There’s nothing quite like an enjoyable swim in your swimming pool whether you do it in the morning, noon or night. Going for a night swim, in particular, feels refreshing after a hard day’s work. A well-lighted swimming pool will do wonders in creating a peaceful ambiance that will completely relax you.
Adding the right lighting around your pool will also enhance your night-time aquatic experience. A well-illuminated pool, deck, and backyard provide the perfect combination of creating ambiance and ensuring safety for anyone who uses the pool.
With creative lighting concepts, you can turn your swimming pool deck area into your very own luxury spa resort. Here are some of our swimming pool lighting tips for your home to get you started.
Light Your Pool Deck
A lot happens in your pool deck area. Make sure that your pool deck is sufficiently lit to keep everyone safe. By placing lights around the pool deck, you can illuminate pathways during the evening and make it safer to navigate. The great thing about pool deck lighting is that it gives your pool area a dramatic flair while promoting safety as well.
Use LED Lighting
LED lighting is an environmentally-friendly option that 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 be more expensive at first, it turns out to be cheaper in the long run since it can last for a long time. With its many benefits, LED lighting is one of the best ways that you can illuminate your pool area.
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Install Wall Lights
Wall lights cast light towards the more interesting aspects of the landscape around your pool. They are usually small and well-hidden which is good for creating a dramatic light effect without people having to see the source.
Wall lights can be installed throughout hardscapes, textured walls, sitting walls, fire pits, and fire pit benches, to name a few. These tasks though are safer to do after consulting electrical experts since it’s a bit trickier.
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. 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.
Put up Tiki Torches and Lamps
Turn your swimming pool area into the ultimate tropical getaway. Put up tiki torches and lamps which are great design touches that will give your pool 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. On the other hand, tiki torches with switch-on light is a safer yet equally beautiful alternative that you can use.
Highlight Trees and Plants
If you want that luxurious resort feel in your pool area, you should highlight the landscape such as the trees and plants. Softly accentuate the trees, bushes, and planters placed along pathways with strategically-placed lighting.
With the right lighting guiding your path, you can safely go across your backyard without tripping while you are on your way to take a refreshing dip in your swimming pool.
Try Solar Lights
Another eco-friendly swimming pool lighting option is solar lights which come in various shapes, sizes, and colors. Solar lights 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, just like solar pool heaters, primarily rely on the availability of sunlight. This means that they are not as bright as electric lights and can get dimmer or not even shine during cloudy weather.
Hang String Lighting
Another way to create a fun pool atmosphere is by using string lighting which is also known as bistro lighting. Hanging lights around your swimming pool is an easy way to get you and your guests into a party mood.
Do not limit yourself to hanging lights over the pool. You can also hang them over plants and trees, or you can use string lighting to provide functional light inside pergolas or over a pool. There are many things that you can do with string lighting. You can even make your pool area dazzle more by creating patterns and configurations with your string lighting.
Use Dimmers
Once you have fully-wired swimming pool lighting, install a dimmer option that you can control from a smart device. Control your light levels or dim your lights to create the perfect atmosphere that you want, whether you are in the mood for a relaxing evening dip or a festive pool party with family and friends.
Bottom Line
With these tips, you are taking your pool-going experience to the next level. As much as these different kinds of lighting add that design polish to your swimming pool, always remember that these lights take an even more important function of ensuring your safety and comfort. Your lighting should go with the rest of your pool or your backyard’s design to create a well-put-together look.
