Which light fittings for your terrace

Which light fittings for your terrace?

The terrace is a much-loved living space in the summer months. Drinks, barbecues, relaxed evenings with family or friends: the terrace is a remarkably versatile space and so deserves carefully planned lighting. Wall lights, pendants, recessed spotlights and portable lamps are all stylish lighting solutions to make your terrace more pleasant and welcoming.

Pendants for the terrace

Popular for its great versatility, the pendant is both a functional and a highly decorative light fitting. From the living room to the kitchen or the study, a pendant brings a modern touch to any room, and the same goes for outdoor living spaces. Providing excellent light over a wide area, a pendant is a great way to light a covered terrace while adding style and charm. Depending on the size and layout of the terrace, a pendant can serve as either the main light or a supplementary one. If it is a supplementary light, it is best hung directly above the dining table or eating area of your terrace. Country-style and industrial pendants are the most popular. Their success is mainly down to the wide variety of designs, as well as the quality of the materials used to make these terrace pendants: bamboo, woven wood, steel, glass and more.

Spotlights for the terrace

Alongside outdoor pendants, recessed spotlights are the must-haves of terrace lighting. Modern, stylish and above all discreet, bar-mounted or recessed spotlights bring a cosy, intimate atmosphere to your terrace. Spreading the spotlights out gives even, harmonious light across the whole terrace while enhancing the sense of space. Where to place them depends on the size of your terrace, whether there are paths or steps, and whether there is a pool or shrubs around the terrace. Terrace spotlights fall into the category of ambient lighting. This means you can vary your terrace lighting to create different moods for different occasions: family celebrations, romantic evenings, reading at night, a sleepover party on the terrace and so on.

Outdoor wall lights

Outdoor wall lights are another on-trend way to light your terrace. As a source of indirect light, wall lights make the overall lighting of your terrace more even. They are especially recommended for open terraces, as the plays of shadow they create bring a more intimate, relaxed atmosphere. Your terrace therefore enjoys even, stylish light whatever the occasion. You can choose between industrial, classic or neo-retro wall lights. Each style adds modernity and originality while preserving the elegance and sophistication of the surrounding décor.

Ceiling lights for the terrace

Ceiling lights act as the main light on covered terraces. Combined with other ambient and supplementary lights, they add volume and charm to your terrace. They are also used to light the play and relaxation areas of your terrace. Go for industrial, modern or neo-retro ceiling lights. These styles work perfectly with every other décor style, especially outdoors. Play with shapes and colours too, to bring a modern touch to your outdoor living space.

Portable lamps

Decorative pieces in their own right, portable lamps lift the look of your whole terrace. They add depth, modernity and style to your outdoor space. You can place them next to your garden furniture, by the steps, around the edges of your terrace or in your reading corner. This gives you a variety of visual effects across your outdoor spaces while providing even, pleasant light on your terrace. Available in many shapes (square, globe, paper lantern, antique lantern and more), sizes and materials (fabric, glass, paper, steel and more), you will easily find a portable lamp that matches your outdoor décor perfectly.

Bollards for the terrace

Light bollards are an excellent alternative to spotlights or portable lamps. A bollard light can light a whole area of your terrace efficiently and elegantly. As well as being practical, a bollard highlights all the decorative features nearby: furniture, shrubs, paths and walkways, plants or statues. And, like spotlights, bollards bring out the architecture of the terrace as well as the rest of your garden and home. For greater savings and style, choose solar-powered bollards. With no cables, these models preserve the clean, elegant look of your terrace. Some models are also fitted with motion sensors and dusk-to-dawn sensors.

Floor lamps for the terrace

Combining technological innovation and elegance, the floor lamp is a very chic, original light fitting most often found indoors. Yet a floor lamp also brings modernity and volume to your terrace. Whether your terrace is open or covered, a floor lamp makes an excellent supplementary light. You can easily find a place for it next to a piece of furniture, a bench or in your reading corner. Floor lamps are an excellent choice for adding a secondary light source to your terrace. You will easily find floor lamps to match your décor style: vintage, contemporary, rustic, industrial and more.

A few things to consider when lighting your terrace

As the terrace is a link between indoors and outdoors, it is essential to create an equally balanced lighting atmosphere there. Soft, subdued and indirect light is ideal for the overall lighting of your terrace. This creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere and brings your terrace to life. It is therefore recommended to install several light sources, taking into account the space available and the layout of your furniture. This avoids creating a single concentrated light that could dazzle your guests. Choose fittings made of glass or natural fibres for a more even, uniform spread of light. For an open terrace, go for softer, more scattered light to highlight the space and the surrounding decorative features. On a covered terrace or one with awnings, however, stronger, more targeted light is ideal.

Choose light fittings with a high protection rating

Exposed to the elements, bad weather and wear and tear, terrace lights need to be sturdy. Whether it is a floor lamp, a bollard, a wall light or a pendant, every outdoor fitting must be well protected against the ingress of foreign bodies and liquids. Much more than a question of waterproofing, a light's protection rating guarantees its durability. The protection rating consists of two digits between 0 and 8 following the letters IP. The first digit indicates the level of protection against foreign bodies such as insects, debris and dust. The second digit indicates how watertight the fitting is. For your terrace, choose fittings with a protection rating between IP 44 and IP 54. This will keep your terrace comfortably lit for years to come.