What Are The Outdoor Lighting Trends for 2022?

We all want to feel cool, hip, trendy. Just like we see fads rise and fall in the world of decorating and interior design, outdoor lighting is influenced by what’s “in.” Let’s take a look at some outdoor lighting trends we can expect to see in 2022 and beyond!

Simplicity in Your Lighting Design

Simple and minimalist designs are nothing new, but they’ve been an exploding trend in recent years. The style has heavily influenced art, design, architecture and so much more – so expect it to make an impact on outdoor lighting design as well.

Leverage sleek fixtures in black, white, or gray shades to call attention to outdoor spaces that hold interest. Simple LED bulbs with a wide range of color temperatures can emphasize a clean space or bring warmth to an outdoor area. Of course, everyone has different tastes and styles, but if you’re facing a tough decision it helps to think simple!

Use Lighting to Add Depth

One of the biggest reasons to consider outdoor lighting is the ability to accentuate details of your home or property. Strategically placed fixtures can give the illusions of light appearing magically, adding a new level of texture and beauty to your home’s surface or yard feature.

Outdoor lighting designers continue to find new and innovative ways to incorporate recessed and hidden light fixtures into your system. Not only does it increase your home’s aesthetic around the clock (no unsightly wires or fixtures exposed in the light of day), but it creates more dynamic outdoor spaces. As hidden lighting continues to become more functional, expect to see them incorporated more and more into designs.

Smart Lighting

Smart home automation technology continues to evolve, as does its ability to incorporate outdoor lighting systems. LED smart bulbs allow you to create different lighting scenarios for whatever the occasion calls for. Wash your yard with ambient lighting when the kids are outside playing on those cool summer nights. Dim the lights to create a hushed environment for an outdoor movie night.  Smart lighting can allow you to adjust the brightness, color, temperature and intensity on a bulb-to-bulb basis.

Smart lighting technology has home security benefits as well. Motion sensor technology has been a staple for security lighting for a while now, and it will continue. But, the ability to control fixtures through a mobile app or voice commands will only develop further.  With a wireless setup and scheduling capabilities, smart security lights are the best accessories for your security equipment.

Keeping it Environmentally Friendly

A trend that’s always in style. Reducing your carbon footprint is a responsibility we all share, and energy-efficient systems accomplish just that (and can save a bit of money too). We’ve talked a lot about LED bulbs already, and that trend continues here too! They’re up to 80% more efficient than their fluorescent or incandescent counterparts.

In fact, 95% of the energy produced by LED bulbs is converted to light. That’s a staggering increase from the paltry 5% of light produced by other bulb types. The LED lighting market has focused on reducing the need for toxic chemicals like mercury in their structure, further reducing their environmental impact.

Outdoor Mobility

As fixtures and capabilities continue to evolve, so does the kind of functionality they can provide. Early outdoor lighting trends focused a lot on beautification and warding off home intruders, and those are still benefits today! But more and more we’re seeing outdoor lighting systems put in place to get greater use of our outdoor spaces. Particularly in Central Virginia where we love entertaining guests and family late into the evenings on beautiful nights.

Here are some of the fixtures and installations we’ve seen grow in popularity:

• – Outdoor Wall Lights – Elegant panel lights that are effective in highlighting the surrounding landscape and nearby paths. Paint them to match the hardscape siding to create a seamless, natural look.
• – Step Lighting – We’ve seen some really creative step lighting integrations start to emerge! Whether they’re short arrays mounted onto hardscapes or LED tubs that are installed underneath the steps, they make getting around at night a breeze.
• – In-Ground Path Lighting – Not only does in-ground lighting look really interesting but there are added safety benefits as well! If you have children or elderly at home, in-ground (or well) lighting ensures no one will trip over lighting fixtures in low visibility settings.

At Livewire, we’re experts on all things outdoor lighting and outdoor lighting trends. Learn how to bring it all together and create the perfect system by contacting us at 804-793-8919 or visit our Lighting Control page for further reading.