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Let it Glow

Be they medieval torches blazing on battlements or bug zappers crackling to life with each new victim, the need for outdoor lighting is clear. From the front porch to the shadowy corners of the backyard, we tour the halogen halls of outdoor lighting to discover how to best light the night.

Outdoor furniture designers Richard and Peter Schultz look at six ways to keep the backyard lit.
outdoor lighting experts schultz peter richard

Though villagers with torches and pitchforks emitted their own brand of outdoor lighting (and justice), the first real advances in the field came in the 1790s, when Scottish engineer William Murdoch figured out how to control ignited coal gas, thereby inventing the gaslight. Typically housed in a glass lantern, the gaslight brightened the thoroughfares of the 19th century. Beforehand, cities had relied on candles to offer nocturnal visibility, often enacting laws requiring those who lived in street-front houses to keep a flame burning through the evening. And electricity quickly rendered coal gas obsolete when Pavel Yablochkov introduced his Yablochkov Candle to the Parisian elite in 1878. Electric street lamps were born and promptly became de rigueur.

Stateside, arguably the greatest moment in the history of outdoor illumination came on May 24, 1935, at Crosley Field, then the home of the Cincinnati Reds. President Roosevelt flipped the switch from the Oval Office 600 miles away and 1,090,000 watts crackled to life, illuminating the 632 lamps that kicked off the era of night baseball. By the mid-1960s the majority of Major League games were played at night. The Chicago Cubs were the lone holdout, playing only day games at Wrigley Field until August 9, 1988, when, like Dylan at Newport, they too went electric.

While illuminating a ballgame is a feat few of us will ever undertake, America’s backyard culture demands serious lumens. We enlisted a giant in the realm of outdoor furniture, Richard Schultz, and his son Peter, president of Richard Schultz Design, to weigh in on six sleek additions to the ever-brightening firmament of outdoor lighting. They shed some light on these designs’ aesthetics, luminosity, and materials, as well as just what precisely should be replacing that tiki torch.

  • pod lens lovegrove luceplanraw

    Pod Lens

    Expert Opinion: My first impression was that these look like sneakers or blobs, but now I think they look more like tropical fruits. They’d look great hanging in a group in a tree or some kind of shrub. You can get a post to mount them on too, which is wonderful because I’d love to use this as an outdoor reading lamp.

    What We Think: We thought of a shoe tree when we first saw Lovegrove’s design, but these versatile lights would look lovely aloft. One reservation: They don’t feel terribly sturdy, and the bashing they’ll take in the breezy arbors might be more than they’re up for. Keep these pleasing pods on a more terrestrial plane and they’ll last much longer.

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  • artemide dioscuri lucchi raw

    Dioscuri Wall / Ceiling Series

    Expert Opinion: This one is my favorite. The balls appeal to me because I could see using a lot of them on the wall, or maybe on the ground scattered randomly. It’s such a neutral shape, and to see many of them would be like seeing the stars in the sky. Its form is based on geometry, a sphere, and with good design you don’t want to have to ask why a thing is the way it is. It should be immediately apparent.

    What We Think: Artemide has been producing first-rate lighting for decades. We like the variety of sizes for both the indoor and outdoor versions, but when mounted on the wall the largest size, Dioscuri 42, conjures visions of a glowing, disembodied head.

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  • uto lagranja foscarini raw

    Uto

    Expert Opinion: I’d say this is my favorite because it looks like it will really stand up to being outdoors all the time. The materials feel good to touch and it’s got a switch right here on the head of the light. Mostly I like that it’s not a blob. It has a clear shape and that gives it a chance of becoming a classic design.

    What We Think: This is our favorite too. Though a bit pricey, this sturdy fixture can be suspended or laid out on the ground. Peter likened it to a garden hose with a light on the end, and it seems to have some of the same fortitude. The silicone rubber body has a bit of give to it without being fragile, and the soft colors and translucent materials allow the whole thing to glow.

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  • all light rodolfo dordini flos raw

    All Light Closed Wall Sconce

    Expert Opinion: This isn’t a form that asserts itself and, in a way, the fixture disappears. I rather like that. It’s almost like no form at all. What I really appreciate is that you can have it two ways: with the cover off or on. It produces a lot of light but doesn’t blind you. But you’d have to be sure that bugs don’t get inside it; if they did, it would look terrible.

    What We Think: We’re pleased at how unassuming this simple bar is. You can turn up the lumens by removing the stainless steel cover, or achieve a softer, diffused effect by keeping it on. Made of opal polycarbonate, it’s sturdier than it appears, though determined moths and midges are likely to get in just about anywhere.

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  • ibiza francesco rota oluce raw

    Ibiza

    Expert Opinion: This is a really nice idea that could work well both residentially and commercially. It was smart to combine the speaker and the lamp without trying to hide the speaker. I also like the rough texture of the polyethylene; it feels sturdy. It does look like it might be tough to put together with the wires for the speaker and the light. Changing the bulb could be a hassle, and for such a high sticker price, nothing on this light should be a hassle.

    What We Think: At a scant 20 watts the Ibiza is a dim bulb. We love the speaker, but the soft glow makes it a better fit for some Gordon Lightfoot in the hammock than an all-night Balearic foam party.

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  • superdelta ovale LBL raw

    Superdelta Ovale Series

    Expert Opinion: These are very nice and have a more industrial look. I like the old-fashioned quality of a simple light, but the light here isn’t symmetrical. The bulb ought to be mounted further off from the side so that it shines from the center of the sconce. It also gets rather hot to the touch, so be careful.

    What We Think: The Superdelta Ovale series consists of variations on a theme—the many faces of the clean, unassuming wall sconce. We like the variety afforded by the different faceplates, but are somewhat underwhelmed by the limited color palette and off-center bulb. We do, however, like the sticker price of these nice bright lights.

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