Solar takes an exterior from dark to lit without an electrician, a trench or a running cost. Each of these outdoor solar lights collects sunlight through the day and returns it as a warm glow from dusk, holding the same modern, architectural standard as our wired exterior range.

Solar sconces, wall lights and freestanding lamps

The heart of the range is the solar wall sconce. Haven and Ember are stainless steel sconces offered as solar and non-solar fixtures of the same design, and Dawn is a wall lamp in stainless steel and glass. Haylen Solar is the linear piece, a waterproof LED wall light in eight lengths from 12 to 94 inches, IP65 rated, with a panel you can position independently. The freestanding lamps run on the sun alone, from Beam in a basket-like golden form to Vesper in the outline of a lantern.

How to choose: sun, output and spacing

Three numbers settle nearly all of it. Sun: the panel needs about six hours of direct light a day, so place each piece clear of tree canopies and eaves. Output: the right level is different for each of the types here. 20 to 200 lumens covers path and accent work, and for steady bright light at doors and busy corners, pair solar accents with hardwired LED lights rather than asking solar to do everything. Spacing: one path light every 6 to 8 feet, staggered rather than lined up. Keep the quality of light warm, and put anything at ground level clear of the sprinkler line.

Paths, facades and the landscape after dark

Start at the frontage: a matched pair of sconces either side of the front door reads as symmetry from the street, and a linear wall light washes brickwork without a cable. For the route, the pathway lights collection carries low bollard and post forms alongside the lamps here, spaced to walk by rather than flood. In the landscape, use light sparingly: two or three pieces grazing a wall or a planting bed look designed where a dozen in a row look like a runway. Long summer evenings outside are the argument for a dimmable lamp near the table. Solar works best as the decorative, atmospheric layer: for steady duty at the garage and main entrance, the full outdoor lighting range pairs these with wired designs, and garden lights carry the same standard into the beds.

Walk the site at midday and note where the sun lands, then choose from the range above. Installation is a bracket and a few minutes per light; the sun handles the rest.