bottom 2. Glue 3. Bend along the radius 4. Form a ball 5. Install on the base 6. Connect to the network

Lampshade for a lamp made of plastic leaves. 1. Cut out the rectangles 2. Cut out the leaves 3. Melt the edges with a soldering iron 4. Connect the leaves with wire

So, we cut the bottle into rectangles, from which we cut out the leaves. We melt the edges of the sheet with a soldering iron, giving it a more natural shape. We burn 2 holes with a red-hot needle and thread copper wire without insulation into them. We collect branches from individual leaves and form a spherical ceiling from them.

Do not rush to throw away disposable cups after receiving guests - it is better to glue them into a cute multi-colored lamp

Buy ping-pong balls, glue a few circles out of them, and then connect them vertically - a futuristic chandelier is ready

The original chandelier can be made from other plastic products - disposable tableware, plastic cups and ping-pong balls. Due to the inherent conical and spherical shape of these products, gluing them will steadily lead you to create a spherical or cylindrical lamp.

Creating a cheerful and relaxed atmosphere in your country house will be the best way to contribute to bright lamps made of multi-colored beads.

Stringing large plastic beads on a wire, twist it into a spiral and form a spherical shade of small diameter. You can get a fairly original chandelier for a summer residence if you arrange balls of beads of different colors and diameters, attaching them to the frame on long suspensions.

Old CDs and records cluttering up your closet are now very useful - they will make amazing lamps for giving

Here is a unique lamp idea for music lovers - those whose house is littered with end-of-life music drives - discs and records. Surprisingly, old CDs can make a wonderful lamp. It is enough just to drill, having previously marked with a marker, 5 holes at an equal distance from each other around the circumference of the disc, not getting too close to the edge, and then fasten the discs with wire to each other. Such a multifaceted structure can have any diameter, depending on the intended size or your patience. If it is assumed that the lamp will be floor or table, then glue 3-4 erasers to one of the disks, which plays the role of the base. By hanging a few disk balls from a metal plate, you will get an original futuristic chandelier to illuminate the terrace or patio area.

The corrugated plastic pipe perfectly transforms into a shell lamp - you just have to fill the light cord into the pipe

Option # 7 - from old household utensils

The most convenient thing in metal household utensils is the already existing perforation, which can create light spots of unusual beauty. A prosaic grater, colander or strainer are ready-made lampshades for your homemade lamps. Having disconnected the handles from the two sieves, tie them with wire - you will get a ceiling in the form of a ball. Disguise rust spots or peeling enamel by coating your creation with bronze or silver paint from a spray can - a retro lamp with a technogenic flavor is ready.

Drill holes in an old saucepan with a drill or fill a light bulb in an ordinary grater - you will create indescribable lighting effects

Do not rush to throw away grandmother's services in creepy roses with a thin cobweb of small cracks - glue the saucer to the cup with super glue, drill a hole for the electrical wire - and the vintage lamp will become a true decoration of a nostalgic summer house or gazebo. Even an old tureen can be an excellent lampshade for a country kitchen - carefully make a hole in its bottom, thread an electric cord and secure the cartridge.

An old faience set that you inherited from your grandmother is perfectly modified into a retro lamp

We hope that interesting ideas , proposed by us will help some Plyushkins find a worthy justification for their craving for accumulating unnecessary things. Now they have the opportunity to breathe new life into old things by creating unusual lamps for their favorite garden.

No matter how luxurious and beautiful the courtyard of the house would be, but garden paths with original landscape design without high-quality and technically correct lighting lose their aesthetics at night.

Garden path lighting can be organized to perform one or more functions:

decorative;
functional;
architectural;
security.

The purpose of functional lighting is clear: it is used to increase the level of safety when moving along the paths of the garden at night. Security systems are designed to create the illusion of a person's presence, which prevents unauthorized access to the territory of the house if the owners have left somewhere.

The roles of decorative and architectural lighting are approximately similar: the installed systems decorate garden plots, emphasize the ideas that have been implemented in landscape design.

