Us Chicagoans know better than anyone that when the temperatures rise and the sun stays out longer, it’s the perfect equation for more time spent outdoors – whether that looks like sipping a cold one on patios at our favorite restaurants, to weekends spent at Wrigley Field, or even for the lucky few, catching rays at a rooftop pool. With the change in seasons and collective embrace of the sunshine and fresh air comes a new set of needs for lighting – time to turn our attention towards outdoor spaces. Today, we’re shining a light on the ways smart outdoor lighting strategies can ensure hospitality spaces thrive in the warmer months!

Indoor vs Outdoor Lighting Strategies

The difference between indoor and outdoor lighting in hospitality spaces is as significant as the change in seasons in our city (think puffer jacket to flip flops in a matter of weeks!). The first major difference is pretty obvious: a lack of ceilings. You might be thinking to yourself, “of course,” but there are a lot more considerations at play due to their absence. The larger the area, like a patio, rooftop bar, or even a pool deck, requires greater amounts of overhead lighting to support evening activities, and without a ceiling, we have to determine other tactics for getting overhead lighting situated. 

Another factor at play here is dealing with the elements. Just because the sun is shining doesn't mean that a thunderstorm can’t roll through at any minute! Unfortunately, LEDs, our tried and true favorite lamps, tend to hate water and heat. So we have to get creative with where we place these in our outdoor lighting schemes.

Our biggest goal when illuminating any outdoor space is celebrating the cherished feeling of being outside – after all, if you live in a climate that’s anything like Chicago you’re deprived of this for so many months of the year.

Importance of Wayfinding

Whether you’re indoors or outdoors, wayfinding in hospitality projects remains a key focus for our team. If guests feel safe and like they can navigate the space, they’re likely to spend more time socializing or moving from the bar to their table for an extended dining experience. In outdoor spaces, this means that egress paths to the exit or indoors must be properly illuminated, especially once it's dark outside. 

Illuminating the Architecture and Design

Our focus also shifts towards illuminating the architecture and objects at hand like the landscaping, a chic cocktail bar, interactive outdoor games, or even a glowing art installation. We implement unobstructed and inconspicuous lighting that takes a backseat so both the natural light and eventual moonlight can take center stage! 

Of course, with any beautiful aesthetic comes the short and long-term maintenance required to sustain the functionality of the lighting throughout all seasons. To ensure an easy maintenance process, we avoid putting lighting mechanisms in tricky places like trees or poles on rooftops.

Maximizing Time Spent Outdoors

All of this said, below are a few of our top tips for maximizing the time our clients and their guests spend outside:

- Keep the light low: it doesn’t matter if you’re at ground level or on a rooftop – less light allows the views – and sunshine – to peer through. 

- Illuminate the objects: Highlight the walls, trees, planters, or anything else that distinguishes the outdoor space

- Keep it warm: As always, dimmers are your biggest ally.

Just like everyone else, we are looking forward to celebrating and embracing the magic of summertime in Chicago in the coming months! Strategic lighting designs are key to giving natural light its time to shine in hospitality spaces throughout the summer months. We hope to see you enjoying the sunshine (and perhaps a cold cocktail!) at one of our hospitality design projects in the city this summer – cheers!