Fall is here, and winter is on its way! Since it will continue to get darker sooner as the days grow shorter, now is the ideal time to upgrade the outdoor lighting on and around your home. To get the best possible results, think about the purpose, function, and type of landscape lighting you want to include. It’s not just about functionality; the right outdoor lighting spotlights architectural features and enhances landscaped focal points, boosting curb appeal.
Things lighting can do for your outdoor living spaces.
Designing and implementing a plan that incorporates the three basic types of lighting – task, ambient, and accent – can do positive things for your outdoor living spaces.
- Increase the amount of time you spend outside
- Create areas in your backyard for specific purposes – sitting around the fire pit, dining, bird watching
- Highlight landscaping features such as a garden bed, retaining wall, or small pond
- Make your home more secure because it’s well-lit
- Make pathways and staircase safer
Replace entry door lights.
Your front door should say “Welcome” both during the day and when it starts to become dark. A simple way to improve your home’s exterior is to exchange the current lights on either side of your entry door for larger, brighter sconces. For maximum curb appeal, select the style of lighting that matches the architectural style of your home – for example, traditional with Victorian or modern with minimalist.
Add soffit lighting to the house or garage.
Soffit lighting is designed to fit into the soffit panels of the eaves of a house, or a porch ceiling, or the roof overhang of a garage. You can choose a soffit light for a specific purpose. With standard soffit lights, people entering the front door or garage will be able to see where they are going. Angled soffit lights can make it easier to put the focus on where it’s needed most such as the front door lock or the first step leading up to the porch.
Make your backyard more functional with smart lighting.
Smart lighting is lighting that connects to the internet, letting you schedule on and off times; adjust the dimness or brightness; and see the driveway as soon as you approach. A smart lighting system includes fixtures, bulbs, and a variety of additional features that make your backyard more functional and safe after dark, such as motion alerts and alarms to deter intruders.
Illuminate pathways and stairs.
Ensuring that you, your family, and visitors to your home can navigate your property safely is pretty important. Especially if the pathway to your front door or the backyard or the side door of the garage is in shadow, illuminate it with subtle lighting that sheds enough light without glare or too much brightness.
Step lights or step illuminators are a type of recessed lighting that is typically installed horizontally into the stair riser. They enhance the functionality of the stairs while increasing the safety factor for people climbing the steps.
Put a spotlight on something.
Spotlights and floodlights are extremely versatile types of lighting. They typically have the advantage of wide beams, intense brightness, and a variety of bulbs. To showcase specific architectural features of your home’s exterior or a landscaping focal point, spotlights emphasize particular details. Use floodlights to brighten areas of the property that aren’t well lit such as a dark corner of the front yard, the entrance to the garage, or a water feature such as a fountain or water wall.