Basic requirements for lighting and principles of organization

When designing any lighting system, you need to focus on the main selection criteria and the need to use one format or another. To avoid unplanned errors and eliminate material and time costs due to the need to redo the project, read the following requirements:

Think carefully about where the garden lights will be located. Lamps located on the sides of the path in the garden increase the safety of movement in the pedestrian zone, visual appeal, focus on landscape design elements (lawns, flower beds, etc.).
Choose the right brightness. The light in the garden should be as soft and warm as possible. This will avoid unnecessary blinding effect, and when moving after dark, you will feel completely safe.
Pay attention to energy efficiency. It will be wise to use devices in the garden with a minimum consumption of electrical energy. This will provide significant cost savings by reducing the amounts charged on electricity bills.
The devices are used outdoors, so they must be reliably protected from dust, dirt, moisture, rain and snow. Very stringent requirements are imposed on products, because their operating conditions can be harsh. Any negative natural factors can lead to the failure of lanterns that are not intended for outdoor use.
Don't forget the design requirements. In addition to the durability and high quality of the lanterns, it is necessary to ensure that the design of lighting devices is in maximum harmony with the external design of the garden, complements the overall picture, and creates comfort.

As for the principles of organizing landscape lighting, the following should be noted:

Products are sure to be used throughout the year, so choose all-weather equipment that guarantees flawless performance in all weather conditions. Make sure that the appliances are easy to care for.
If you do not take into account the light balance, lighting garden paths can cause discomfort.
During night walks, a person will feel more comfortable if he moves from the dark part of the site to the lighter one. Therefore, you need to strive to create a brightly lit facade of the house.
To increase psychological comfort, it is recommended to illuminate the boundaries of the entire site.

Backlight Options

Illumination is usually divided into two main categories - functional and decorative.

functional

It is used for security reasons, is considered the most popular. With its help, they organize systems that guarantee safety when moving around the personal plot. Various devices can be used for this purpose.

decorative

The purpose of decorative lighting is hidden in its name. Lighting allows you to increase the aesthetics of the paths and the entire courtyard. There are a huge number of lighting fixtures:

lamps in the form of stones;
devices hidden in the covering of tracks;
lanterns on trees and bushes;
LED and neon strips;
decorative appliances;
architectural structures with built-in appliances (statues, fountains, gazebos).

These devices can be used individually or with each other.

What lighting fixtures to use

In order to simplify the choice of lighting devices for garden paths as much as possible, it is customary to classify them according to three main criteria - mode of operation, design and light output.

Types of luminaires according to the mode of action and light output

We are talking about light sources used in lamps:

Filament lamps are operated for several thousand hours, the luminous efficiency remains at a low level - 15 lm / W.
Halogen devices in comparison with incandescent lamps function twice as long, the level of light output is slightly higher.
Luminescent products must be operated inside a waterproof housing. Bulk products are difficult to maintain, and at low temperatures they can quickly fail. The light from luminescent products is usually close to the moon, the service life is about 15,000 hours, the luminous efficiency is 80 lm / W.
The light of metal halide lamps is as close to natural as possible. With a light output of 100 lm / W, the devices will last for 12,000 hours of operation. Among the shortcomings - fast heating, which is why the lamps are dangerous for plants.
Sodium lamps are characterized by the highest luminous efficiency, which can reach 200 lm/W. The service life is equal to 30,000 hours, the emitted light has bright yellow-orange hues.
LEDs are considered the most versatile and economical fixtures, with a lifespan of around 50,000 hours and a luminous efficacy of 160 lm/W. The way the light is emitted depends on the crystal installed in the housing (size and type).

Types of fixtures by design

By design, there are several varieties of lamps used for garden lighting.

Floor lamps and lampposts

Installed in a vertical position, often equipped with frosted glass diffusers. The approach is considered ideal when it is necessary to increase the comfort and safety of movement along the pedestrian zone of the garden plot.

The distance between the devices must be selected in such a way as to exclude the intersection of the illumination radii. Devices made in two different styles are popular - “retro” or “hi-tech”. To eliminate the glare effect, the upper part of the floor lamps should be located below the level of the human eye.

Light bollards or bollards

They are used not so much for lighting, but for indicating the correct direction of movement. As a result, the ideal option would be to use additional tracks for lighting.

glowing stones

They do a good job of backlighting. The pavement or paving stones are laid out from a special LED tile.

LED lamps inside garden lights or architectural structures

An excellent artistic approach that decorates the garden area and allows you to place accents on various landscape design objects.

Solar powered devices

They are characterized by a variable design, but are used exclusively for decorative purposes. The process of charging the battery is as simple as possible, it is tied to the sun's rays on the photocell installed on the surface of the products.

Typically, devices are supplemented by a light sensor that turns on LED lamps with the onset of darkness. LED technology consumes minimal energy, so the charge is enough to work throughout the night.

Spherical products made of carbonate or polycarbonate

Low power lamps are installed inside, therefore they are used exclusively for decorative purposes.

