Garden lighting is having moment. We’ve spotted an array of innovative and good-looking products at design fairs in recent times – from portable lights to curvy, sculptural creations. But which trends will last and what should we be investing in? We asked the experts for a bit of illumination…


1. Portable Lamps

“The big thing this summer will be wireless, rechargeable table lamps,” says design expert Amelia Thorpe. Given we spend far too long faffing around with extension cables to get the lighting right outside, this is music to our ears, and there are some super-chic options to choose from. We’re very taken by the Louis Poulsen Panthella 160 (a reinvention of a classic 70s design by Vernon Panton), available from Holloways of Ludlow. We also love the organic shape of this Bellhop Portable Table Lamp from Flos. Designed by cult design duo Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, it comes in a range of covetable colours.

string-lights

                                                                                              

2. String Lights

Even string lights have upped their game. There are some great ones around and they’re the perfect way of adding a bohemian touch to your garden. We’re coveting these Nans lights by Spanish company Bover. With a handmade, tactile feel, they come with a long cable (390cm) that you can wind around beams or even branches for impromptu dazzle (though they do need to be installed fairly near an electrical socket).

Sculptural shapes

 

 3. Sculptural Shapes

If you’re going to spend a bit of money on garden lighting, why not make a statement with it? It makes sense to choose a sculptural design that looks just as good when it’s turned off, and we’ve got our eyes on several beauties at the moment, including the very lovely Vondom Vases Outdoor lamps by designer José Manuel Ferrero. This Cyborg lamp designed by Karim Rashid for Martinelli Luce is another favourite. Reminding us not a little of a Philippe Stark lemon squeezer, it’s got presence and personality.

Colour Lighting

 

4. Colour When You Want It

Smart lighting has been the norm inside our homes for quite a while, and now it’s moving into the garden. It’s a brilliant way of adding colour and interest to an outdoor space, particularly if you don’t have sculptural trees or plants. Philips Hue smart lighting has a range of different options at different prices, so you can start small and build up to something bigger – a design maxim, we think, that’s always good to follow.

Audible light

 

 5. Audible Light

Yes, yes. You read that right. Audible light may not be with us quite yet but, if Google’s installation at the Milan Design Fair recently is anything to go by, it’s on its way. Designed by research studio Chromasonic, this kaleidoscopic extravaganza took visitors on a ‘sensorial journey’: wandering through a series of semi-transparent cubicles, you could see changing patterns of coloured light and hear each shade’s wavelength, translated into sound. It’s mind-blowing stuff but our fingers are crossed for the future. We’re thinking a little son et lumière on the terrace would definitely get the neighbours talking.

 

 

 

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