The Origin Story: Why We Created 12v Garden Lights

We set out to solve a fundamental problem in garden lighting: the market was dominated by fixtures that either failed quickly or required expensive, complex, and professional electrical installation.

The concept for 12v Garden Lights wasn't dreamt up in a boardroom; it was forged by necessity directly within the UK landscaping sector. As the founders of Oakland Outdoor in the West Midlands, we witnessed years of client frustration. Homeowners were forced into a dissatisfying choice: unreliable, short-lived DIY and solar lights vulnerable to British weather, or intricate, high-cost 230v mains systems that unnecessarily introduced risk.

We became convinced there had to be a smarter, safer way to light the British garden. Our answer is the 12v Low-Voltage system—an innovation that delivers professional-grade illumination with the simplicity and safety of a "plug-and-play" installation.

Oakland Outdoor

The business is a family-run partnership, offering specialized expertise beyond a generic warehouse. The team, including designers and landscapers, ground maintenance specialists, and certified tree surgeons, has a deep understanding of how the British climate affects outdoor technology.

Core Advantages of Our Lighting Systems:

• Engineering-Led Durability: Under the direction of James Parnham (B.Sc Architectural Design & Engineering), our methodology integrates technical precision with sophisticated design. We construct lighting systems not merely for aesthetic illumination, but for long-term, reliable endurance.

• Professional Vetting: Every product within our portfolio undergoes rigorous field-testing. Any unit that fails to withstand a season in a demanding, professional installation environment is withheld from the market.

Mandatory Safety Standards: Our 12V systems guarantee complete peace of mind.

Our Vision

The defining aesthetic trend of 2026 is the dissolution of the visual boundary between interior and exterior spaces. This is not merely a styling choice but an architectural imperative facilitated by material innovation. This is achieved through several key design principles:

• Seamless Transitions: Large, minimal-frame glass systems and continuous or coordinated flooring materials eliminate the visual and physical break between indoors and outdoors, creating a single, expansive living area.

• Material Interplay: Traditional exterior materials (stone, timber, Corten steel) are used inside, while sophisticated, comfortable fabrics and finishes are used in exterior spaces, blurring the material lines.

• Biophilic Design: The integration is rooted in biophilia, maximizing natural light and views, and incorporating natural elements like water features and living green walls that flow across the threshold.

• Technological Enablers: Advanced materials like high-performance low-E glass and automated climate/screen systems facilitate these large-scale glazed areas without sacrificing energy efficiency or comfort.

The Outdoor Room: Exterior areas are now treated as core, fully-equipped extensions of the primary living space, featuring outdoor kitchens and integrated, architecturally consistent furniture.

The Revolution in Garden Technology: 12V and the Smart, Connected Landscape

Gardens have fundamentally changed, transitioning from simple analogue areas into sophisticated, connected "nodes" within the Smart Home ecosystem. This shift is primarily enabled by the move from hazardous mains voltage (230V) to the safer 12V Safety Extra Low Voltage.

Key Advantages of the 12V System:

• Enhanced Safety and Installation Flexibility: The use of 12V systems (such as In-Lite) sidesteps the stringent Part P electrical regulations associated with mains cabling. This eliminates the necessity for deep cable burial (600mm), allowing for simple, shallow installation in grooves or mulch, and critically removes the risk of fatal electric shock for people and pets.

• Robust Wireless Control via Mesh Networks: Modern lighting systems employ Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Mesh technology. Unlike Wi-Fi, which often struggles with signal penetration through exterior walls, the mesh design allows every fixture to function as a repeater, guaranteeing reliable control across extensive properties without reliance on an internet connection.

Sustainable Stewardship

Sustainability is a growing priority in the property sector, with new developments incorporating eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient technology to appeal to environmentally conscious buyers. For investors, environmental certifications like LEED and WELL are important. It is essential for properties to be as environmentally friendly as possible due to the increasing impact of climate change.