DIY lighting under the canopy of a private house

Street lighting under canopy

A private house is not just a building within the city or beyond where a family can live. A house is a reflection of the owner, his financial well-being and taste. That is why it is important to deal not only with the interior design of the home, but also with its exterior. A well-thought-out exterior should be reflected in every detail, on which you need to spend not only money, but also time. Illumination of a terrace or canopy at the entrance to a house is an important component of the external appearance of a home, which gives it a special charm and charm. You can verify this by looking at the photo in our article or on the Internet.

A private house is a place where most families relax not only in the summer, but also live year-round, which means that every corner needs to be harmoniously arranged. A canopy is not just an entrance area that protects household members from snow and rain near the door of the home, but also a place where you can hide in the shade and enjoy nature while drinking a cup of tea or coffee. The type of lighting and fixtures depends on the appearance of the canopy. How to properly organize street lighting under a canopy, and what types of lamps are appropriate here? Find out about it with us.

Street lighting under canopy

If you look at photos from design catalogs, it may seem that lighting the terrace and space under the canopy can only be attractive if you choose the strangest and most unusual options that can highlight the beauty of a private home. In fact, this is far from the case, because in most cases, hanging and installing lamps and lanterns here must be done extremely carefully, otherwise the space will not only cease to be attractive, but will also lose its charm, which creates a cozy atmosphere.

It is believed that the approach to the house and the steps should be illuminated as much as possible, and this is true, because if the porch is dark, then at night the overall impression of the house will be spoiled. Moreover, it is impractical and unsafe, because poorly lit steps can cause falls and injuries. At the same time, too powerful and bright lighting is unfortunate, because it will deprive the space of home warmth and comfort and spoil the appearance of the building.

To illuminate the space under a canopy, it is best to give preference to white spectrum lamps with a yellow tint. This option will be an ideal solution for illuminating the entrance to the house and the porch, because the light does not hurt the eyes and does not stand out from the general background. That is why when purchasing lamps it is important to pay attention not only to their shape, size and design, but also to the power of the light source. One rule applies here - it is better to use several sources of less bright and soft light than one too powerful flashlight.

It is better to organize canopy lighting in several stages. First of all, you need to estimate the size of the terrace or porch, determining the number and power of lamps. First you need to illuminate the space around the perimeter, using corner lights that produce bright light. At the same time, you need to understand that the need for careful illumination of the canopy disappears, since the located street lamps will provide the necessary lighting, securing the entrance area. In such a situation, it is enough to use paired sconces located on the wall on either side of the front door.

Nuances of electrical wiring for the terrace

Depending on the installation location of the terrace lighting devices, the method of laying the cable will also differ. In one case, it will hide under a canopy or come out of the wall of the house, in another, it will have direct contact with the ground or be in the open air. It should be noted that you should not lay the cable openly to the terrace, as this will significantly spoil the appearance of the interior style.
Electrical wiring should be installed in such a way that it cannot be reached by pets or children while playing. When arranging a wooden floor under which the wiring will pass, they are separated by a non-flammable base, for example, a metal pipe or sheet of metal along the entire length of the gasket.
When laying in the ground, the cable must be located at a depth of at least 0.8 m. When trying to save time on digging a full-fledged trench, you risk breaking the cable while processing the beds or being left without light due to the natural actions of animals.

How to organize street lighting in an area

To make safe, functional and beautiful outdoor lighting for an area, you need to take into account a number of nuances. We tell you how FORUMHOUSE participants coped with this task.

Functional lighting of the area should be such that at night the area, if necessary, is almost as comfortable as during the day. The ability to turn on a light should be in any place where a person might be at night. Usually lighting is provided: porch;

Separately, you can highlight particularly prominent trees and shrubs, retaining walls, and sometimes flower beds. The illumination of a pond or pool looks very beautiful.

Lighting is often installed around the perimeter of the site - this deters potential robbers. To save money, lights are connected to motion sensors.

Let's see how a user of our portal with the nickname blogger82 illuminated the strategic places of his small area.

Two lamps at the entrance to the garden illuminate the path that leads to the garage. These lamps are equipped with 6 W LED lamps. In the bathhouse there is a lantern with a 7W diode lamp, which additionally illuminates the paths. The gazebo and barbecue area are illuminated by a 10 W LED spotlight.

I would put three more light bulbs on the corners of the flowerbed to make it brighter, but my wife won’t let me. She likes some intimate atmosphere.

