Your outdoor lighting i a big influence on the appearance of your home's exterior.
The outdoor lighting you choose may have more of an impact on the overall appearance of your home exterior than you might realize. The light emitted affects the look of your home at night, and the lighting options you install are visible during the day. Therefore, you want to make sure you choose fixtures, lighting options and placement that will be attractive in the day and at night.
Instructions
1. Figure out the places where you need outdoor lighting. Some common places include along a pathway or driveway, on an outdoor patio or around a swimming pool. According to Don Vandervort's Home Tips, pick the most attractive areas to showcase and leave the rest dimmer.
2. Identify the best lights for where you are placing them outdoors. Mushroom lights, or scoop lights, are mounted on stakes and common for steps and pathways. Tiered lights are also on stakes, but are more decorative with multiple tiers. Sconce lights are best for large spaces and are wall-mounted, and recessed lights are typically used for patios and decks, as well as around swimming pools. Always check to the lights from inside of your house, too, since that will also affect you on a day-to-day basis.
3. Purchase durable lights. The most durable lights are welded or screwed together. According to Consumer Reports, lights that twist together or those made out of plastic may not last as long as the more durable options.
4. Study your yard to see what kind of directionals you need. Landscape lighting includes backlights mounted in the ground, downlights that cast light downward and path lights that light up only the ground along a pathway. Once again, determine the ideal lighting by checking it out from inside and outside of the house.
5. Pay attention to the power options and look for lighting systems that are powered by low voltage system options, such as power packs, low voltage lamps and low voltage cables. These fixtures should be about 12 volts, according to Consumer Reports. They will help save energy and money on your home energy bills.
6. Look for lights fixtures that have finishes that match the overall design of your outdoor landscaping. Keep the finishes consistent. Some finishing options include brass, pewter, antique copper, polished copper, black and antique brown.
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