About Ben Forde

Want to bring the lush, stylish vibe of Brisbane’s Southbank into your own backyard? Discover the key design elements, lighting choices, and landscaping tips to transform your outdoor space into a tropical oasis.

Confused by volts, amps, and IP ratings? Our beginner-friendly guide breaks down essential electrical terminology to help you install outdoor lights safely and confidently.

Looking to light up your garden? Discover what to look for when shopping for garden lights so you can buy once, install easily, and enjoy for years.

Not sure how bright your outdoor lights should be? Learn how lumens affect brightness and choose the right level for decks, gardens, paths, and more.

Discover why 24v outdoor lighting is safer, easier to install, and more energy-efficient than 240v systems. Learn the benefits of switching to low-voltage garden lights.

Thinking higher voltage means better performance? Not always. Learn why lower voltage might be safer, more efficient, and better suited for your electrical needs.

Discover the best garden lights for Australian backyards. Compare solar vs. low voltage garden lighting to find the perfect option for your outdoor space.

Not sure whether to choose waterproof or weatherproof lighting? Learn the key differences, IP ratings, and best use cases to make an informed choice for your outdoor lighting needs.

Ensure your outdoor power supply stays safe and dry with these expert tips. Learn how to weatherproof outdoor outlets, use GFCI protection, and prevent electrical hazards.

Find the perfect garden lights for your outdoor space. Learn about styles, energy efficiency, and installation tips to enhance your home's ambiance.

Before installing garden lighting in Australia, understand key regulations for safety, compliance, and energy efficiency. Learn about local council rules, electrical codes, and best practices.

Discover everything you need to know about festoon lights for Australian homes. Learn about styles, installation tips, weatherproofing, and energy-efficient LED options.

If you want to look out the window of your house at night and admire your beautifully lit garden, then you’ll want to include garden spike lights in your garden lighting plan. Why? Because, garden spike lights are a super-versatile light that give your garden a beautiful lighting effect. What Are Garden Spike/Stake Lights? Garden […]

Garden lights aren't just something you throw up. There is an art and design to it. Get your garden lighting right, and you get a beautiful outdoor area you love, enjoy, and add value to your home. Garden Lighting Mistakes to Avoid Right below are the five biggest garden lighting mistakes you should avoid. Mistake […]

When it comes to lighting your garden before there is any design, you need a basic understanding of up and down lighting and what type of garden lights you can use. Why is this important? Once you’ve got an understanding of up and down lighting principles and you see what lights you can use, then […]

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the multitude of garden lighting options out there? You're not alone. With so many sellers claiming to offer the "highest quality" garden lights, it's hard to know which ones to choose. When investing in quality garden lights, there are a few things to consider and understand. Once you know them, […]

Festoon and fairy lights are two different types of lighting, each creating a unique lighting effect.  When choosing festoon lights or fairy lights, the best choice often depends on what you want to light.  Because here’s the thing… In certain situations, fairy lights should never be used; we’ll get to that shortly.  If you’re looking […]

You must get the right bulbs if you want beautiful ambient lighting for your outdoor area. But looking around at light bulbs and all the different options gets a little confusing. And you want to know what else? When it comes to bulbs, there are a few things you’ve got to consider if you want an […]

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the multitude of festoon lighting options out there? You're not alone. With so many sellers claiming to offer the "highest quality" festoon lights, it's hard to know which ones to choose. Here are a few things to consider so you can make your own mind up confidently when you're ready […]

Regarding event lighting, nothing comes close to the stunning effect of festoon lights on an area. So let's look at some events you can use festoon lighting for… Backyard Parties Everyone loves a backyard party. Great friends, great food, and cold drinks were enjoyed under festoon party lights. If you don't want to purchase festoon […]

If you're looking for festoon lights for your patio, you'll quickly be confronted with thousands of options. And they'll all say… "We have the BEST festoon lights." Which is not true. So let's break this down for you and make it easy to determine which festoon lights are best for your patio area. First, let's […]