Having decided which places on the site will be illuminated, homeowners draw up a diagram of the location of lighting fixtures. It indicates where the lamps will be located, what kind of lamps they will be and what tasks they should solve. The design also takes into account climatic features: for example, in Siberia there is a lot of snow, and the height of lamps for year-round use should be such that they do not drown in snowdrifts in winter.

Lighting under the canopy of a private house

For any thoughtful exterior, every little detail is important, and home owners can spend a lot of time deciding on the illumination of the terrace. We offer you simple options and will tell you how to use lighting under the canopy of a private house in order to give your home a special charm and charm. See for yourself how easy it is to transform your own space with the right few light sources!

A private home is a place where many people live all year round, and therefore it is important to harmoniously arrange every corner. A terrace is not just an area where you can drink tea at the table with your family or hide in the shade in the heat; it is the appearance of the canopy that will largely determine what exactly your hearth will turn out to be. Will it be a beautiful and sweet house, evoking thoughts of family warmth, or a gloomy place, under the roof of which you don’t really want to be.

What kind of lamps can be placed under a canopy?

Most of the year you will arrive home after dark. To make it comfortable to park a car and perform any actions in the parking lot, even in the dark, the site must be equipped with high-quality lighting. For these purposes, waterproof lamps are purchased.

It is important to choose a degree of moisture and dust protection of at least IP44, and to be sure it is hermetically sealed and reliable - with IP65, for which the possibility of dust getting inside is completely excluded and the housing is protected from water jets falling from any direction.

A practical choice for an indoor area would be long linear lamps (refer to the LPP marking). They are durable, UV resistant and easy to install - they are attached to the supporting surface using screws or screws. Choose models with a length of about 1-1.2 meters.

The budget for comfortable parking lot lighting is small.

For example, for a completely sealed LPP model VRO-LED-SH-40 with IP65 from Eurosvet you will pay about $8.5, plus you will need to purchase 2 linear LED lamps of 18 W at a price of $3.7 each. As a result, the minimum amount for the set will be about $16.

A convenient alternative is that LED lamps are already assembled with a light source. From the same manufacturer you can pick up a lamp complete with lamps costing from $14 - it will be even a little cheaper.

But we do not recommend using a spotlight. Their beam is too directional and can dazzle, unlike the uniform diffused light of LED models.

Street lighting under canopy

Photos in design catalogs try to convince us that the stranger and more unusual the terrace lighting turns out to be, the more beneficial it will highlight the beauty of a private home. However, this does not always happen. Since the terrace in many cases is also the porch of the home, hanging lamps here and installing lanterns should be done with extreme caution.

It is believed that the approach to the house and steps should be illuminated as much as possible. Indeed, if the porch is too dark, then in the evening it will noticeably spoil the overall impression of your nest, and it is also completely impractical. However, it is better to immediately abandon the idea of bright and too powerful lighting. Such illumination will be unsuccessful and will immediately deprive the canopy of the warmth of home.

It is best to choose white spectrum lamps with a yellow tint. This option is ideal for illuminating the porch and terrace; it does not hurt the eyes and does not stand out from the general background of the exterior. Also pay attention to the power of the lamps you are going to buy. An important rule applies here - it is better to place more sources of dim soft light on the porch than to hang one very powerful lantern.

Canopy lighting is often carried out in several stages. First of all, they take over the territory near the terrace. This is where you can install several lanterns that cast a fairly bright light. But then it is worth considering that there will no longer be a special need for careful illumination of the canopy - street lamps located within walking distance provide enough illumination. In this case, it will be possible to get by with two paired sconces, which can be hung on both sides of the front door.

How to make lighting under a canopy with your own hands

In order to hang beautiful lamps on the terrace, you don’t even have to go to the store. If you have enough time and desire, then you can easily create original options for illuminating the canopy.

What we need:

How to make a canopy lamp

A homemade garland of small halogen light bulbs, which can be hung either from the ceiling or placed on the wall, also looks very good on the terrace of a country house.

But whatever you choose for yourself, remember that the porch is not a place for a general light source. Therefore, do not install a chandelier or an ordinary ceiling lamp under a canopy. It is better to prefer several small light bulbs or compact lanterns, a couple of wall sconces or homemade lamps for a canopy in the country if only affordable and not too labor-intensive options suit you.

