Outdoor lighting can be a great way to enhance the aura and ambience of your house. It helps to highlight the architecture of the house and make the outdoors much more pleasant and inviting. But it can be tricky to choose the perfect set of lights for your exteriors. There are a few things that should be kept in mind before you start executing your plan.
Your house is your guide
You choose outdoor lights to make your exteriors more prominent so start from your home. The architecture of your house will play a significant role in determining the type of lighting. The lighting should also blend with the colors of your house.
You can include your sideways, pathways, patio, backyards, pool area and of course the greenery around you.
Once you have an idea of the areas which needs lighting, you are ready to make the next move.
3 types of lighting
Try to include these basic three types of lighting that give out different textures. You can achieve:
- Ambient from hanging lights, post lights, and wall lights.
- Task from pathway lights, deck and security lights.
- The accent from landscape lighting and spotlights.
Purpose of lighting
Outdoor lighting is usually done for decoration and safety. Lights meant for safety are a bit bright compared to the ones intended for decoration. Decorative lights include ceiling lights, pendant, chandeliers, wall, and landscape lighting. And safety lights include flood lighting, recessed lighting, and landscape lighting.
Garage, driveway, parking areas, decks, and pathways need safety lighting. Whereas outdoor kitchen or dining, patios, stairways, garden, and porch need decorative lights.
So, your choice of lighting should be compliant with your need.
Style
Just like I said, consider your house architecture before choosing your lights. Modern lights look good with modern, contemporary and transitional homes. And antique lightings suit historical or vintage homes.
For lodge or cabin style homes, rustic lighting designs in pewter or metal accents look good.
‘Less is More’
This statement is entirely correct when it comes to outdoor lighting. You would not want your backyard to have blinking lights. So, try to use minimal lights to create ambience and a pleasant mood. Of course for safety purposes, you can use bright lights but make sure they don’t cause any hindrances to neighbors or passersby.
Managing your lights
To make your job easy, you can now choose from a variety of options to control the lighting around your house. Some of them are:
- Dimmers- They let you control the intensity of lights.
- Timers- These will turn on the lights on a scheduled time.
- Home Automation- You can turn on the lights with the help of a remote connection to your Home Automation device.
- Motion Sensors- Lights will turn on as soon as motion is detected on the ground.
- Dusk to Dawn- With the help of this system your lights will turn on at dusk and switch off at dawn. You can also schedule it up for 8 hrs. Go to this article by SimplyHomeTips to find out more about dusk-to-dawn lighting.
Be energy efficient
LEDs are a great alternative to halogens or fluorescents. They are durable, consume less power and give excellent results. You can also choose solar lighting for your backyards or pathways. Solar lights are eco-friendly and affordable.
Basic tips
- Maintain your outdoor lights by changing damaged bulbs and wires.
- Check your fixtures for any corrosion or damage and repair them on time.
- Try to use minimal lights to reduce light pollution caused by the glare of lights reacting with the photons in the air.
Outdoor lighting is a fantastic way to enhance the beauty of your home. It adds a separate dimension to your exteriors. And with the right kind of lighting, your outdoors will be as pleasant as your outdoors.