Suppose you're looking for exciting ways to use festoon lights outdoors and brighten your backyard or outdoor entertaining area. You're in the right place if you need festoon lighting ideas for outdoor spaces. Let's take a look… Turn A Wall Into A Feature With Festoon Lights If you've got a large chunk of wall, you've […]

If you're looking at festoon string lights, you've probably noticed you're confronted with billions of different options. And what's more, everyone says. "We've got the best string lights." Which is rubbish. Yes, there is a difference between festoon lights and Christmas lights. Before you race out and spend money on lights, here's something to ask […]

If you've ever walked into a funky bar and thought, I love the look and feel of this place. Then one of the reasons you felt that way is because of the lighting. Lighting is critical in how a room looks, feels, and appeals to us. But get this… Most office lighting is sterile, harsh […]

Festoon lights are one of the fastest and easiest ways to create a beautiful ambient atmosphere in your bar instantly. Thing is… You've got to get the right festoon lighting. Otherwise, you create a sterile environment that looks and feels like dental surgery. You don't want that. So let's look at how you create stunning […]

When we go out to restaurants for dinner with our partners, we want an intimate dining experience. The food has to be great, and we want to sit in a nice environment. How a restaurant uses light plays a critical role in how we feel. The lighting shouldn't feel like daylight. And the lighting should […]

Organising a wedding can be stressful, overwhelming, and frustrating if you try to do it all yourself. So here's what I'll do for you… I'll make lighting your wedding easy and fun for you. See, one of the businesses I have is, I hire festoon lights, and I personally do the lighting setup. I've seen […]

If you want to light up an outdoor or indoor commercial space using festoon lights, you're in the right place. That's because you'll discover ten handy tips to light your commercial space using festoon lights. Let's take a look… Tip 1: Light Colour Is The Number 1 Secret To Beautiful Lighting The biggest mistake most […]

If you're looking for ideas, inspiration, and great tips for lighting your garden and outdoor space, then you're in the right place. That's because in this fast to read yet valuable article you'll discover: First, I'll start with 3 common lighting mistakes most make and how you can avoid them. Why start with this? Because […]

The number of lights you need depends on a few key things factors like… What’s around the area of the deck you want to light? Is there garden, doors, walkways, a glass fence, walls or windows? What you need to beware of is, if you’re area has walls or a fence around most of it […]

How much festoon lighting you need depends on a few key factors like. The pattern you hang your lights  The distance you want to cover  And how bright your area to be  Festoon lighting is mood and decorative lighting. This means you want the lights to make your outdoor area beautiful, not ugly.  If you […]

The tree’s with lights are beautiful. The lights bring your trees to the life of an evening, creating a focal point. It’s easy to light trees when you’ve got the right lights. What’s the best type of lighting to put in trees so the lights turn the tree into a beautiful night time feature? The […]

Lighting your backyard is one of the quickest, easiest and cost-effective ways you can instantly give your backyard a mini-makeover, and make it even more beautiful and enjoyable of an evening. The Aussie backyard has always been a special place where great times are enjoyed, and lifetime memories are formed.And that’s why the backyard lighting […]

Here’s How You Can Avoid Them & Get Beautiful Fairy Lights That Last You Years, and Years Mistake #1: They Get Poorly Made Lights “We got some fairy lights 12 months ago off another company, they have stopped working now we have to replace them.” Cheaply made fairy lights aren’t built for harsh outdoor conditions, […]

Here’s How You Can Avoid Them… 1. If the lighting is too bright your outdoor area has zero mood, ambience and appeal. Festoon lighting is mood lighting. Not spotlighting. You want dimmable bulbs so you get the perfect amount of light for your place. 2. Don’t Choose Ugly Bulbs Ugly bulbs devalue the appeal of your lighting. […]

If you get your outdoor party lighting wrong, it’s like watching a butcher with a blunt knife. Ugly. But don’t panic because I’ve got you covered. Over the past 7 years I’ve supplied lighting to some of the biggest parties and events across Australia. In this short article you’ll discover exactly how to light your […]