And for lovers of architectural design and classics, we suggest acquiring local light sources in the form of wall sconces, the illumination of which is directed vertically. This allows you to focus attention on the area under the roof and makes the atmosphere more festive and cozy. It is this kind of lighting under the canopy of a private house that can be called optimal for small buildings and country houses.

You might be interested

Source

Tips for selection and layout

A good lamp is wonderful, but a lamp consists of more than just one lamp, and there are many more types of housings than the same lamps.

Hanging lantern or chandelier

It is believed that hanging street lamps and chandeliers should be exclusively waterproof and vandal-proof. I’ll tell you honestly, as practice shows, you can hang any kind of lamps, including household lamps, under the pitched roofs of gazebos. If you don't hit them on purpose, then nothing will happen to them.

Lighting fixtures are selected in the same style.

If you are impressed by a chandelier with spotlights or any other shades, but it does not cover the entire area of the room, then it is better to supplement the general lighting with the same type of spotlights or sconces. The LED strip in such a company looks worse.

Hidden lighting of the ceiling and facade

Hidden lighting is considered a new and very popular design feature. Initially, it was invented for combined and suspended ceilings, but this design has also taken root well in garden gazebos. The backlight can be combined with anything, because it is hardly noticeable.

Hidden lights are unnoticeable.

It is not necessary that the lamps themselves be tightly hidden; the so-called light pillars, plus the lower and upper lighting of the gazebo facade are also classified as a hidden option. The main task here is that the lamp does not catch the eye, and people see only the reflected light or a directed beam.

LED models

We have already mentioned the types, it remains to talk about the layout. There are no special prohibitions here; the only thing that is not recommended is to combine classic retro candelabra and sconces with modern, newfangled trends. If you have an original chandelier made from a cart wheel, then the LED strip does not fit here.

LED models are closer to modern design styles.

Using sconces

By definition, sconce lamps are any models that are attached to vertical surfaces, that is, walls or load-bearing posts of a gazebo. Sconces can provide both general and local lighting, the main thing is that they match the style. An exception is made only for hidden sconces with a directional beam; they are invisible.

Wall sconces should be combined with ceiling lanterns.

Battery-powered flashlights

An excellent option for autonomous lighting. There are 2 types of them: solar-powered lanterns and battery-powered lamps. If solar panels provide complete autonomy, then the battery version is more suitable for emergency lighting; when the main light is turned off, the emergency light automatically turns on.

Lanterns with a built-in solar battery are convenient, but expensive.

Functional lighting

This is, first of all, safe movement around the site and near it in the dark. If we consider the illumination of a personal plot or backyard from the point of view of comfortable safety, then the illumination of the porch of a house, the entrance to a garage or a parking area and garden paths can be considered a sufficient level.

If we talk about the simplest and least expensive way to illuminate an area that is adjacent to a household, then it is enough to evenly place the lamps along the garden paths. Such lighting can become the basis for garden lighting; for small areas this may be enough.

When designing functional lighting, it is important to remember several key aspects:

To organize functional lighting, both conventional incandescent lamps and energy-saving, fluorescent lamps with various mounting methods are suitable. The most commonly used are conventional floor lamps . These are lighting fixtures that are mounted vertically and are equipped with frosted glass diffusers, which significantly improve the quality of light from the lamps installed in them. High-tech style floor lamps are becoming increasingly popular, but there are also design projects with retro-style equipment.

Spherical lamps - an organic form of a sphere made of carbonate or polycarbonate, equipped with low-power lamps, can not only create dim lighting, but also decorate the landscape design of any area.

Solar-powered lighting devices are charged during the day (for this purpose they are equipped with special batteries) in order to provide dim lighting of significant areas of the backyard or garden at night. Such devices are mobile and do not require a connection to the power grid; they can be put away for the winter or moved during the warm season to different parts of the garden to illuminate certain objects, constantly changing the appearance and atmosphere of your site at dusk. Because solar-powered devices are equipped with sensors and LEDs that turn on automatically, such lighting can last all night.

In order not to make a mistake when choosing lamps for a personal plot, you can use one simple rule - if the landscape design of the garden is quite diverse, it is dominated by various flower beds, a patio with garden furniture, alpine slides and many other decorative elements, then it is better to opt for lamps of laconic shapes or use hidden backlighting (we will talk about it in more detail later). And in the case of a simple and laconic landscape design that strives for minimalism, you can use retro lamps, fancy shapes, and different shades of lighting.