Choosing a place to install lamps

When choosing an installation location, you need to focus on the dimensions and functional purpose of the devices.

Purpose of lighting

To increase safety, it is best to place products on the sides of garden paths, at the entrance and exit from the site. Be sure to illuminate the space at the entrance to the house, the gate and the gate.

If it is necessary to ensure a comfortable pastime in the evenings, the lamps are placed next to the gazebo, on the playground where children play, in any other recreation area, including garden swings or a hammock.

To create additional decoration, lanterns can be placed next to benches, around a pond (including a pool), near other elements of landscape design. You can install devices in any part of the porch, including steps, in order to somehow diversify the facade of the building.

Instrument height

Before installing lighting fixtures, it is important to consider their height:

Lanterns from 1.5 m and above will look beautiful on the territory of large estates with wide paths. You should pay attention to forged products.
Lampposts up to 1.5 m high are ideal for illuminating medium-sized paths.
Low lampposts up to 0.7 m are placed right near the ground, providing high-quality illumination of garden paths. Due to the peculiarities of their design, the appearance of a blinding effect is completely excluded.

Do-it-yourself lighting of paths in the country house

For the independent implementation of the lighting system for garden paths and other parts of the summer cottage, you need to act consistently, carefully considering and completing each stage.

Project development

First of all, you need to draw up a work plan:

A lighting scheme is being developed.
Lighting fixtures, methods of their installation are selected.
The method of laying the cable is selected.
The amount of consumables is counted.
The work area is being prepared.
Installed wiring for the lighting system.
Support poles are placed on which the lights will be installed.
The lighting is on.
The system is complemented by monitoring and control devices.

Set of accessories for street lighting

Before installing a street lighting system in a summer cottage, it is advisable to stock up on the necessary equipment in advance:

Luminaires designed for outdoor use. Devices must provide high tightness, moisture resistance, withstand temperature extremes and maintain aesthetics throughout the entire service life.
Control equipment that provides system automation, which saves time in maintenance. These are motion sensors, light sensors and rheostats that reduce the consumption of electrical energy.
Cables and conductors, other fasteners, including terminals, ties, corrugated pipes, etc.

We determine the method of laying the cable

External cable laying is carried out by one of two methods - underground or overhead (on poles). Each option has advantages and disadvantages.

The safest solution would be the underground laying of the cable route - in this case, the risk of damage to the system will be minimal. The possibility of mechanical impact of the wind is completely excluded, as well as the risk of a break in the route due to the fact that people passing by accidentally touched the wires. The impact of any precipitation will be reduced.

On the other hand, air cable laying is characterized by the lowest costs - both material and time. It should be chosen when the luminaire will be mounted on the roof or when two lampposts located next to each other have to be connected.

Advice! The switchboard is best mounted indoors. Wires are drawn from it to the house, to outbuildings, including a bathhouse, a barn and a garage, and to a street lighting system.

Installation of fixtures

Before installing floor lamps, prepare the base. The devices must be mounted on concrete elements or directly into the ground. In the second case, a special iron tip is required (can be made from an ordinary metal corner).

A few tips from professional installers and electricians:

Before proceeding with the installation, you need to develop a project that should indicate the location of all the lamps and fixtures involved.
If you decide to use fluorescent lamps, you can not turn them on in the cold season, at sub-zero temperatures.
For country houses, which are most often visited in the summer, it is better to use solar-powered lamps. The devices are characterized by low cost, and the only drawback is the limited time of continuous operation - 4 - 5 hours for medium models.
The house can be illuminated with halogens and LED lamps, which are characterized by a bright light flux and a long service life.
Motion and light level sensors (photorelay) will automate the operation of the backlight and save energy resources.
Despite the simplicity of air laying, it is desirable to hide the wires underground, protecting them from mechanical influences with the help of corrugated pipes and boxes.

With the help of an outdoor lighting system, it is desirable to divide the plot into several functional zones.

In places of rest, install lanterns with diffusers that provide a soft and warm glow. We are talking about gazebos, playgrounds, swimming pools, etc. Subdued lighting can create the most pleasant atmosphere that encourages long pastime and communication.

When using multi-colored lamps, make sure that the number of different colors does not exceed three pieces. Bright and white lighting can only worsen the situation, it will significantly stand out from the general interior and, possibly, even “take away life” from the site. Avoid using red and brown shades of light.

Festoons, LED strips, and neon strips can help create festive lighting in the garden, but this should be a temporary solution. Bright and colorful shades are not suitable for long-term use.

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