By Larry G. December 13th, 2018
Lighting Trends in Outdoor Kitchens & Living
Dallas Outdoor Kitchens and Hardscape ~ Proudly serving the greater Dallas TX area.
Outdoor Kitchen Project by Dallas Outdoor Kitchens.
As an outdoor kitchen and outdoor living contractor that has been building and designing for more than 25 years, I have seen a lot of changes to the way our customers want to build. Designs, materials, and the way we build are constantly changing with the marketplace. New materials, colors, textures, and appliances are constantly changing and improving the way we incorporate them into our designs and building. With that in mind, let's talk about some of the new lighting trends that our customers are asking for.
High and Low volt Lighting
Not too many years ago we were still installing regular old high voltage lights. About 5 years ago we started to see customers asking for more low voltage (12 volt) lighting to be used in their outdoor kitchens, patio covers, and arbors/pergolas. There was a good reason for that because the low volt lights were a lot less expensive to operate due to their lower wattage and electricity consumption. The downside to them was that the bulbs do need to be changed out every 2-3 years, and in some cases getting them out of the fixtures was a bit of work. Also, finding the exact wattage and color of the bulbs was sometimes difficult as well and might require several trips to retail stores to get the correct replacement bulbs.
LED Lighting
About 2 years ago we started recommending LED lighting to all our customers instead of the old high voltage or the standard low voltage. Both the standard low voltage and the LED lights run on the same 12 volt system, but the LED lights require even less power to operate them, in fact, the wattage can be 50-75% less than the regular low volt lights which in turn are as much as 75-80% lower than the old 120 volt systems. What all that means is they are super cheap to operate, so much so, that you can leave them on all night long and most likely you will never even notice any increase in your electrical costs. As an example, I have 185 LED lights on my house now for Christmas lighting. I leave them on about 7 hours each evening. My cost per month for the entire 185 lights is about $1.00, that’s extremely energy efficient!
Another advantage of using LED lighting is that unlike the 120 volt lighting, you do not need to run the wiring in conduit since there is no danger of electrical shock. Since conduit is not needed, we are able to hide the wiring a lot easier. In addition, since the wattage of the LED lights are so low you can usually use a very small transformer to operate them, and that in turn is also a lot less expensive.
With the invention of the smartphone and smart home devices, we are now starting to see lighting manufacturers and companies like Google, Amazon, & Apple, coming out with apps to control your lighting and other devices. So, with the right type of lights, receptacles, and smart home devices you may be able to control your lighting by voice commands, tablets, and smartphones, how cool is that!
One thing that our customers have complained about in the past is that the light from LED lights was sometimes too bluish in color for them. Now, all that has changed, and LED lights come in a variety of colors and warm to cool shades, so the customer is no longer stuck with a single choice.
There is also a wider choice of fixtures to choose from for LED lighting than we had in the past. Metal and Poly fixtures can come in Black, Bronze, Brown, White, Tan, etc. Some higher-end fixtures are also available in cast bronze that are essentially high-grade commercial fixtures that will last a lifetime under normal use.
Another advantage of using LED lighting is that unlike the 120 volt lighting, you do not need to run the wiring in conduit since there is no danger of electrical shock. Since conduit is not needed, we are able to hide the wiring a lot easier. In addition, since the wattage of the LED lights are so low you can usually use a very small transformer to operate them, and that in turn is also a lot less expensive.
With the invention of the smartphone and smart home devices, we are now starting to see lighting manufacturers and companies like Google, Amazon, & Apple, coming out with apps to control your lighting and other devices. So, with the right type of lights, receptacles, and smart home devices you may be able to control your lighting by voice commands, tablets, and smartphones, how cool is that!
One thing that our customers have complained about in the past is that the light from LED lights was sometimes too bluish in color for them. Now, all that has changed, and LED lights come in a variety of colors and warm to cool shades, so the customer is no longer stuck with a single choice.