Recently, built-in lighting systems have been used quite widely not only indoors, but also in garden plots. You can integrate lamps into the bases of steps, alpine slides, fountains, borders and other landscape elements.

What is important to know when purchasing outdoor lighting fixtures:

For the system to work 100%

In order for the system elements to work harmoniously, all electrical equipment must be selected only in a specialized store. And under no circumstances not at the market. This will save time and, as practice shows, budget. Choose:

Large online stores, as a rule, have the status of official representatives of large brands. Accordingly, the price is without intermediaries, “from first hand” as they say.
Choose stores that have been on the market for a long time - most likely, the same old specialists work there, and not student startups. You can even count on competent advice.
Well, fame, of course. Serious trading platforms exclude the possibility of you purchasing a counterfeit and will provide a guarantee for all purchases, as they value their reputation..

With the support of the partner store of lighting and electrical equipment "AXIOMPLUS.COM.UA".

In order for Muscovites to feel comfortable in the metro, the authorities. More details >

In Moscow, active measures to dismantle illegally continue. More details >

For many years, it grew in Ramenki, right behind the Moscow State University building. More details >

The Moscow City Property Department filed a lawsuit in 2021. More details >

Since 2013, work has been underway in Moscow to demolish shell garages and pencil case garages. More details >

When solving problems with high-quality water treatment for a country house, you have to do it in advance.

Ceilings with photo printing Stretch ceilings with photo printing add interior space.

Each element of the interior must be maintained in good condition. This is required.

Innovative concepts and production capacities influence the filling of the furniture market.

With proper organization of lighting for a country house or cottage, you can achieve such an effect that in the evening and at night your garden, paths and the entire area around it will look even more beautiful than during the day.

All you need to do is select the appropriate models of lamps and lanterns that will fit perfectly into the landscape.

There are a huge number of varieties of street lighting lamps, but most often three types of them are used for country houses:

Let's look at the features of each of them, and also focus on what you should pay attention to when purchasing and installing them.

This type ranks high in beauty and functionality. Here, unlike the same spotlights, designers have a wider choice.

Instead of a nondescript rectangle, you get an independent architectural structure that will decorate your site even during the day.

Let's consider several standard sizes of these lanterns:

In the case of columns, these can be either small specimens no more than 40 cm high, or decent structures up to 2.5 meters.

By the way, it is not recommended to buy medium-sized bollard lamps, with the height of the lamps at eye level. In this case, they will blind you when you pass by, and everything that is hidden behind them will be difficult to see.

You need to choose them in a color that will dissolve among the greenery of the landscape. You don't want them to stand out with their bright colors.

Low posts are often equipped with “hats”, which are also reflectors.

Thanks to them, in the evening the light is not scattered to the sides, but is directed down and softly illuminates the paths and plants. If you do not need such illumination of the paths, you can remove the hat and the lamp will immediately change its functionality.

You essentially have two lights in one. It is very comfortable.

By the way, gardening rosettes are often placed in such low posts. They have protection against dust and moisture IP55.

They are very convenient to place outdoors under a Christmas tree to connect garlands and illumination.

They will also come in handy in the recreation area, for recharging various gadgets.

At what distance from each other should bollard lamps be placed? There is no need to place them close to each other. Recommended distances in this case:

7-10 meters with a column height of 1.0-1.2 m

for lower heights the distance can be reduced

The main thing is that the curves of the paths are emphasized by these lamps. Accordingly, they will have to be placed at the nearest turns and corners.

And also in places where there are differences in heights or steps.

Pendants and sconces are more commonly installed on the facades of houses, gazebos, etc. They use the usual pear-shaped lamps or candle-shaped lamps as light sources. What should you pay attention to when purchasing and choosing a particular decorative lamp or lamppost? Firstly, on the operating temperature.

Good old incandescent lamps can be used at any time of the year, both summer and winter. But energy savers no longer like negative temperatures.

They will glow, but their brightness will drop significantly. And the service life will change for the worse. For LED light sources, everything will depend on the build quality and manufacturer.

Secondly, this is the level of moisture protection. For streets it must be at least IP44 and higher.

If you have a model that does not meet this parameter, then place it only under a shelter or canopy. You can hide such a pendant or sconce under the porch.

Do not forget that all such decorative models must somehow be supplied with power. Those lamps that are placed on the elements of the facade of the building require less labor to connect them.

