The warm season is approaching, the days are getting longer, and the desire to spend more time outdoors is growing: but if we can’t always go out, we can certainly make the most of our home’s outdoor spaces, both during the day and in the evening hours.
To enjoy gardens, terraces, patios, or balconies when it’s dark outside, it’s important to light them properly: let’s discover how to choose the right outdoor lighting for you by answering a few simple questions together.
Where will you install your outdoor lighting?
Depending on where you plan to place the outdoor lamp you need, you'll need to make sure it complies with CEI 70-1 (EN 60529) standards with the appropriate IP protection rating. The IP value stands for International Protecting and consists of two numbers: the first indicates protection against solids (e.g., dust), the second against liquids (e.g., water). Depending on where you want to position your outdoor light source, you'll need to choose a lamp with a different IP rating. Let's see which one:
- The IP44 protection rating is the minimum required for a lamp to be used outdoors and therefore potentially exposed to moisture and water splashes. IP44 is the standard rating for temporary lighting used for parties and celebrations, or for light installations covered by pergolas and canopies. Our LUMET string lights fall into this category and are perfect for temporary installations in the garden to brighten your outdoor evenings with friends, or to set the right mood on your balcony all year round.
- IP65 protection rating, on the other hand, is ideal for lamps exposed to water and rain, as it ensures high waterproofness. Within our range, EIVA lamps are perfect for this purpose, in all their shapes and combinations.
What function does the outdoor lamp you want to buy need to perform?
- Outdoor lighting must be functional, highlighting specific areas when needed, or creating a relaxing atmosphere if that's what you need.
Each function corresponds to different types of lamps:
- Outdoor wall lights are the ideal solution for lighting up your home’s entrance, making it safer, or the terrace where you’d like to spend more time. They provide diffused light and are perfect for illuminating your al fresco dinners. The EIVA wall lamp range includes options with or without a lampshade, covering a wide spectrum of styles and colors—perfect for adapting to your space.
- In a patio or under a porch, pendant lamps provide even, diffused lighting—perfect for your outdoor relaxation moments in any season. Discover the water-resistant EIVA pendant lamps to stylishly illuminate your outdoor spaces.
- String lights, on the other hand, are the ideal solution for creating a special atmosphere on balconies of any size or under a pergola, warming up your evenings and special occasions with diffused lighting across multiple areas. Take a look at the Lumet lighting system to customize your own string lights to fit your space and style—thanks to its IP44 protection rating, it's perfect for lighting installations not exposed to the elements. Whatever lighting you choose for your outdoor spaces, it's important to light without excess: always ensure the chosen light doesn't dazzle you or your neighbors and complies with your local light pollution regulations.
What kind of electrical setup do you already have in your outdoor space?
The last aspect to consider when lighting the outdoor areas of your home is the electrical setup of the space you want to illuminate.
Wall and ceiling lamps and pendant lamps come with a ceiling canopy and must be connected directly to the electrical current by a professional: make sure the space you want to light is set up for this.
Plug-in lamps, on the other hand, come complete with a plug. They’re designed to be plugged into the nearest outlet, giving you the flexibility you need for installation. You can find plug-in lighting as string lights, with multiple light points along a fabric-covered cord, or as a single pendant, with a single light source you can pair with LED light bulbs and optional lampshades.
In both cases, you can create your own custom solution using the outdoor lamp components from our Eiva line: choose the length of the fabric cord that best suits your needs and complete it with an IP65 socket, ceiling canopy, or IP44 plug.
If you want to install string lights in your garden, the ideal solution is Lumet, which you can customize to fit your needs and the style of your outdoor space.