Decks give your home a nice outdoor space for entertaining family and friends… and your deck is a great outdoor spot to kick back and relax. With the right deck lighting, you can create a beautiful ambient outdoor entertaining area. In this quick to read article, I’ll give you some great ideas for lighting your […]

Lighting has the power to showcase a room or outdoor entertaining area, making it even more beautiful. And on the other hand, the wrong lighting choice instantly destroys the look and feel of a room or outdoor area. So right here, I’ll turn you into a master of light so you always create beautiful rooms […]

When it comes to fun activities you can do under Festoon lighting… it really is endless. One activity that comes to mind and is highly enjoyable is tasting nice wine. Sitting under festoon lights drinking great wine in the company of good people is a therapeutic activity. I wouldn’t call myself a wine expert by […]

Imagine this… I have never seen your outdoor entertaining area and I choose a light bulb at a certain level of brightness for you. You can’t adjust the brightness of the bulb because it’s fixed. The problem with this is…. Maybe you need brighter lights in your outdoor area when eating dinner… and later in […]

Outdoor entertaining areas are the entertainment hub of a place. They are a place we sit in and have the best of times with family and friends.  We’ll enjoy nights we’ll never forget and nights we can’t quite remember.  Anyway… What adds even more style and appeal to an outdoor entertaining area is lighting.  Put […]

If you’re after commercial grade low voltage festoon lighting here’s some great news… Without a doubt the ST64 tear-drop bulb is a big beautiful bulb. But not everyone wants it in glass. In commercial environments a lot of customers don’t want glass bulbs they want a Shatter-Proof alternative. Great news… We now have a Shatter-Proof […]

Let’s face it, an outdoor entertaining area is an investment in our health.  Depending on the home you have, depends on how you’ve set up your outdoor entertaining.  But once you’ve got it set up there’s 3 ingredients I think that make for a great evening in any outdoor entertaining area.  You’ll see there’s no […]

When you turn your festoon lights on for the first time, you just can’t stop staring at your outdoor entertaining area.  That’s because an outdoor entertaining area without festoon lighting and an outdoor entertaining with festoon lighting… are worlds apart.  Just look at this beautiful outdoor entertaining area of our customers. The festoon lights completely […]

Picture this… Your outdoor entertaining area looks beautiful, basking in ambient light.  Are you happy?  It’s evening, and you are sitting in your outdoor entertaining area with your special one relaxing in beautiful light. Are you happy? You are using your outdoor entertaining area more and enjoying yourself.  Are you happy? You’re having a milestone […]

“I got some cheaper stuff 6 months ago and now it’s stopped working, I’ve got to pull it all down and throw it out.” Over the years I’ve had plenty of customers tell me that.  Fact is cheap Festoon lighting cause problems for you here’s 3 of them. Problem #1 Cost You Money Cheap cost […]

Over the past 7 years I’ve helped hundreds of customers light their deck. Because I’ve personally spoken to many of these customers on the phone, I’ve heard all sorts of stories and problems they’ve faced.  Some thought they’d save a few dollars and get cheaper lights, only for it to cost them more in the […]

Lots of folks get confused when looking at bulbs for festoon lighting. And I can see why… there are lots of numbers and things quoted which makes it confusing.  Let me help you… What’ll I do for you right here is remove all the confusion and show you how to get beautiful lighting for your […]

Because I’ve owed a lighting business for over 6 years now. When I’m out and about I’m always looking at lighting and how it affects an area.  And I’ll share this with you… Light fittings and light globes make a significant difference to end result you get.  Take Festoon lighting… When it comes to Festoon […]

When you begin to look at festoon lighting you’ll quickly realise there are hundreds of different bulb options available.  The thing about bulbs is this… In festoon lighting the bulbs are very visible and they’re on constant display. The bulbs will make or break the lighting effect you get.  What’s more… The bulbs are a […]