Live

As Sydney’s answer to Rodeo Drive or Knightsbridge, Double Bay is the high-fashion capital of the Eastern Suburbs. Perfectly turned-out ladies who lunch flock to its exclusive designer stores and chi chi restaurants.

Love

On the shores of Double Bay you’ll find sailing clubs, marinas and two boutique beaches, including the gorgeous Redleaf Pool. Just 4km from the CBD, Sydney’s top private schools, including Cranbrook, Scot’s, Kambala and Ascham are all in the vicinity. An undeniable air of affluence and an international ambience flavour Double Bay, where the perfectly groomed and the well-heeled can be found enjoying its cosmopolitan attractions.

Sell

Grand Federation homes and charming semis still line the intimate tree-lined avenues of this aesthetically delightful suburb, set alongside contemporary masterpieces and luxurious villas, where taste and discretion are the order of the day.

There’s something about bright lights that makes us go “ooh” and “ahh”. Paris is known as the City of Lights; whole streets come alive at Christmas time with twinkling displays and don’t forget the Sydney light show ‘Vivid’ that has evolved into a luminescent annual phenomenon!

So how do we take a sprinkle of these examples and use them as inspiration to illuminate our family home? Here are a few Do’s and Don’ts to ensure you get the balance just right.

Say goodbye to dead lights

While some celebrate Christmas in July, there is absolutely no excuse to have the sad, tired strings of lights you stapled on your eaves in December to be hanging around. Remove them now! While you’re at it, look around the front and the back of your home and discard any broken, unused or worn out light fixtures. It’s always great to start from a blank slate. If you have lights that are still in working order, check the bulbs are working and the electricals are still up to scratch.

Light the way

We all know how important security lighting is, but that doesn’t mean it has to be harsh, sterile and lacking any style. The trick is to use a number of different types of lights for security purposes. By layering strip lights, sensor lights, spotlights and path lights, you can create a welcoming ambience while providing added security to your home, killing two birds with one stone! Win-win.

Under a purple spotlight…

It doesn’t have to be purple, but a spotlight is the perfect way to add pizzazz to your night garden. By focussing a spotlight on a feature of your garden – a tree, sculpture or other beautiful plant – you will add drama and texture to your front or back yards. Upwards facing spotlights are best but ensure the beams are NOT directed to any of your neighbour’s windows!

Strings and things

Now, I know I said to discard the Christmas string lights, but this is a little different. Rope lighting is a fabulous way to outline shapes in your yard and will add a wonderful element to your garden beds and other landscaping features. The trick here is to keep it soft and create a glow rather than a harsh fluorescence.

Solar flair

It might seem a little passé, but solar lights have come a long way in recent years. Many people use solar lights for pathways, but they aren’t really effective due to their low intensity. Think outside the square and use solar light near water features, gates, around doorways and even in garden beds. There are so many shapes and styles now and they are generally quite affordable. Things to look out for include battery life and whether you might need to install a separate solar panel, which will make it easier to use the lights in shady spots.

Project your style

If you have a special event that you’ll be hosting in your garden, why not take a leaf out of the Vivid handbook and hire a projector? Outdoor light projectors are fun, can be purchased or hired easily and will certainly be a talking point. Just watch out for those laser beams!