Using Outdoor Lighting

Many homeowners spend a lot of time and money on landscaping the yard around their home. More money is spent with mowing or fertilizing companies, or any other company hired to keep up the landscaping the homeowner installed. So with that in mind, why not accent the hard work that's been done with the proper lighting? It's a common feature that shouldn't be overlooked.

Most people experiment with all manner of unique light fixtures in a bid to get that perfect outdoor scene right. While experimenting is encouraged, it is important to have in mind a few tips that will help you get the desired look. Most outdoor spaces have garden plants as well as trees. These need to be illuminated in such a way that they are a beautiful sight at night. The lighting fixtures need to be placed so as to achieve the right balance. Low voltage lights can create the desired effect of shadows or highlights where needed.

To avoid ruining a perfect landscape with a lot of glare, consider the following tips;

Paths, sidewalks and walkways

Do not use floodlights. These have the unnecessary effect of making everything else look dark. This is because at night our eyes adjust to the brightest light. Instead, consider lights that are placed near to the ground and cast a horizontal spreading light.

Plants and flowers

This is the most important part of your landscape lighting. The rule of thumb is to shield the light bulb from direct view. This is to avoid the eye being drawn to it and spoiling the entire view. The best effect is achieved by placing the light behind plants. If done well, it should create a stunning effect of subtle silhouettes on background walls.

Gazebos, patios and pools

What you need is to create the right atmosphere and mood. This is best achieved by using specialty lights like patio torches or string lights. If you have a waterfall, use underwater lights to highlight rocks or any artistic objects.

Architecture and specimen trees

Trees tend to be a bit taller than plants and flowers. It is tricky to illuminate them with down lights. If you decide to try this, try as much as possible to hide the light fixture from view. What you should go for is a natural light effect. The best way is to use lights placed on the ground aiming upward. These highlight trees and architectural features better. These lights also have the added advantage of creating the illusion of space at night.

To get the best outdoor look, avoid doing light fixture installations if all landscape elements are not in place. This gives you the opportunity to see how your landscape design will look. It is also very important to have in mind that plant growth calls for flexibility in your design. Hopefully, these tips will guide you in installing your fun light fixtures in the right places.