Illuminated walkways and driveways serve both aesthetic and functional purposes. They allow guests to move safely around your property, and a well-lit home can deter intruders by putting their actions on display.
Use the right fixtures to highlight your garden, trees, patios and more. A professional designer will create a custom design and ensure that your lighting project is installed correctly. Click Here to learn more.
Up lighting is a popular way to highlight tall landscape features such as trees, house walls and other architectural elements. It adds a dramatic effect that can make a feature glow and stand out in your yard at night. Lighting fixtures such as well lights and spotlights can be used to uplight a feature or the bottom of a tree canopy. Uplighting can also be used to highlight the unique texture of tree bark or branches as well as other ornamental features such as urns, statues and fountains.
When up lighting is used for the front of a home it is sometimes referred to as moonlighting to create a soft glowing effect similar to the moon. It is an effective way to enhance the curb appeal of your property at night and give a warm welcome to friends and family members after dark.
A good landscape lighting designer will take into consideration the overall look you want to achieve. This can help to ensure that all of your landscape features are properly highlighted and that the overall effect is cohesive. It is important to note that the lighting fixtures themselves are not on display, so it’s best to choose a fixture with a low profile and a discreet appearance.
It’s also important to consider the function of your space when planning your landscape lighting. For example, a walkway or driveway should be illuminated to prevent trips and falls in the dark. This can be accomplished using path lights that are strategically placed to provide adequate illumination for pedestrians.
Another important consideration when planning your landscape lighting is the fixture’s lumen output. You will want to be sure that the light is bright enough to showcase your feature but not so bright that it becomes overbearing or distracting. It’s often helpful to use a flashlight to get an idea of the brightness of the light in the evening hours to see how it will look once it is installed.
Installing landscape lighting can be a rewarding DIY project but many homeowners would prefer the peace of mind that comes with hiring a professional installer. A skilled landscape lighting contractor brings design expertise and technical knowledge to the installation process, as well as access to higher quality, more customizable fixtures. Professionals are also better equipped to deal with tricky electrical work such as buried conduit and splicing into existing wires.
Floodlighting
A well-lit home landscape is more than just utilitarian or beautiful; it’s also safe and inviting for your family and guests. While low voltage lighting is a key component, it’s often combined with other types of illumination to illuminate specific areas and highlight the beauty of your property at night.
Spotlights and flood lights are two of the most important lighting elements that are employed in landscape lighting systems. Spotlights provide a more focused beam of light, while flood lights emit a wider light spread. These differences make them appropriate for different uses in your landscape.
Landscape lighting spotlights shine light upward to highlight particular landscape features, like trees, shrubs or sculptures. They can also be installed under handrails on staircases to add safety and functionality to the outdoor space. Landscape lighting fixtures that shine upward can create a stunning effect when used to highlight the shape and shadows of your architectural features. This technique can be applied to anything from a garden gate to a chimney or gazebo.
In contrast, flood lights are intended to be used when a large area of your property needs to be illuminated. Flood lights are great for lighting walkways and patios, preventing tripping hazards and making it safer to move through your yard at night. They can also be used to highlight landscape elements like fountains, ponds or garden art.
Both low voltage landscape lighting spotlights and flood lights can be used to highlight landscaping features, as well as accent the exterior of your house or commercial building at night. They can be added to front porches and entryways, illuminating the building facade and adding security. They can even be used to light up trees, parking lots and walkways at a company building or HOA office.
Landscape lighting can be used to illuminate any number of features on your property, from a simple garden gate to the most elaborate architecture on your property. It can even be used to make your property feel a little more like a magical place at night. While the look of your landscape lighting system is a combination of utility and artistry, it all starts with the individual light bulbs that are used in it. Each of the unique light bulb-ingredients that go into your landscape lighting system contributes a distinct flavor to its overall impact and appearance.
Accent Lighting
Landscape lighting is the outdoor illumination of public or private gardens and landscapes for purposes of nighttime aesthetics, safety, accessibility, security, event applications, and recreation. While it is often perceived as an afterthought, the right landscape lights can dramatically improve your home’s curb appeal and transform your backyard into an extension of your living space.
Accent lighting is used to highlight specific features, objects or areas of interest in your garden and yard. This can include statues, trellises, fountains, patios/porches, gazebos, and more. This type of lighting typically utilizes spotlights or other small fixtures that are mounted low to the ground and are aimed upward. These types of fixtures help to avoid casting light on the ground, and allow for the light to be directed to specific areas without overshadowing other areas below it.
Whether you want to illuminate a particular tree, highlight a water feature or raise your home’s architecture, accent lighting is the best choice. The beauty of this type of lighting is that it draws the eye away from the source and highlights only the effect, creating a more pleasing appearance than simply lighting up the entire area with bright lights.
The use of lighting can also make your space more usable at night, especially if you have stairs or other pathways in the yard. Illuminating these areas will provide safety for your family and guests and reduce the risk of injury or accidents. In addition, well-lit walkways and paths are a great way to welcome your guests to your home while adding a touch of curb appeal.
Lastly, the addition of accent lighting can really elevate your home’s aesthetic and boost its value when it comes time to sell. A beautiful, professionally-installed landscape lighting system is a high-demand feature that many buyers will look for when shopping for a new home. By taking the time to carefully plan your landscape lighting, you can enjoy all its benefits while making sure your home’s exterior stands out at night.
Ambient Lighting
Lighting your landscape highlights the architectural features that make your home unique. The stone facade, the columns, or even the trim work can be highlighted with artistic lighting designs that really make your house stand out in a nighttime setting. It’s not only attractive, but it also increases the value of your home and makes it safer for you and your family to navigate the yard after dark.
Landscape lighting can be used to light up a wide variety of elements in the yard, including fountains, ponds, patios, flower gardens, and trees. Decorative lights like white or brightly-colored orbs can be used to create mood lighting.
When considering a landscape lighting system, be sure to start with a map of your property that includes fixture locations and cable routes. You will want to create pools of light that guide you from one area to the next, rather than creating a runway effect. Remember, landscape lighting is all about highlighting your outdoor space’s best features, not the lights themselves.
The most common form of landscape lighting is uplighting. This lighting technique involves pointing uplights at tall garden or architectural features, such as a stone wall, a tree, or the top of a waterfall. This type of landscape lighting creates a halo around the feature that illuminates its shape and adds drama to the area.
Another popular type of landscape lighting is floodlighting, which is the use of a wide-beam light to wash or graze the surface of an architectural or garden feature. For this type of landscape lighting, we generally recommend using a fixture that offers adjustable lumen output.
Other types of landscape lighting include path lights, which are positioned along a pathway to illuminate the way. These are typically positioned at a lower height than uplights and floodlights, and they help to keep walkways safe after dark.
Lastly, there are specialty lighting fixtures that can be installed inside water features to illuminate their shapes and colors. This type of landscape lighting has become very popular and can be an excellent choice for illuminating your pool, spa, or outdoor kitchen. It’s important to regularly maintain your landscape lighting system by checking for signs of wear and tear, and proactively replacing bulbs when needed. In addition, you will want to clean your fixtures periodically to remove dirt and debris that can accumulate on lenses or housings.