What Is Downlighting?
Imagine if we could light up our nighttime world with moonlight. But since we can’t control the moon, we have another solution. Downlighting is that solution.
With downlights, we mimic the light of the moon, creating the sensation of moonlight. We all know it’s not real, but we choose to believe it is – like when we watch a play or a movie, we know it’s make-believe, but we play along – we suspend our disbelief. This is the magic of landscape lighting. We create lighting that looks natural, feels natural, but is actually skillfully placed and directed lights.
Downlighting from Trees (Moonlighting)
There’s nothing quite as beautiful as the gentle light filtering through branches and leaves when a light is placed high in a tree. This effect is most desired when illuminating driveways, lawns, patios – basically any area that needs soft, gentle light. But before you start moonlighting, there are some important things to think about.
- Safety:Since downlights are usually mounted 20 to 30 feet high, you’ll need to use a tall ladder or lift. Don’t attempt to install these lights unless you have the right equipment, skills, and experience to work safely on a ladder. If you’re a DIY enthusiast, consider hiring a professional to install your moonlights. Arborists and many landscape lighting pros are well-equipped to work in trees.
- Mounting Location:For the best effect, you want the light to shine through branches and leaves, creating a dappled light pattern on the ground. Stand on the area you want to light up, look up at a nearby tree, and follow the trunk to about 20 feet high. That’s the minimum height. Keep following the trunk up another 10 feet and see how many branches and leaves block your view of the trunk. Choose a height and position around the tree trunk that you think will create the best dappled light pattern.
If you can’t find trees with branches below 30 feet, you can still mount the lights higher up the trees, but instead of a dappled light effect, you’ll get oval pools of light, which can still look nice but less natural than dappled light.
- Spacing:Let’s say you want to light up the length of a driveway. You’ll need several lights mounted in trees. Each light, when mounted 20 feet high with a 60º lamp, will cast an oval area of light about 20 feet in diameter. Use this measurement to plan how far apart to space the lights. For instance, an 80-foot driveway would require four lights spaced 20 feet apart. To save time, you could mount two lights in each tree, one pointing left and the other right. In this example, you’d only need lights in two trees spaced 40 feet apart. However, keep in mind that this method results in light coming from two directions, which looks slightly less natural than having all the light come from one direction, resembling natural moonlight more closely.
- Fixtures & Lamps:The best fixtures for this job are the Kings Woodsman Downlights. These fixtures are designed for easy and quick installation. They come with integrated LEDs for simplicity or as MR16 LED lamp-ready for design flexibility. You can also use the Tree Light Management Kit, which includes screws, spacers, and zip ties for a neat and tree-friendly way to attach fixture wire to the tree.
Downlighting from Under Gutters, Soffits, Gazebos, and Arbors
Many homes already have downlights installed under gutters or soffits. These are usually 120-volt fixtures embedded in the surface and connected to the house’s electrical system. They shine downward, creating lovely cones of light on the house siding. However, unless you’re an electrician, don’t attempt to service or change these 120-volt fixtures yourself. If you are looking for lighting installers in Los Angeles then you can go for LA Voltage.
If your home doesn’t have downlights in these locations, you can choose from other fixtures to mount on the siding or underside to achieve similar or different effects.
- Lighting House Sidings & Garden Beds:
The simplest way to light up the siding of your house is by using uplights – spotlights mounted on stakes near the base of the house. But if you have a place to mount them, you can use downlights instead. Attach them to the vertical wall just below the overhanging soffit or gutter. Some people prefer the look of downlights to uplights. Downlights also work well for illuminating a garden bed near the house. Choose beam angles to cover a wide (60º) or medium (36º) area depending on the size of the area you’re lighting. - Lighting Gazebos and Arbors:
Mounting lights in the eaves or beams inside gazebos or arbors is a great way to achieve soft, low-level lighting. Position the fixtures in corners or under peaks so they’re mostly hidden from view. Use wide beam angles and low wattage lamps to keep the light level low while creating a relaxing and romantic atmosphere. - Fixtures & Lamps:
Another great fixture for downlighting when protected by an overhang is the All-Star Tommy Light. With its sleek straight-cut housing, the fixture can be angled using the knuckle or directed straight down. We also offers other specialty fixtures that can be used creatively for downlighting applications. Their linear LED Hardscape Lights can be hidden under gazebo eaves or railings. The Buddy Pro is a small fixture that can be hidden from view to provide widespread downlighting. Be cautious with these fixtures as their unobstructed LED chips are very bright when viewed directly. For areas where bright, wide area lighting is needed, the 12-volt LED Floodlights are a great choice. However, these fixtures may be too bright for gazebos and arbors and are better suited for attaching to sidings or under soffits. They’re also a good replacement for security spotlights and for areas requiring high-security lighting, such as garage entrances.
