Summer is the best time to enjoy the outdoors with your family and friends. Beautiful outdoor lighting doubles up the enjoyment level. People spend a lot of money building elegant outdoor dining areas, patios, and recreational areas like fire pits and swimming pool. However, they miss out on an important feature, the outdoor lighting. The result is a beautiful home interior with a pitch dark outdoor area. It is important that you illuminate the outdoor space. Set up the right kind of lighting to enjoy throughout the day. It requires a lot of research on the amount of lighting required. Equally important is placing the lights in your backyard to create a great ambiance.
The following are the 6 tips to help you level up your outdoor lighting style.
1. Set your Goals first
Before purchasing any lights, plan, prepare, and calculate. The purpose of lighting is to highlight the shape, texture, and structure of the property. This makes your home stand out from the surrounding houses. So, draw a plan for the lighting budget. Get some professional advice on the kind of lighting that will look good for your place. Focus on lighting area wise like walkways, landscaping, and doorways. You can also check out inspirations from Pinterest. Also, identify the outdoor places that you will be using. Take measurements of the space to help you get the right size of lighting. This will also give you an idea of where to place the lights and the type of lights to be used. Using a paper template is a good way to find out the exact placement of the lights. While researching about the lightings, look for sturdy and weather-resistant materials.
2. The Entrance
When you are driving down the lane, a well-lit house catches your attention. The entrance of your home is the first thing that people notice when they come to your place. It is the most frequently used area. The right entrance lights ensure the safety of the visitors and you. Choose the best design and color to match your decor. If you have a long walkway or stairway leading to the entrance of your home, then light up both sides of the walkway or stairway for a pleasant walk towards the home. An outdoor pendant lighting is a good choice for a bungalow or a villa to produce the 20th-century vibe.
3. Use LEDs
LED lightings are a good choice for outdoor lighting. They are the most energy-efficient and low maintenance lights available in the market so far. Compared to an incandescent bulb or halogen light, LED consumes less energy. They produce good light and have a lifespan of 2-10 times longer compared to other lightings. With LED lights, there are no recycling issues as they are small and offer steady lighting. Though it’s a little pricier, it’s worth the investment. They are available in other features like solar-powered and motion sensors too for outdoor lighting. To repair a garage door old light with the stylish new Led lights of outdoor pendant light which make it more attractive.
4. Architectural Features
Highlight the architectural features of your home that gives a striking appearance. Show off the architectural features using can lights and spotlights. To highlight a wall, use outdoor landscape lighting. Your goals for lighting will help you to select which architectural features to highlight. Also, do not keep all the lights with the same level of brightness. Most homeowners never consider that not every light has to be at the same level of brightness. There are three types of lighting: task, ambient, and accent. Create a beautiful display of your outdoor area by showcasing the right lighting levels between bright and dim.
5. Use Subtle Light for Entertaining Guests
It’s a good choice to stick with subtle soft lights as your guests don’t want to be in the spotlight when they come for dinner. Successful lighting complements the room decor without being too bright. Soft lightings also create a restful and calm mood, especially in the outdoor dining area. A few of the options to choose from are pendants, outdoor lanterns, ceiling fans with lights, etc. You can use a full light while cooking and use dimmers while eating and relaxing. For a modest budget, consider string lights or led lights.
6. Highlight Backyard Water Features
If you have a swimming pool in your backyard, then you have the privilege of owning a resort. For accessing the swimming pool at night, you must light your pool for a magical experience. With the right lighting of the pool, it makes the surrounding also beautiful. It complements your home, giving a good view of the pool from inside. If your swimming pool has a lot of huge trees around, then installing lights in the branches gives out a moonlight effect. You can also mount these lights high on your home if you don’t have trees. An important rule to note is, “you want to see the effect of light and not the source of light.” The best lighting option for it is under cap lighting, which is hidden under your wall, highlighting the texture. They offer soft, downward illumination without glare.
These are a few basic tips to help you improve outdoor lighting. Explore all these ideas and search for the most innovative lights for your outdoor lighting. Hope these tips help you create a beautiful space outdoor which is visually pleasing.