Outdoor Lighting Ideas

When the sun goes down does your house look like a dark, sinister place from outside or does it look fabulous and gets envious approval from neighbours? The good news is that using light to enhance your house’s appeal is not difficult. Well-executed outdoor lighting enhances architectural detail and plays up landscape features, casting your home in the best possible light. Here are the elements of successful outdoor lighting.

1. Highlight trees: Whether illumined from below or given presence by a light placed in the tree itself, trees on your property can be turned into stunning features.

2. Combine beauty and function: Adding lighting to plantings along a pathway breaks up the “runway” look of too many lights strung alongside a walk.

3. Stick to warm light: Sure you can go crazy with a rainbow of colours. But it is better to stick to warm white light so you can showcase your house and its landscape rather than create a light show.

4. Uplight for drama: Uplighting is a dramatic lighting effect to highlight architectural and landscaping features. By placing lighting fixtures on the ground and focusing them upward, uplighting can add colour and depth.

5. Switch to LEDs: LEDs cost only about 25% more to install than incandescent bulbs but offer up to 75% savings on your electricity bill. Another advantage is long life. LEDs last at least 40,000 hours, or about 18 years of service.

6. Candles and torches: Candles can be used just about anywhere, but keep safety in mind. If you plan to hang candles from trees, make sure to place them in deep containers to prevent sparks and the flames from blowing out. Torches are great for lighting up outdoor parties but avoid using them when kids or pets are present.

Here are some outdoor lighting ideas to inspire you.