Area Light
Area lights emit light from a flat rectangular surface, producing soft, spread illumination suitable for washing walls or illuminating large ground areas.
An Area Light emits from a flat rectangle rather than a single point, producing soft, diffuse illumination without harsh hotspots. You control the physical size of the source with Width and Height, then shape how the light spreads using independent Horizontal and Vertical beam angle sliders. Use an area light whenever you want to evenly wash a retaining wall, highlight a wide paving surface, or fill a seating zone with ambient glow — then pair it with spotlights for accent to give the scene visual depth.
Open the Lights tab and select Area Light
Make sure the Select tool is active to open the Add Objects panel on the right side of the canvas, then click the Lights tab. Under Core Fixtures, click Area Light. Click on the canvas to drop the fixture at that position.
Set the physical size of the source
With the fixture selected, open the Light Size section in the Inspector. Enter values for Width and Height in your project's unit system (metric or imperial). A larger rectangle emits softer, more spread-out light; a smaller rectangle concentrates the output over a tighter area.
Shape the beam spread
Open the Beam Spread section and drag the Horizontal and Vertical angle sliders independently. The inline top-view and side-view SVG diagrams update live as you drag, so you can see exactly how wide and tall the wash will be before committing. Wider horizontal angles suit long wall runs; narrower vertical angles keep the wash low and graze the surface.
Adjust brightness
Open the Brightness section and enter a value in lumens. The usable range for garden fixtures is 0–2000 lm. For ambient fill on a seating area, 200–600 lm works well; for a larger wall wash, try 800–1500 lm. Raise the value if the wash looks too dark in the 3D view.
Choose a light color or color temperature
Open the Light Color section. Switch between Custom Color (a color swatch) and Color Temperature (a warm-to-cool Kelvin slider). For naturalistic garden lighting, a warm white in the 2700–3000 K range suits planting and stone surfaces. Use a custom color for decorative accent washes.
Position and elevate the fixture
Open the Location section to fine-tune the fixture's X/Y position on the plan. Set the Height field to place the area light at the correct mounting elevation — for example, at 0.3 m for a ground-level floor washer, or 2.5 m for a wall-mounted panel. Height is stored in meters internally and displayed in your chosen unit system.
Preview in the 3D view
Switch to the 3D editor tab to see the area light rendering in the scene. For the most realistic evaluation, open Presentation mode and use a photoreal style. The soft wash will be clearly visible against surrounding surfaces at night. Return to 2D to continue editing the fixture properties.
Area lights work best as ambient fill layers. Keep brightness moderate (200–600 lm) and layer them with spotlights aimed at specimen plants or focal features — this contrast gives the night-time scheme visual depth rather than a uniformly flat glow.
The Width and Height fields define the physical size of the emitting surface, not the area it illuminates. Increasing beam spread angles is what widens the lit zone on the ground or wall.
Frequently Asked Questions
My area light looks too diffuse and weak — how do I strengthen it?
Reduce Width and Height in the Light Size section to concentrate the source, or raise the Brightness value. You can also narrow the beam spread angles so the output is focused over a smaller zone rather than spread thinly.
When should I use an area light instead of a spotlight?
Use an area light when you need broad, even, shadowless fill over a large surface — a retaining wall, a paving terrace, or a seating area. Use a spotlight when you want a directed cone aimed at a specific tree, sculpture, or architectural feature.
What is the difference between Horizontal and Vertical beam spread?
Horizontal spread controls how wide the wash fans out left and right (useful for covering a long wall run). Vertical spread controls how high or low the wash extends — narrowing it grazes the surface; widening it lifts the light upward.
Can I use a colored area light for decorative effect?
Yes. In the Light Color section, switch to Custom Color and pick any swatch. Colored washes work well for mood lighting on paving or entertainment zones. For realistic garden schemes, stick to the Color Temperature slider in the 2700–3000 K warm-white range.
How do I preview the area light realistically?
Switch to the 3D editor view to see a live render of the light in context. For a fully photorealistic evaluation, open Presentation mode and choose a photoreal style. See the Lighting Design Tips article for guidance on evaluating an entire lighting scheme.