Southern Landscape Lighting Systems of Acworth, GA, designs, installs, and services residential and commercial outdoor LED lighting systems in the Metro Atlanta area. The team of professionals can design a completely new system or make adjustments to an existing system if the lighting needs of the client change due to an addition to the home or landscape, such as the addition of a backyard brick oven.
The origins of the backyard brick oven
The wood-fired brick oven has been found in many ancient cultures throughout human history. According to a leading manufacturer of wood-fired ovens, “Wood-fired brick ovens, also known as Masonry ovens, date back to 4,000 years ago. These ovens are famously known to be derived from the Ancient Roman period, although these ovens were greatly influenced by the Peruvian, Turkish, and Spanish cultures. The Masonry oven, sooner than later, was introduced to the Americas as the Beehive Oven, which was established during their colonial period. The Beehive oven, similar dome-shape to the beehives, was a popular cooking tool until the Industrial Revolution…”
Lighting design considerations
A survey of the various styles, shapes, and sizes of backyard brick ovens is no small undertaking. Backyard brick ovens are popular at all levels. As the price point of the home increases, the artistic and culinary sophistication of this amenity also increases. The backyard brick oven becomes a visual, aesthetic, and culinary centerpiece in some backyards. The rustic Mediterranean look blends with any landscape. The aroma of a pizza wafting through the neighborhood attracts a friendly community of onlookers seeking a slice of piping hot pizza fresh out of the oven. The cuisine, baked to perfection, satisfies any pallet.
Highlighting the aesthetics of the backyard brick oven
The brick oven has evolved into an iconic masterpiece of Mediterranean styling and taste in many metro Atlanta backyards. The rustic rounded shape of the baking dome deserves more than a place in the shadows of the backyard. A well-designed brick oven is often accessed by a paver walkway leading to a similarly cobbled apron surrounding the brick oven. The hardscape may feature a workstation for food preparation, a table, sitting benches, an herb garden, and a water feature. Though compact and intimate, the setting integrates nicely with the surroundings: warm, friendly, and delicious!
Landscape lighting considerations are complex, requiring technical expertise and an eye for taste. The time to consider how to light the feature in a way that enhances and highlights its architectural beauty is during the planning stages prior to construction. The installation of wiring, lighting fixtures, and any water or electrical cables need to be coordinated.
If the brick oven is not a part of the original landscape plan, the lighting designed to enhance the oven will need to be smoothly and beautifully integrated with other landscape lighting features in a way that is complementary rather than competitive. The technical aspects may be challenging, but a tasteful integration may be even more challenging.
Just as the construction of an exquisitely designed backyard brick oven is beyond the skills of most DIY homeowners, so too is the design and installation of a lighting plan that accentuates the beauty and mystique of the rustic Old World pizza oven.
Improving functionality with landscape lighting
Backyard brick ovens are growing in popularity in the Metro Atlanta area. As a new addition to the landscape layout, the feature must compete for a place in an already crowded space. Before investing in a brick oven, consult with a landscape architect for advice on the perfect location of the oven. Safety precautions require units to be at least ten feet away from any structure. Competition with existing hardscapes for a plot of ground often means the oven is more than ten feet away from the home. This distance from the home necessitates the installation of landscape lighting that makes the setting accessible when shadows are long, or the sun has completely set. Existing lighting may reduce the hazard. However, existing lighting may make matters worse. Once the location of the oven is resolved, contact the lighting professionals at Southern Landscape Lighting Systems of Acworth, GA, for lighting design and installation that makes the feature beautiful and functional.
Design and install the lighting in coordination with the progress of the landscape installation. If pavers, beds, benches, walls, and water features are involved in the brick oven project, the wiring should be laid down in the proper sequence to prevent portions of the landscape from being damaged during the lighting installation.
Consider the food preparation process involved in cooking in an outdoor brick oven. The process involves close proximity to flames. The desirable cooking temperature is in excess of 700 degrees Fahrenheit, hotter than most electric ovens. Illuminating a workspace with these high temperatures requires strategic spotlighting, the elimination of shadows and glare, and a well-lit food delivery platform. Uneven lighting, glare, a poorly lit tread area near the oven and shadows can lead to freshly cooked pizza ending up on the ground, trips and falls, and burns to the cooks and to bystanders.
The programmable versatility of LED allows the homeowner to instantly adjust the LED lighting to accommodate the food preparation process, safety concerns, and food delivery once the item is removed from the oven. Once everyone is served, the lighting can be adjusted to enhance the experience of eating delicious pizza and sipping a glass of fine wine.
For more information on LED landscape lighting, contact Southern Landscape Lighting Systems of Acworth by phone at (678) 324-6842 or by emailing lindsey@southernlls.com.