There is also a wider choice of fixtures to choose from for LED lighting than we had in the past. Metal and Poly fixtures can come in Black, Bronze, Brown, White, Tan, etc. Some higher-end fixtures are also available in cast bronze that are essentially high-grade commercial fixtures that will last a lifetime under normal use.
LED Light Placement
We like to place LED lights underneath the bar tops, backsplash, and counters, of our outdoor kitchens so that they shine down towards the floor. Doing so, they illuminate the stone work and give us light to see where we are walking. It is the perfect amount of light and it greatly enhances the outdoor living space at night.
Another great place to put the lights are on posts and in the ceilings, as well as over the cooking area and seating areas. Most of the lights we install are mounted so the light can be rotated and pointed in the direction where you want them to shine. Proper location should be thought out well in advance, so you can achieve the type of look you desire.
LED lights also go well when installed on outdoor fireplaces so that they illuminate the stone work when the sun goes down. The outdoor fireplace is usually the center piece of your outdoor living area and lighting it with soft LED lights will make it stand out and give it a dramatic effect for your family and friends entertainment.
If your outdoor living area is on an elevation, has steps, or has any type of retainer wall you might also consider installing LED step lights in these areas to illuminate those areas as well. Of course, they always go well in landscape areas and the LED lights come in up lights, down lights, and path lights, each serves a different purpose and creates it’s on dramatic effect.
Another great place to put the lights are on posts and in the ceilings, as well as over the cooking area and seating areas. Most of the lights we install are mounted so the light can be rotated and pointed in the direction where you want them to shine. Proper location should be thought out well in advance, so you can achieve the type of look you desire.
LED lights also go well when installed on outdoor fireplaces so that they illuminate the stone work when the sun goes down. The outdoor fireplace is usually the center piece of your outdoor living area and lighting it with soft LED lights will make it stand out and give it a dramatic effect for your family and friends entertainment.
If your outdoor living area is on an elevation, has steps, or has any type of retainer wall you might also consider installing LED step lights in these areas to illuminate those areas as well. Of course, they always go well in landscape areas and the LED lights come in up lights, down lights, and path lights, each serves a different purpose and creates it’s on dramatic effect.
Cost of LED lights
LED lights have a very long lifespan that is measured in years, sometimes 20 or more so replacing them should not be a concern. The cost of LED light fixtures can vary a lot and the ones you will find in most big box type stores may be less expensive than the professional type of fixtures we like to use, but, as always, you get what you pay for and the better fixtures will last longer, work better, and should have better light output. It’s nice to save money, but you will never regret going first class!
Dallas Outdoor Kitchens and Hardscape is an expert outdoor living builder and we would love the opportunity to create your fire feature in your outdoor living area. Give us a call to discuss what we can build for you. We will sit down with you and create a design that you will be proud to own.
For homeowners and others in the North Dallas & Collin county area, call us today at 214-908-0677 or fill out our contact form.
For homeowners and others in the North Dallas & Collin county area, call us today at 214-908-0677 or fill out our contact form.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Larry Gucciardo is the CEO and founder of Dallas Outdoor Kitchens & Hardscape. He has 25 years of experience in sales, design, and construction in the swimming pool and outdoor living industry. For more information on pergola and patio covers contact him via his website: www.dallasoutdoorkitchens.com
Larry and Jarrad were very professional throughout the multi task job. We had an indoor rock wall constructed from floor to ceiling around our existing fireplace. The subs they use are true craftsmen and really care about the finished product and insuring the customers satisfaction. They are good people.
I found Dallas Outdoor Kitchen online and knew they were going to be the contractors I hire after reviewing all of their work and talking to Larry Gucciardo, Jerrad Jasperson, and their dynamic staff. The quality of their work was pristine and the project came out better than we imagined! Cheers to a job well done!
We had a great experience working with Larry and his team. The design process was easy, we had several options to choose from and the install team was very good, well-organized, clean and great to work with. Project was finished on budget and on time. I would definitely call them again for another project.