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Outdoor lighting not only increases your home’s attractiveness, it makes your property more safe and secure. |
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| Walkways, steps and driveways |
| Well-lit walkways, steps and driveways allow you and your guests to move around safely after dark. Choose path lights or post lanterns for a stylish way to both brighten the way and define the space. Fixtures on the garage or house are another option. Make sure you eliminate all dark spots along the way. Quartz halogen motion lighting or floodlighting is a popular option as it gives good coverage, as well as highlighting architectural details. Many homeowners also choose to use timers or photo cells for an extra feeling of security. |
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| Front entrance |
| This is where you greet guests and your home makes its first impression. You want to make sure the space is well-lit, but not to a blinding degree. Wall fixtures on either side of the entryway are attractive and inviting. |
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| Decks, porches, and patios |
| If you like to entertain, you’ll want to make sure your lighting for the deck, porch and/or patio is adequate. A good lighting scheme for these areas will provide enough light to illuminate the space, but maintain a sense of intimacy. Conceal low-voltage mini-lights under railings or benches. Use a stronger light over the main cooking or serving area and use accent lighting for other areas. |
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| Conserve energy |
| Use the newer compact fluorescent bulbs to save energy. The produce a brighter light and last a lot longer than regular incandescent bulbs. Timers are another way to save energy, as the lights will go off even if you forget to flip the switch. |
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| Be creative |
| Uplighting is a great way to add an interesting look to your property without compromising safety. Highlight any interesting architectural features or landscaping. A spotlight on a flag, for example, is a great way to share your patriotic pride. |
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| Less is more |
| It can be easy to get carried away and overdo it in the lighting department. Make sure your safety and security needs are met, highlight a couple of key focal points and just use soft mood lighting elsewhere. No matter how beautiful your fixtures, too much light is annoying. |
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| Maintenance |
| Change bulbs when necessary and change all bulbs once a year. This keeps all bulbs working in top condition and ensures there won’t be any gaps. Make sure to adjust your lighting as trees and shrubs grow, or trim the branches to ensure complete coverage. Check your motion sensor regularly to ensure it isn’t being triggered by some other source. A motion sensor light that goes on regularly will soon not be noticed, which takes away from its main purpose of added security. Replace timer batteries regularly. |
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