Install the right poolside lighting to take your swimming pool to the next level. Adding lighting around your pool will also enhance your night-time aquatic experience. While a well-illuminated pool, deck, and backyard will give you the perfect ambiance, the right lighting also provides a safer environment for you and your family.
With the following lighting tips, you will be close to having your luxury resort in the comfort of your home.
With creative lighting concepts, you can turn your swimming pool deck area into your very own luxury resort. Here are our swimming pool lighting tips for your home to get you started.
Use LED Lighting
LED lighting is a much safer, sturdier, and more energy-efficient option compared with incandescent bulbs. LED lights are bright and can last for as long as 30,000 hours without needing to be replaced very often. Although LED lights might cost a little higher upon purchase, it turns out to be cheaper in the long run.
Another great feature of LED lights is that it is an environmentally-friendly option as well. With its many benefits, LED lighting is one of the best ways to illuminate your pool area.
Place Lights Strategically
If you are aiming for a relaxing pool environment, having glare from your lighting will defeat the calm ambiance of your swimming pool. While LED lights produce the most lumens, or are brighter than other bulbs, it can also cause glare. To avoid glare from your swimming pool lights, avoid placing them on locations where they shine directly towards people’s eyes.
Another way of reducing glare is by strategically having two swimming pool lights face each other. Since a single pool light can create unwanted shadows, having two lights pointing at each other will eliminate unsightly shadows making your pool clear and shadow-free.
Keep in mind as well that low voltage pool lighting goes best in areas that surround your pool. These produce soft light and consume less energy. For your outdoor landscape, install lights on trees to give it a sculptural quality. Try lighting pergolas, plants, and decks for additional illumination. You can also consult with a licensed electrical expert on how you can have these lights installed safely.
Create a Mood
While in-pool lights are perfect for creating a dramatic effect, it is also instrumental in making your poolside safer. By placing lights around the pool deck, you can illuminate pathways during the evening and make it safer to navigate. Swimming pool lights can also attract insects, which will keep them away from the water.
Hang String Lighting
Another way to create a fun pool atmosphere is by using string lighting. Hanging lights around your swimming pool is an easy way to get you and your guests into a party mood.
Make your pool area dazzle by creating patterns and configurations with your string lighting. Do not limit yourself to hanging lights over the pool. You can also hang them on trees, plants, or in the pergola.
Try Solar Lights
Another eco-friendly swimming pool lighting option is solar lights. Like a solar pool heater, it operates by making use of a solar collector which recharges the battery inside.
There are different solar lights available that vary in shape, size, and colours. They usually come with a built-in light sensor that automatically turns on at night. If you prefer to turn off solar lights yourself, choose solar lights that come with on switches.
Remember that solar lights are not as bright as other lights since it primarily relies on the availability of sunlight. They can get dimmer or not even shine for long during cloudy weather.
Use Dimmers
Once you have fully-wired swimming pool lighting, install a dimmer option that you can control from a smart device. Dim your lights to the perfect atmosphere you want, whether you are in the mood for a relaxing evening dip or a festive pool party with family and friends.
Install Tiki Torches and Lamps
Tiki torches and lamps are great design touches that can give your pool a fun and tropical feel. At the same time, they also provide excellent illumination to your swimming pool area.
There are several types of Tiki Torches to choose from – the authentic oil and wick option, or the wired-in lighting with illumination from a bulb.
While the authentic oil and wick tiki torches look exotic, having open flames by the open-air poolside can be dangerous. Tiki torches with switch-on light is a safer yet equally beautiful alternative that you can use.
Whichever you tiki torch you choose, it will make your swimming pool area look like the ultimate tropical getaway.
Highlight the Landscape
If you want that luxurious resort feel in your pool area, highlighting the landscape such as the trees and plants is a trick you can use. Through the use of lighting, you can softly accentuate the trees, bushes, and planters placed along pathways. With the right lighting guiding your path, you can safely maneuver across your backyard without tripping while you are on your way to take a refreshing dip in your swimming pool.
Emily is part of the content team at The Long Reach. Emily has worked as a freelance writer since graduating from university. When not writing, Emily can be found researching new travel locations.