But beautiful lamp posts in the middle of the site will require painstaking and heavy excavation work with the installation of mortgages, cable pulling, etc.

Currently, in addition to the old, proven lamps with E27 sockets for replaceable bulbs, new models with LEDs built into the housing have begun to be widely used.

They have a long service life - more than 20,000 hours. This way you will be spared the need to periodically replace lamps.

Interesting ideas

When creating holiday lighting, remember how important it is to combine lighting fixtures with each other.

Festive lighting at home should create an incredible show, lift your spirits, and make every person passing by stop to admire.

Beautiful lighting can be created without the help of electric lights. Candles in protective cases and candlesticks will enliven the area of a country house with warmth and flicker.

On a fabulous New Year's Eve, in such a warm and elegant house, magic will definitely happen and happiness and good luck will knock on the door.

For a photo selection of New Year's decorations with lighting fixtures, see the following video

Decorative lighting

With the onset of darkness, any, even the most beautiful and sophisticated garden plot, loses its individuality. Flower beds and flower beds, garden sculptures, ponds and fountains become indistinguishable in the twilight. Properly organized lighting of a backyard or garden can transform the exquisite beauty of nature and create a unique night image of the area, which will be completely different from the appearance of the yard during daylight hours. It’s up to you to decide what type of garden plot is right for you – mysterious or romantic, filled with drama or festive fun.

An interesting decorative effect can be created by highlighting plants (trees and shrubs). To do this, mini-spotlights are installed on the ground (in small depressions).

Decorative garden lighting

Any decorative elements lose their attractiveness as night falls. Of course, this can all be the case before dawn. But maybe you want to design decorative garden lighting that will highlight all the charm and beauty of your garden plot. For example, you can put small spotlights directly into the ground that will gracefully illuminate your flower beds.

Street lighting under canopy

Now let’s look in more detail at typical mistakes and unsuccessful solutions for canopy lighting:

What's the result?

Sheds made of metal profiles in the courtyard of a private house are one of the most common types of shelter. They are durable, reliable, easy to install and look great. At the same time, a canopy made of corrugated sheets in the yard can be placed on either a steel or wooden frame.

Metal is chosen if strength, durability and price are more important. Wood is suitable for those who are willing to pay more for the naturalness of the material, aesthetics and the ability to install a frame without welding, while losing service life and convenience.

For small, free-standing sheds in the yard, it is better to choose a pitched or arched roof. A pitched roof is the easiest to install and calculate. Arched - elegant and airy, but very difficult to manufacture. Gable roofing is well suited for large-area sheds.

Installation of both steel and wooden canopies follows a similar plan. But there are also significant differences: steel supports are concreted, and wooden posts are often attached to the concrete foundation with anchors. The roof of a metal canopy is made from welded trusses, and to install a wooden roof you need to make grooves in the beams and boards and secure them with brackets, studs or corners.

Useful article? Save it on social networks so you don’t lose the link!

How to build a utility block from corrugated sheets

Find out how to build an outbuilding with your own hands: choosing the brand of metal profile and location of the building, drawings, step-by-step instructions.

How to make a toilet from corrugated sheets

Do-it-yourself toilet for a summer house: step-by-step instructions with diagrams, drawings and detailed descriptions of all work. Read the article and you can easily build a toilet from corrugated sheets yourself.

How to make lighting under a canopy with your own hands

In order to hang beautiful lamps on the terrace, you don’t even have to go to the store. If you have enough time and desire, then you can easily create original options for illuminating the canopy.

What we need:

How to make a canopy lamp

A homemade garland of small halogen light bulbs, which can be hung either from the ceiling or placed on the wall, also looks very good on the terrace of a country house.

You might be interested

Outdoor sockets and switches

If you use a powerful home vacuum cleaner or power tools, it is convenient to have a couple of outlets right in the parking lot. Why carry constantly tangled baby carriers? That’s right, it’s better to organize everything thoroughly right away.

The first option: install 2-3 sockets and modular switches in the nearest panel on the DIN rail. Functionally, they are simpler than circuit breakers (although they look similar), and accordingly, they are 2 times cheaper.

The second option: place waterproof sockets and switches directly under the canopy. Such options are available in the range of many familiar brands. You can choose quite affordable and effective devices - completely sealed (IP54) and shockproof: for example, the special Force series from IEK.