Buying a first home offers you an opportunity to give it a look you want from the ground up. One way you can achieve this is through outdoor lighting. This helps to create a warm atmosphere outside while enhancing safety and security.
Installation of lighting fixtures depends on where you want light most. For example, strong lights are ideal for entrances and large areas, such as decks and driveways. You’ll need to work with a professional electrician to ensure all cables and connections to the circuit box are done correctly.
In this post, we’re going to share some simple tips on lighting your outdoors.
Ready? Let’s get right into it.
1. Plan Accordingly
First, you should start by planning for your lighting. Take a look around your new home to identify the major landscaping elements, such as decks, trees, gardens, and paths. Don’t forget to consider the location of present or future receptacles, too.
Identify the key things that you’d love to eliminate and what lights will suit them best. Don’t add lights to overly bright or dark areas as that won’t add any aesthetic appeal. Also, avoid glaring lights that will be distractive to your neighbors and visitors.
2. Places to Add Lighting
To ensure a seamless aesthetic flow, you need to find the right spots for lighting. Here are some of the common locations:
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Home’s Entry
Use a wall light on either side of the entry to help you see and identify visitors. This location requires enough light without glare. If you have a secondary entry, a single fixture will be sufficient.
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Deck and Patio:
You can get creative by adding lighting at the top of your patio furniture cushions. Test the heights before installation of the fixtures. Focus on illuminating the areas that are prone to activities such as around the grill.
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Garage and driveway:
Outdoor post lights will be great for your driveway turn in. They don’t need to be too bright, but just enough to guide visitors. Place lights over the garage door to help guarantee safety.
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Stairways and passages:
You want to make sure people can see where they’re heading to. Double check that the light reaches slopes and steps. Overly bright fixtures are also not great for these spots.
3. Types of Outdoor Lighting Fixtures
As a new homeowner, there is a host of fixtures to consider. Typically, working with a professional will help you know which fixtures work well for particular spots.
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String Lights:
You can use these lights to illuminate your borders, edges, banisters and wrap columns. Or, they can be hung over a space to cast a beautiful glow on a table or other space.
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Hurricanes and Lanterns:
These fixtures can be installed on your wall. Lanterns are great for fixed locations, such as home’s entry. Hurricanes are flexible, and they will look well on outside walls.
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Pendant Lights:
If you want a “room” feeling for your deck or patio, hanging lights are the ideal options. You can use pendant lights to anchor a sitting area to add a decorative effect.
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Landscape Lights:
Most of the landscape lights are usually installed on the ground. They can illuminate upwards or focus light on an item that you want.
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Sconces:
These fixtures are also versatile. You can use them to illuminate a dining area or path. They’re available in varied styles to help you create a stunning appeal.
The Takeaway
This simple guide will help you know what lights to use in different locations in your home. The number of outdoor fixtures you will need for your first home depends on the home size and styling needs.
Use durable lights in those hard-to-reach spots and remember to use the correct type and wattage for bulbs. Also, all your fixtures and bulbs must be rated for outdoor use.
Do you have a question about outdoor lighting? Get in touch with us, and we’ll be happy to help.