Lighting is an essential piece of any landscape design. Even with some of the most intricate new trends, designers can add landscape lights to highlight specific features. Not only do lights enlighten and allow you to enjoy your landscaping (and that accompanying investment) after the sun goes down, but adding them is also an extra step you can take to keep your property secure and safe. The popularity of landscape lighting doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon.

So, what are the trends we’re seeing for 2020? Let’s break them down piece by piece so you can decide what trends to put in place in your own landscape this year.

Indoor-Outdoor Living

From outdoor kitchens to fire and water features, taking your indoors outdoors will still be a popular trend in 2020. Sleek, simple, and stylish seem to be the goal when planning your outdoor living spaces—especially where lighting is concerned. The ability to enjoy the outdoors in different seasons throughout the year is definitely something homeowners are still seeking in their landscape features. Using landscape lights on hardscapes like patios and decks is a great way to create spaces that are fun, well lit, and comfortable.

If you’re wanting to feel calmer and more peaceful when enjoying your landscape, then you’ll definitely be interested in another trend we’re seeing in outdoor living: the use of different hues of blue in landscape features, plants (like delphinium, hydrangea, grape hyacinth, and others), and lighting.

String Lights

Speaking of indoor-outdoor living, we love the way string lights add a warm, comfortable, glow. They continue to be a popular trend in the landscape lighting space. Due to the fact that they can easily be added to existing features and underneath, overhead, and really, anywhere you’d like a little additional light and ambiance in your landscaping, we don’t see this trend going away any time soon. Plus, their affordability makes them an easy way to upgrade your landscape lighting without laying out some big bucks. They’re a great way to accentuate the landscape light design you’ve added to your patios.

Pathway Lighting

In 2020, we’re seeing continued use of traditional pathway lighting as well as the use of area directional light, like our CBAL1CB. These lights often graze driveways, walkways, fences, and retaining walls, making sure you’re safely and stylishly lit. 

“Hidden” lighting is another trend we’re seeing, where LED light channels are placed under pathways, sidewalks, and other walkways. This trend makes it possible for your landscape lighting to softly illuminate these areas while complementing and enhancing your traditional lighting. 

If you’re new to pathway lighting, we’ve got you covered! Click here for some more useful tips and tools to lighting your pathways.

Smart Technology

Tired of manually watering your landscape, especially with the different irrigation needs of your lawn and foliage? Smart technology, which has already been popular for your indoor living, is now the thing for your outdoor living too. A smart tech irrigation system will not only take care of watering your lawn and plants for you, but it can also sense what irrigation levels are optimal, saving you time AND money. 

Smart tech for landscaping lighting is also becoming increasingly popular. By adding smart tech to your outdoor lighting system, you can control your lighting from anywhere, and since you can also specify lighting zones, you can illuminate, dim, or turn off different sections of your yard as needed. And smart tech lighting can also add an extra layer of security to your yard whether you’re at home or anywhere in the world.

LED Bulbs

As we’ve mentioned above, LED lights are still the go-to for all your lighting needs. Why? LED lights are less expensive year over year, consume less energy, and are more aesthetically pleasing, and when combined with their ease of maintenance, they are definitely a no-brainer for your landscape lighting needs.

Click here to learn more about the specifics of LED vs Halogen.

Need help designing your dream landscape lighting plan OR making 2020 tweaks to your existing lighting system? We’d love to help! Simply fill out our Contact Form, and we’ll get to work ASAP!

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