Pool lights

Plan for two layers of light: a submersible spotlight or a floating lamp in the water, then low bollards and a pool lamp post around the pool. The pool lamp post carries the tall light on the terrace, while the bollards mark out the poolside without dazzling swimmers.

• What lighting to plan
• Pool lamp post or bollard
• Where to install
• Solar or wired
• Light colour
• Matching the house
• Pool house and washrooms
• Installation and maintenance
• Frequently asked questions

What lighting should you plan for a pool and its surroundings?

A pool is lit on two levels: the light in the water, with a submersible spotlight or a floating lamp, and the light around it, with low bollards and a pool lamp post. One makes the pool readable, the other makes the terrace usable after sunset.

Lighting for an in-ground pool

On an in-ground pool, the submersible spotlight is fixed into the wall: check the fitting intended for the pool and the stated water resistance on the product page before buying. This light also helps you spot the waterline when cleaning. Around the pool, complete the scheme with bollards on the poolside and a free-standing model chosen from our garden lamp posts.

Lighting for an above-ground or tubular pool

No drilling on an above-ground or tubular structure: light it from the outside, with markers set on the poolside and a floating lamp in the water. The setup can be removed before winter without leaving a hole. For the surroundings, solar garden lights save you running a cable all the way to the pool.

Lighting for a wooden pool

On a wooden pool, keep the lights away from the boards: a fitting that traps moisture against the wood makes it grey faster. Choose a bollard on the poolside and a lamp post set back, in the same spirit as lighting an entrance or a path.

What is a pool lamp post for, rather than a simple bollard?

A free-standing pool lamp post lights high and wide: it takes on the role of terrace light, for the dining area or for reading. A low bollard, on the other hand, simply marks the way. Set the pool lamp post back from the coping so it does not dazzle swimmers.

Lighting the terrace and dining area

A light whose shade sits above the tabletop, around two metres in general, lights faces without shining straight into them. On a large terrace, a second, lower point completes the scheme and removes shadow areas. Models that can be aimed at a border let you set the beam once and for all.

Marking the poolside without dazzling

Close to the ground, the light should fall onto the paving and never towards the water or the house. A low bollard is enough, spaced out to trace a readable path. Choose the whole set from the Designix lighting catalogue.

Where should you install the lights around a pool?

Around a pool, lighting is divided by zones: the coping and poolside need a low, discreet light, the terrace a more generous one, the hedges and the plant room a simple accent. Each zone calls for a different model.

Poolside and coping: a low light

Light the ground, not the water. Place the light back from the walkway so it interferes with neither foot traffic nor pool cleaning. A dark finish blends into the paving, a light finish marks the edge of the poolside: black metal finishes and discreet white finishes match these two intentions.

Hedges, low walls and plant room

In the background, a single light is enough to draw the boundary of the garden. On a low wall or a facade, a wall light aimed downwards avoids lighting up the sky. The plant room only needs a compact model, with no decorative ambition.

Should you choose solar or wired lighting for a pool?

A solar light needs no wiring and suits surroundings that are already landscaped; a wired model gives a steadier light and connects to the house circuit. The choice depends above all on the distance to the consumer unit and how often the pool is used.

Solar when wiring is impossible

A terrace at the end of the garden, a low wall far from any conduit: solar saves you digging. It can be moved with the seasons to follow the sunlight, which also helps change the scene from one year to the next. The light varies with recharging, and you have to accept that.

Wired for a constant light

A wired free-standing model gives the same light level all evening, whatever the weather. It connects to the house circuit and is controlled from the indoor installation. For terraces used often, it is the most consistent setup.

What light colour should you use to light a pool in the evening?

Light colour changes the mood around the pool: a warm light warms stone and wood, a whiter light makes the water look sharper. The exact value is given on the product page, and that is what you should compare before pairing two models.

Warm light or white light

Around 2,700 to 3,000 kelvins, the light leans towards amber and relaxes a wooden or pale stone terrace. Higher, around 4,000 kelvins, it becomes more neutral and highlights the lines of a tiled pool. These are trade reference points, not a measurement of our models: the product page is authoritative.

Avoid mixing two temperatures on the same facade

Two lights of different shades on the same wall clash, one looks yellow, the other bluish. It is better to keep a single colour family per facade. Lighting in a living room open to the terrace follows the same logic, with LED living room lamp posts and blown glass that softens reflections.

How do you match pool lighting with the decoration of the house?

When the terrace extends the house, the pool lighting is seen from inside: a room open to the garden makes it necessary to match shades and heights. In a glazed kitchen open to the terrace, modern kitchen decor picks up the shade of the lamp post on the worktop, and kitchen decoration plays with the pool's reflections on that same worktop.

A kitchen open to the terrace

From a glazed kitchen, you see silhouettes first. Slim lights, in the same metal family as the taps, hold the line. A pool lit low, a terrace lit high, and the eye moves without a break from the worktop to the garden.

The living room facing the pool

Two moods overlap in the evening: that of the living room and that of the terrace. Bohemian-inspired pieces on a covered terrace, rattan for a pool house or vintage models create a loose link between the two spaces, without copying the house in the garden.

What light should you plan for the pool house, shower and wc?

The pool house, garden shower and wc need a compact, well-protected light whose glow does not blind you at night. A wall light or a small ceiling light is enough; on a sloping ceiling, a pendant with a short drop avoids getting in the way.

Pool shower and wc: a soft, discreet light

In these small spaces, the aim is to see without being dazzled: a compact ceiling light or a side wall light does the job. Keep wc decoration understated, and a small model is easier to clean in a damp room. For a shelter in a natural material, a bamboo light warms the mood.

Shelter and sloping ceiling

Under a pitched roof, a pendant with a short drop or a wall light aimed downwards stops you looking at the bulb and leaves headroom clear. The fixing must be intended for a sloping surface. A gold metal finish for a facade adds an accent without overloading the look.

How do you install and maintain a pool lamp post?

A pool lamp post is set on a stable base, back from the splash zone, and cleaned with clear water and a soft cloth. Before winter, switch off the power and bring in the movable models; buried connections should be checked once a year.

Installation, stability and cable routing

A tall light catches the wind: the base must be heavy or fixed to the ground, never left on loose paving. Run the cable in a conduit, under the paving or along a low wall, and never across the poolside in the walkway. The ingress protection rating is given on the product page: it must match the water splashes in that spot.

Cleaning, winterising and annual checks

A soft cloth and clear water are enough; harsh products dull the finishes. Before winter, switch off the power and bring in anything movable. Once a year, check the buried connections and the condition of the seals. To vary the scenes, design pieces for a terrace and contemporary LED lines can be moved from one season to the next.

Ordering from Designix: secure payment, tracked delivery, returns accepted and a customer service team to validate a model before you dig. Browse the selection of black LED lights for the surroundings of a dark pool, then check height, fixing and protection on the product page before ordering.

Frequently asked questions about pool lighting